Book Em'

Give a book to someone out of the blue. Consider their interests and buy them a book.



Recently, one of my friends said she wanted to cook more at home instead of eating out most nights. I got her two cookbooks one on one-pot meals and slow cooker recipes. Much to my surprise and delight, she's been sharing some delicious soups and stews she discovered in her reading, and sharing these makes for truly high-quality time together.

Treats for the Sweets

Treat someone to a meal- this is especially effective when people least expect it!
Whether you are out with a friend or see a person in need on the street, take the opportunity to buy their meal without offering. Just do it.

Make Good Choices in Your Life

Make sure 2019 is one of the best years of your life!

This is your life, only you can truly control your choices, and choosing happiness is the best way to achieve being a good to yourself as well as the world. Here are some suggestions for how yo simple joy in your life:

·  Be the best you can be by your own standards

·  Surround yourself with people who inspire you and make you feel good

·  Focus on what you have, not what you lack

·  Optimism trumps pessimism every time!

·  Smile often and genuinely

·  Be honest, to yourself and to others

·  Help others

·  Embrace your past, live in the present, and look forward for what is yet to come

Cookies Taste a Lot Like Love: #OperationGratitude

Thousands of miles away and MRE's to eat, how much would you love homemade cookies?

 

I learned about his from my mom whose church regularly sends cards letters and care packages overseas to the armed forces. My mom and her fellow church ladies bake some of the best cookies in the world so they gather up all kinds of goodies and treats and send them overseas where the taste of “down home” surely brings many smiles of satisfaction. Those who are less gifted in the baking department, such as ME, can make $15 donation to Operation Gratitude, which pays for one care package for one serviceperson. Operation Gratitude has end over a million of these kindness kits around the world!

Make More Time for People in Your Life

Everyone you see has a story worth hearing. Just say hi!

Try something new this year and check out the Just Say Hello Campaign on Oprah’s website. The campaign (find it at www.oprah.com) encourages kindness and strives to combat loneliness by reading our and connecting. A howdy-do to a stranger might make your day and a new pal in the process. I read about this excellent friendliness project in Oprah’s O Magazine a few Sundays ago and immediately felt inspired to try it that day. My boyfriend and I went to do our weekend chores, which include fresh flowers from our neighborhood stand. An older gentleman was standing there smelling the roses, always a good idea in my mind. I remembered to say “Hi” as instructed by Oprah and he responded with a big smile and wanted my input on flowers he wanted to buy for a lady friend.  As you might imagine, quite a conversation ensued and my boyfriend joined in, who is even friendlier than I am. Soon the florist was involved and our new gentleman friend turned out to be a fascinating conversationalist. He had been a fighter pilot in the Korean War, very highly decorated and has travelled all over the world before returning back home to El Cerrito. Widowed some years back, he was only beginning to get back out there and date. After landing upon a carefully selected bouquet of red roses and pink lilies, he headed off to the dance at the senior center. I noticed he has a good bit of pep in his step and I remember having a good feeling about his first date. We kept our eyes peeled for Colonel Jarvis when in the vicinity of the flower shop and sure enough we saw him and he had pictures of his lady friend from the dance featuring a corsage he had gotten for her. Things were looking pretty swell all around and he looked pleased as punch.

So, thanks Oprah for another great idea!

Resolve to Be a Force for Good in This World #HappyNewYear!!!

New Year’s Day. Did you make a New Year’s resolution for this year? 

Throw that word “resolution” out the window. It’s not strong enough to hold people to their goals, or at least that is true for me and everyone I know!  If you want to eat healthier, spend more time with your family, or finally volunteer at your church’s soup kitchen, go ahead and make these things happen. Tell people about your mission and maybe they will join forces with you. I had so much fun at Glide Memorial Church serving lunch that my friends asked to come along with me! Or, if you want to jumpstart your New Year’s with a MAJOR act of kindness, head on down to LA for the New Year’sl Race for  A Place Called Home, www.apchorg,  is a safe haven in South Central Los Angeles where underserved youth are empowered to take ownership of the quality and direction of their lives through programs in education, arts, and well-being; and are inspired to make a meaningful difference in their community and the world.

Be the Light in Dark Days: Help Others

The holiday season is not easy for a lot of people who are struggling. 

What can you do? Turns out, you can do a lot. 

Sometimes we all feel deflated or overwhelmed, someone or something hurts us or disappoints us, or we hear bad news about a loved one’s medical condition. On those days, when you feel your light has gone out, remember there is always a glimmer of hope and something to be thankful for. Albert Schweitzer said it well: “Sometimes our light goes out, but is blown again into instant flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us 

Holiday Acts of Kindness: Pay It Forward

Teach your children well: here's one sure-fire way to successfully pass it on:

If your heart and your wallet have different ideas about making monetary donations, it is time to summon your inner regifter.  An unwanted gift could be a welcome donation to a charitable organization. For help selecting a charitable organization, visit the Better Business Bureaus’ Wise Giving Alliance. You can also contact the government office responsible for registering charities in your state. A little research upfront will make sure that your donation is put to good use.  If the process of selecting a charity seems daunting, remember, you benefit from giving as well.  

Involving your children in the selection of and contribution to a charity teaches valuable lessons.

Give to causes in your own backyard as well as internationally

You have an opportunity to make a difference.

Some charitable gifts are tax-deductible if made to a qualified organization.

But be sure your organization meets IRS guidelines, as there may be different tax breaks when you donate certain types of assets to charity. 

From Growing Up Homeless to Helping the Homeless

NFL player James Jones knows it’s better to give than to receive

“Being homeless made me a better man,” says James Jones, wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders since 2014. “And while I wouldn’t wish anyone to go through that, I wouldn’t change anything as far as how I grew up.” Having slept in shelters and on park benches for the first fifteen years of his life, Jones’ success as an athlete defies stereotypes about homelessness and poverty.

He has taken his challenging experiences to heart. Since being drafted to the NFL in 2007, he has volunteered for many community organizations, and in 2008, started his own with his wife Tamika. The LoveJones4Kids foundation provides funding for school supplies, football camps, and pep talks to underprivileged children, many of them living in the same conditions that Jones did growing up.

“People are used to hearing about a homeless person or kid and don’t think it’s possible to be a professional football player. But down on your luck doesn’t mean down and out.” Touchdown

Donate Blankets and Bedding to the Red Cross #PracticalActsofkindness

Many thousands of peole were displaced by the fires this month. They need blankets!

 

Warm Up America (WUA) www.warmupAmerica,org. works with community service organizations and the American Red Cross to distribute warm, hand-made blankets to those who need them. Warm Up America volunteers are encouraged to donate their finished blankets to a local organization (or a local chapter of a national organization) near where they live or work. My family collects old blankets and my mom’s best friend is a master quilter who can make a gorgeous patchwork blanket that would keep anyone quite cozy for years to come.  Warm can be a beautiful thing!

Keep Paying It Forward: Make It a Kinder World

Stop for a moment and think of someone who needs a gesture of kindness.

 Perhaps it is something kind that someone once gave to you. With gratitude for what was given, reach out and give back. It can be a simple gesture, like sending a card, or calling someone who is sick and saying you care. You may well recall the movie based on the  book but if you want ideas and to connect to other kindly folks, go towww;payitforwardfoundation. org. Pay It Forward  is about all people, from all walks of life giving to someone else and making a positive difference. At last count there were more than 500, 000 people in 60 countries around the world participating on the day.

The Power of the Human Heart: Celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week!

 When I was working on the Random Acts of Kindness campaign, it was an incredibly joy-filled work experience. I usually do love what I do but this took it to a whole new level. My work was not just about helping my company or paying my rent for the month, it suddenly really meaning something. We were making the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. There was literally electricity in the air and we arrived at work each day to see what miracles had happened overnight while we were sleeping.

I remember the first day we knew everything had really changed - we found out through the US mail. Usually we only had a dozen or so pieces of mail, bills mostly and a few queries, letters from readers or an order or two. One day, the mailman knocked and said, "I need help here." He had BAGS of letters from people all over the country and a TON of ones with suggestions of acts of kindness. There were laughter and tears as we sat down on the floor and tore open the envelopes reading aloud from the letters. Some were in children's big blocky letters (these usually had the best ideas of kindness) and others in elder's careful script. I treasure that memory as I saw the power of the human heart that day.