Kindness Challenge

I began a 25 days of kindness for the month of December. I have a few friends on Instagram who are joining in with their own list. You can find many lists online for daily acts of kindness. The point is, do something. 

Give.

Be kind.

Make a difference.

Smile.

Serve.

Do something every day that is not about you. 

You never know whose life will be changed because of your kindness. 

Busyness Is Not A Destination

I began a new women's study group last night.  Our leader brought up how we get so busy.  We all agreed.  Then she brought up how the majority of the miracles Jesus performed would not have taken place if he would have lived at our pace.  He would have been too busy.  He wouldn't have felt the woman touch his robe, as she longed to be healed.  He would have just kept rushing through the crowd, going about his own business.  Instead, he stopped, looked at her, cared for her, and healed her.  

How often do we rush by someone who is bleeding, whether figuratively or physically, because we are too busy?  We have schedules to keep, things to do, Facebook to check.  

How often are we the ones who need healing, who need to just stop and rest, rest at our Savior's feet, but we don't create a pause, white space, time in our schedule to be still, rest, and get restored?  We keep running and running, until we fall down exhausted.  Sometimes we are truly very busy.  Sometimes, we stay busy to avoid the hurt, the problems, the grief in our lives because if we stay busy, we don't have to think about it, or deal with it, we just keep running.  Exhausted.  Empty.  Yet, we run.  

I am just as guilty of this at times in my life as anyone.  I have been running at a pretty high pace lately with work, family events, basketball games, life in general.  I realized last week how fast I have been going, and have taken a couple days to intentionally slow down, rest, disconnect from social media.  

If we did an honest evaluation of our time, many of us would see we spend much too much time on social media, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or playing games, we spend too much time there, often longing to connect with someone.  What if we took that time and called someone on the phone and made plans to meet at a coffee shop or go to lunch or for a walk, and found out how that person is doing face to face?  We long for community, but true community cannot be found online.  True community means being intentional, intentionally being with people face to face in a real relationship.  Real relationships are messy, but they are also beautiful.  When is the last time you took a couple hours and sat with someone and spoke to them in person?  

We all need to pause, we all need community.  We need to not be so busy that we miss those who are reaching out to us, who need an encouraging word, who need someone just to notice them.  

Each of us needs to intentionally create downtime in our schedules.  Time to be quiet, to read, to rest, to pray, to listen.  

What will you eliminate that is not so important, to slow down?  What will you do to connect face to face with someone and truly care about them?  Can you walk away from social media for the weekend and connect with real people, connect with yourself, connect with your Creator?  

Etch Your Legacy In Others Hearts and Minds

What legacy are you leaving behind?  What will others remember about you?  Will they remember you were loving, caring, giving or will they remember the opposite?  If you are reading this, you are still breathing and have time to make changes right now.  Don't wait to tell someone you love them, you are proud of them.  Don't wait to lend a helping hand, a kind word.  Decide right now to live the life you want etched in the minds and souls of others.  Life is short.  Live it out.