Stress-Relief Christmas Tree

This blog was originally intended for lots of people to weigh in with their acts of service, not as a "toot toot" blog for me. But if one of my ideas inspires someone else to do something for someone, then it serves the purpose I intended, which is to inspire acts of service.

I did this for a friend of mine who is a single parent. I know what it is like to be on your own as a parent, never to have that "fresh horse" come in and take over while you regroup. I bought a small fake tree and a few items of a personal nature--bubble bath, nail polish, back massager, etc. Instead of ornaments, I hung individually-wrapped Ghirardelli chocolates. I found a Holiday Stress Relief CD at Target. For a tree skirt, I used a Christmasy fleece throw, placing the personal items on top of it under the tree. I made a snowman out of three white round bath scrubbees, using holiday earrings for the eyes and nose and buttons, with eyebrow pencils as the arms. I propped it up inside a plush new bath towel. 

I resisted returning to the scene of the crime, because that is always a giveaway, but I hope it brightened my friend's day. The holidays are always a difficult time for those who are alone or under a lot of pressure. Look around. Who do you know who might need a little stress relief?

 

Big Hearted on the Big Island

This post is for my neighbors across the street. I had left my poor husband alone over Thanksgiving to travel to the mainland to help my daughter with her new baby and to spend a week doing some book promotion. The timing was such that I was gone most of the month of November. Not being the type to let people at church know that he was facing the prospect of Thanksgiving alone, my husband picked up a Hungry Man Turkey Dinner at Safeway. I am thankful to say that it is still in the freezer, because when our new neighbors across the street found out that he was dining alone, they invited him to share Thanksgiving dinner with their family. Thanks for not letting my husband sit home alone crying into his mushy mashed potatoes.

Smile on a Stick

I am going to post links several of the things that were used in my book, Lucky Change, by Karen Donaldson as she went about her life doing acts of service. One of my favorites is the Smile on a Stick.

Wonderful for those times when you just can't smile on your own. Keep one handy in the car. It fends off road rage and is an instant apology when you do something stupid.

You can order them here:

http://www.smileonastick.com/

Helpful in Hilo

My hope is that this blog will catch on and that I won't be the only one posting on here, but until it does, I am going to post, in hopes that others will follow suit. Among other things, it will help it look like I am not tooting my own horn.

I was at the airport, and I have to confess that this act of service came about more out of my sense of impatience than anything else. I was waiting to get a Smarte Carte to carry my luggage and the little lady ahead of me was trying to feed a worn and crumbled bill into the machine with no luck. I stepped up and put my credit card into the machine and told her "Your cart is on me." She was so grateful, I was kind of embarrassed because I knew my motivation was selfish. Nevertheless, it was something helpful to her, and she left me with a "God bless," among other nice things she said. It started me thinking about whether there might be legions of angels whose duty it is to answer all those "God bless" requests. Truly, I tried to pay attention, and I did have a blessed day, with many things going my way that otherwise might not have.

Caring in Clackamas

I was standing in line to buy myself a sandwich in Clackamas, Oregon. I had just had a phone call that my book tour had been called off on account of whether--whether or not the bookstores had decided to carry my book. Sometimes I share such things with the unfortunate souls who are in the vicinity, telling myself that I am saving family and friends from my whining and that if I embarrass myself, I will likely never see those people again. I was eying the cookies and told the clerk I was going to treat myself, since I had just received disappointing news about my book signing tour. The man ahead of me in line, who kind of looked like I pictured Hell's Angel cousin Victor from the book, said "Her meal is on me. And add some extra cookies." It made my day!

Undercover Angel Sightings

This is a blog where people can share acts of service they have done or that have been done for them as a result of the Undercover Angel cards.