was determined to do it for my next birthday.
I've had a few family and friends that have done it
and I wanted to give it a try too.
Sunday afternoon (the day before my birthday) I remembered about it, and started making a list.
Unfortunately, I had to work, and fortunately my husband gave me a few birthday surprises,
so I wasn't able to complete all of the 32 random acts in one day,
so we just did it in two days.
Here's what we did:
1. I worked on my birthday and had a smile on my face.
2. I called a friend that I miss and haven't talked to in a while.
3. I placed a few dollars near the gas pump. Someone's gonna be happy.
4. I drove a lot on my birthday . . . and let many people go in front of me.
5. We left a few frozen treats on some doorsteps, rang the doorbell, and RAN!
{Ava was a little confused . . . "we ring and then run?"}
6. We brought a bag of old toys to a family who has three new foster children.
7. We found a laundromat and placed some coins on a machine.
8. We left a happy note {and a beautiful drawing} on a car.
9. We picked up trash at the park that held a 4th of July celebration a few days earlier.
10. We made cookies and brought them to a friend who just had a baby.
11. We took some friends out to get yogurt. Yum!
12. We brought cookies and homemade strawberry jam to the nearest firestation.
{they offered to have a picture taken with Ava and for her to get up on the
fire truck but she was acting a little shy}
13. We brought our pool attendant a water bottle and a candy bar.
{he was shocked!}
14. There's a certain house in our neighborhood that always has their yard decked out for EACH holiday! So we rang the doorbell and gave them a note with a candy bar.
{the husband thought we were bringing them to everyone in the neighborhood . . . had to explain
and then he said his wife would appreciate it}
15. Brought some fudgesicles to friends that had just returned from the pool.
16. We gave a note and candy bar to the mailman.
17. We let many, many, many pedestrians cross in front of us.
18. We brought some clothes to the nearest thrift store.
19. We left a dollar in a finance book at the library.
20. While at the library, I read as many books to Ava as she wanted me to read.
{well . . . to an extent. it was at least more than 1, less than 10. we couldn't be there all day. :)
And she did tell me that it was so fun!}
21. We gathered shopping carts at the nearest grocery store.
22. We placed a bag full of coins on a phone.
{are these still used?!?}
23. We bought one of our favorite cashiers a candy bar.
{she thought Ava was returning it to her. We told her that it was for her. I almost started crying
when she kept on saying "Why, why are you giving this to me. That's so nice!"}
24. While at the grocery store, we left a bag of popcorn on the redbox machine.
25. We went to the dollar store and Ava chose an item in the toy section
that we taped a dollar to.
26. We gave the "sign guy" on the corner a bottle of water. It was warm out there!
27. We visited a friend and brought her some yummy treats.
29. We met some neighbors across the street from us and gave their daughter a candy bar.
31. We babysat my neighbor's daughter for the evening.
32. We brought some cookies to the neighbors that live behind us, whom we've never met.
{and yesterday, their girls AND their grandma climbed in their playset
and thanked my daughters for the cookies. my girls were so happy to see them.}
-------------------------------------
These tiny, little service projects made such a big difference to those we were serving . . . and to me.
It was MY birthday and I wasn't thinking about MYself.
That's exactly what I needed.
I was happier than I've been in a long time.
And what was awesome is that all of these weren't planned.
There were a few opportunities that just presented themselves and I'm grateful for those.
It was so important for me to do this with my family so that
I could teach the joy of service to my daughters.
When we were finally finished, we were on our way home and I asked Ava
how she felt. Doing all these fun, little service projects, how did it make her feel?
Her answer, ". . . I don't want to talk right now."
Ha! I think I might have wore her out.
But I know that little 4 year old girl learned something.
She felt something inside.
What a fun birthday tradition that has begun!
I will be posting to these linking parties
here.
