On the Receiving End

   

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/wbeem/6854174252/">wbeem</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/">cc</a>

      Earlier this week I was feeling on the glum side. Chalk it up to a trip to DC and being faced with throngs of rude, oblivious, tourists (Yeah, I don't do well with crowds), listening to several horror stories about malicious behavior, and watching part of the most recent Hunger Games movies. I was convinced that everyone on the planet was completely self absorbed. This is not my normal state of mind. I am totally a glass half full kinda gal, and it bothered me. Thankfully the very next day, I was on the receiving end of several acts of kindness from random strangers, a free admission to the indoor playground, a fellow mom who gave my son her Frosty card at Wendy's when they were out of the boy kid's meal toys, and an awesome waitress who made my family's fine dining experience truly special. I like to believe that what happened was an answer to prayer. My prayer to restore my hope for the world. Whether it was or not, it did the trick. So for all of you doing acts of kindness who wonder if they make a difference I will tell you they do! If each small acts in some way can restore someone else's hope it's worth every bit.

Getting Crafty

   

     Last Sunday my Sunday school class and I made these sacrifice or good deed beads. The idea comes from St. Terese. You can use the beads to keep track of your good deeds or sacrifices through out the day. The kids really seemed to enjoy making them, though it is a project that will work best with older children. I teach 6th through 9th graders. I also recommend beads with large holes, as the cord needs to go through twice. I used peace, faith, and love charms instead of religious medals because that's what I was able to find, but it gave them a more contemporary look the kids liked. You can find the directions to make your own here.