Irrevocable Hands of kindness

This week has been one of my best ever .
I've been overwhelmed, in a good way, by messages of love and support, flowers and chocolates as well as a huge parcel of very thoughtful gifts from dear friends in the blogging community.
I will get around to thanking you properly soon , I am so grateful.

There aren't enough words to thank you all personally.
I've had emails from strangers, or rather - friends I haven't met yet , women who are breast cancer survivors or currently undergoing treatment, offering to answer questions or just have a chat.
Kind, gentle messages across social media.

Countless messages assuring me of prayers, friends offering practical support and of course our families giving us TLC the last 2 weeks.
My husband has been my rock and so caring, under immense stress.
I've been embraced from Dublin to NZ and everywhere in between.
I wish everyone the same measure of support and kindness when they go through difficult periods.


I know it has made me feel stronger , evoking piece of mind and filling my hope tank to the brim.

I have some great quotes and images for my vision board too.
I'm banking on laughter too because have you noticed that when you laugh really hard, you stop thinking about pain, your worries and ... I am sure you can think of more.
People have shared funny images and inspiration on Facebook too.


I feel good in myself. I feel strong , fit and healthy.
I still have one drain in situ, beneath my left axilla (armpit) giving me pain , though the Endone is covering the pain relief well. It's there for a reason probably till Tuesday when I see my surgeon.
My short hair is growing on me - such a difference after 17-18 yrs of longish hair.
Now, I feel daring but can't decide what colour ?

This weekend my littliest miracles will celebrate another trip around the sun. I can't believe - SIX !
They had so many BIG plans to celebrate with their school friends and have been writing invitations for months.
I feel a little disappointment for them. We shall celebrate no less- with cake , fairy bread, chocolate crackles and lollies with their cousins and maybe a few friends . The school party might wait till term 3 commences.

So tell me how kindness touched you this week or share how you lightened the load for someone else ?

 ♥

Kindness

So I signed up to the  Million Acts of Kindness this morning after I read Jo's from Country Life experiment's post last night on giving and saw the button again on How I spend my Dash blog today.

I've been feeling down after watching friends struggling this week - one with her mother-in-law undergoing chemo and her own child ill in hospital again. On the way to hospital her vehicle broke down at a busy freeway exit and NO ONE stopped to help - cars just hurtled by , she was all alone with her sick daughter , though twitter offered their help.

Another internet friend's mother is gravely ill in ICU where they are preparing to say goodbye. A kind friend of hers was trying to organise something to help her and keeping her URL friends updated.

It brings back intense memories of being called to ICU to say goodbye to my own Dad 6.5 years ago.

My own life is not without it's dramas too.

It is times like this that acts of kindness are so important , though any time is perfect to start making a difference.

Countless times I've been gifted  Acts of random kindness . So many good and kind people have crossed my path, I feel blessed.

I loved what Jeanette wrote ...{the blog it was posted on originally no longer exists} -

The Simplest Acts of Random Kindness (A.R.K)

Build one! :)

Smile

Laugh

Say hello

Help for no reason

Embrace with a look

Hug with your words

Listen and actually hear

Make eye contact (but do not stare)

Don't argue even when you are right

Leave encouraging, anonymous notes

Wave at a total stranger just because

Laugh for no reason at all (it's contagious)

Turn the texting off and make an actual call

Pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line

Look at yourself in the mirror and say Thank you

Buy a bag of groceries and give it to a family in need

Hold on to your opinion and encourage another person's

Let a child teach you something (even if you already know)

Share your umbrella... even if it means you are left in the rain.

Tell your spouse at least one thing that makes you fall in love with them all over again

Say please and thank you as you tell the Deli person what you want on your sandwich

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I feel motivated today to keep the kindness moving .

50 acts of kindness a day for 55 yrs - one bus stop at a time. That's a commitment!

.. what can you do ?

Check the website ~ find daily ideas, hints and suggestions for what you can do to make life happier for the people around you ...not to mention YOU !!

I took the pledge even if I am late to the party.

1. Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." ~ Scott Adams
2. Make the world a better place by practicing acts of kindness - one A.R.K. at a time ...soon we will all be sailing.
3. Loving will never empty your heart and giving A.R.K. will never empty your pockets.
4. Ask yourself: Have you been kind today ? Make kindness your daily modus opernadi and change your world ~ annie lennox.
5. I still can't imagine what 1,000, 000 acts of kindness would do ...

What are your thoughts on random acts of kindness do they make a difference ?

How have you been RAK' ed or ARK'ed   ? 

♥

My Christmas wish list ~ It's Chicken Feed

Is it just me - I am so not ready - are you ?

Only 28 days or 4 weeks till the man in the red suit arrives.
 
I don't have many gifts to buy. I just wish I had some ideas.

I was tagged by Two point five kids to share my Christmas wish list ... I loved her list.

Jingle, jangle, by dingo , dango ... well there  I am hopeless at making decisions is nothing I really need - I have an 'excess' amount of stuff already. Living in the caravan for 10 weeks made me realise it even more. 

I will satisfy my urge to buy something with these 5 unique Christmas gifts maybe from World Vision Gift Catalogue (so I won't lose the receipt)

1. Pencils for school $5
2. Chicken and Chicken feed $10
3. A bag of seeds $10
4. Fruit trees $ 35
5. Mosquito net -repellant treated $15

I think these gifts can do more good than a $20 - 30 'gift' bought in a rush to be opened, eaten or if inedible often stuffed in a cupboard or re gifted. (I have a post in draft of what not to buy)

Though I hope our gifts to family are given and received in love more often it is what is expected rather honestly needed. I want to give something truly meaningful - like gifts of life ... with these special gifts we can celebrate the real meaning of Christmas and help some of the world's most vulnerable people. I know we lead a privileged life in our country.

It's doesn't take much to help them overcome a little of their poverty , take control of their future and make a practical response to global inequity.They are families just like us who every day truly struggle to live even a basic life, surviving on less than a $1 a day.

Gifts of life that support education, agriculture and the environment potentially last much longer; their magic has the power to last for years ...generating income and a future food supply

As a Christian I want my children to understand Christmas is about giving not just receiving. I will be asking them to help me choose too.

I won't tag anyone but feel free to leave your wish lists - it might give me some ideas. 

I wish I joined the Social Media Secret Santa list ...because chances are there will no surprises for me. Since I am on the naughty list big time.
♥

Smiley Saturday - Build an A.R.K.

It wasn't the best week for smiles but I still had plenty to smile about despite our cat dying after being bitten by brown snake and having to say goodbye temporarily to her seven @ 9 day old kittens.

The Acts of Random Kindness that led us to find another lactating mother cat for them touched me beyond measure. It reaffirmed for me that people care about animals and will go the extra mile to rescue them. So many good and kind people crossed my path.

Also, that mother nature and the animal world is just as amazing. Pickles , the cat I salute you too for adopting my seven tiny kittens.

I visited my special friends, Tiff , Ivy,Noah & the big kids for a short while .That was a day full of smiles.

I smiled when my two year old son, S upon watching me syringe feeding the kittens and telling him their mummy was gone , sat on the floor stroking them so gently as they meowed ..."alwight, alwight" over and over ...oh my stars that was so sweet and heart melting when I was feeling so overwhelmed and sad.

I smiled when my other two year old son , J , wrapped his arms around my neck and said 'I Luv you'...many times this week.

I smiled the day I was sick , after they both hadn't seen me for a few hours they greeted me so excitedly and jumped into bed to cuddle up to me as if I had been gone for days. Such precious moments I wish I could capture forever.

I started to finally catch up on a few of my favourite (100 +) reads and was moved my this guest post from Jeanette Mayhew on JLo's blog .

In light of the acts of random kindness I received. I loved what Jeanette wrote ..

The Simplest Acts of Random Kindness (A.R.K)

Build one! :)

Smile

Laugh

Say hello

Help for no reason

Embrace with a look

Hug with your words

Listen and actually hear

Make eye contact (but do not stare)

Don't argue even when you are right

Leave encouraging, anonymous notes

Wave at a total stranger just because

Laugh for no reason at all (it's contagious)

Turn the texting off and make an actual call

Pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line

Look at yourself in the mirror and say Thank you

Buy a bag of groceries and give it to a family in need

Hold on to your opinion and encourage another person's

Let a child teach you something (even if you alreay know)

Share your umbrella... even if it means you are left in the rain.

Tell your spouse at least one thing that makes you fall in love with them all over again

Say please and thank you as you tell the Deli person what you want on your sandwich

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also found this awesome website The A.R.K Movement.

I feel even more motivated to keep the kindness moving ... what can you do ?

November IComLeavWe begins today! -International Comment leaving week is hosted by Mel at Stirrup Queens. Read my story HERE

Advice of the Day

1. Remember there's no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end." ~ Scott Adams
2. Make the world a better place by practicing acts of kindness - one A.R.K. at a time ...soon we will all be sailing.
3. Loving will never empty your heart and giving A.R.K. will never empty your pockets.
4. Don't forget to visit Lightening for more Smiley Saturday posts.
   

♥

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