the mustache smile.

Taken from Humans of New York: 

"When he was dying, I said: 'Moe, how am I going to live without you?' He answered: 'Take the love you have for me, and spread it around'"

How do you explain someone like Dad? He was complex and certainly not perfect - but if you were lucky enough to know him, you know that he lived life differently. He rarely cared to impress people. He just cared FOR people. Here on earth, he saw things through a different lens - I believe through a more authentic and Christ-like lens than most of us could ever hope. Dad found ways to reach out to those in need on a daily basis. I could recount a hundred memories of delayed road trips because we were pulled over helping a car on the side of the road and extended outings because he ran into someone at the coffee shop who just needed a patient ear...His was a beautiful life and I can only pray that I inherit even just a tiny bit of his unselfish and transformative love.

A few years ago, I read about THE BIRTHDAY PROJECT & I was so impressed by the idea of celebrating your birthday by giving back to others instead of making the day all about you. So, as Dad's birthday approaches, I can't think of a more appropriate way to celebrate his birthday than by completing as many random acts of kindness as possible. What an honor to spend his day spreading around some of selfless love that made his life so rich. 

This little project is about making the world a better place because I know that is what would make Dad the happiest. Won't you help me? On March 5th, in honor of my Dad, could you take just a moment at home, at work, at school...to do something intentionally kind for another person? It could be something so simple - pay for the order behind you in the drive through, write a quick note thanking a co-worker, make your kids' favorite breakfast and tell them you love them...there are so many little ways to spread kindness. I can't tell you how much it would mean if there was even just the smallest positive impact made on this very important day.

Please join me and contribute in whatever way you feel comfortable.  I would love to hear how you plan to spread some kindness on March 5th. And I would love for you to share this idea with your family, friends and co-workers. Let's see how big of an impact little acts of kindness can really have.

Need some ideas? Here are some of the things we did last year:

1. Leave a treat and a thank you note for the trash collector

2. Leave quarters in toy machines for kids to find

3. Pay for the starbucks order behind me in the drive through

4. Leave an encouraging note on the scale at the gym

5. Bring cookies and a thank you note to your child's teacher

6. Go to the hospital & drop off flowers at the nurses station to give to someone without any visitors
7. Give a bag of food to someone asking for food on the street
8. Leave cold water for runners along a running trail

9. Leave some extra diapers/wipes on a changing table at Target

10. Leave coupons next to their products at the grocery store

11. Donate clothing

12. Leave a gift card in a bible at the bookstore for someone to enjoy (& hopefully buy that bible!)

13. Leave an encouraging note on a dressing room mirror

14. Bury toys in the sand pit at the park for kids to discover
15. Leave a lottery ticket taped to the gas pump

16. Leave some candy & popcorn next to a Redbox

17. Take doughnuts to the firestation

18. Take doughnuts to the police station

19. Leave sidewalk chalk at the park

20. Leave candy and an encouraging note on 5 cars in the hospital parking lot

21. Leave basket of toys at the oil change place

22. Leave some treats at the bus stop

23. Leave baskets with crayons and coloring books in the hospital waiting room  

24. Take food to the food bank

25. Leave notes on the sidewalk in a neighborhood for kids to see on their walk home from school

26. Tape extra tickets and coins to Chuck E Cheese games

27. Leave a thank you note and cookies for mailman

28. Leave notes and a treat in neighbor's mailboxes

29. Take cookies & treats to the Humane Society

30. Send cards to terminally ill children (www.hugsandhope.org)

31. Leave some extra quarters and toys at a laudrymat

32. Take flowers to a nursing home and ask to give to someone who rarely has visitors 

33. Leave some extra loose change at a Coinstar machine

Any other ideas? Let me know what you plan to do and how it goes! THANK YOU so much for joining in this little project. It means so much to me!

With much love and gratitude,
Kerith

brave.

Oh look. I haven't posted since MAY. Whomp whoooooomp. "Writing" (I use this term extremely loosely) is one of those thoughts that creeps into my head when I'm laying in bed and night, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep. It's one of the things I wish I had more time to do. I am constantly observing things, noticing tiny life lessons, feeling inspired by them....then forgetting them since I did not share them. Oh, sometimes I post something vague or short on instagram, but I don't really share them well. Maybe that's something I should be doing? It's something I want to do. It's something I can do...So why not?

Well, the Human Nature in me says this:

"there are a million other bloggers out there, with WAY better insight than you have, my dear"
"no one reads this anyway, you're wasting your time"
"you've blogged before. Not only did you not keep it up....but it wasn't even any good!"

Human Nature, you are mean.

Once I get around to ignoring HN and typing something from my heart anyway, she creeps in and says this:

"See? I told you. Waste of time. That is dumb and rambly and no one cares."

Seriously? I need to get a new HN friend.

Anyway, my point is that I have a lot of doubts and fears when it comes with sharing my heart. But I want to. So I'm gonna. Because this: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)

No I don't think this bible passage is telling me specifically to blog. I don't think God's great plan for the world is this: Moses, then Joshua, then Kerith. But I've been praying for months....Lord, please lead me in the right paths. Show me what you want me to know. Show me how you want me to live. And this little word keeps taking up residence in my heart: BRAVE.

Here's what He keeps showing me: Be BRAVE. When it comes to little life situations like tough conversations and trying new things (cough....*blog*....cough). Be BRAVE when it comes to big life decisions like family and career. And most importantly...Be BRAVE in your faith. Be BRAVE enough, Kerith, to trust ME with everything. Even (and here's the kicker...) to redeem your worst heartaches.

Can I do that? I can trust Him with the little stuff. But can I be brave enough to trust Him with His biggest, baddest promises?

"...and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There shall be no more death nor sorrow nor crying...no pain. for the former things have passes away." (Revelations 21:4)

So here we go. If 2015 is the year of BRAVE, maybe this is the first step.