Random Acts of Kindness: My 5 Favorite Ways to Give

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I love random acts of kindness! While giving anonymously is one of my most favorite things to do, I wanted to share my top 5 favorite ways to give!

Something you probably don’t know about us is that we are considered a low-income family.  I’m telling you that because I think one of the first things that people say is, “well, I don’t have the money to give” but in reality, if you sacrificed a few things here and there, you’d be surprised at what you can afford to give to others.

DON’T GIVE IF YOU EXPECT SOMETHING IN RETURN

One time I donated a TON of stuff for an auction fundraiser and I was deeply hurt that all the donators were thanked publically, except me.  My husband said, “don’t give if you expect something in return”.   It wasn’t until I grew deeper in my faith that I truly understood what giving was really about.  I am a firm believer that “you reap what you sow”, or my preferred way of looking at it, “sow and you shall reap”.   As I’ve grown in age, I’ve come to realize that giving brings joy and that is enough.

Here are my top 5 ways to give!

1. TIPPING – There are great servers and not so great ones.  I could never be one. To deal with rude or entitled people on a daily basis, on top of tired feet and knees?  No thank you.   I know that there are really bad servers that just do a horrible job but most of the time, I find that most are good and ones that aren’t, are usually just having a bad day.  Next time, try the #TiptheBillChallenge where you tip the same amount of the bill.  I like to add a note, depending on the situation.  If it’s obvious that they might be having a bad day, then I try to say something like, “I hope this brings you some joy” and if they’re a great server, I simply thank them for being such a great server.
2. BUNDLE OF “JOY” – We frequently visit a restaurant where we’ve encountered one of the best waitresses ever. She’s been there for a few years and last year, we noticed that she was pregnant. We watched her waitress until, literally,  a few days before giving birth.   You could see that she was tired and every so often, we caught a glimpse of her sitting for 30 seconds or so at a time.  Every time I’d drive by that restaurant, I just felt like God was telling me to do something.  So I did.  I bought a diaper bag and filled with baby goodies and topped it off with a $50 gift card and a note telling her what an outstanding waitress she was and that we appreciated her work ethic.   I knew the manager and asked her to give it her and requested that she didn’t tell her who gave it.    I wanted it to be as anonymous as possible.  I hope that it gave her as much joy as it gave me.
3. GIFT CARD CHECKOUT – This is one of my favorite things to do during Christmas!  When checking out, after all is scanned, I tell them I’d like a gift card for $xx amount.  I pay for my total and before walking off, I hand the gift card back to them and say Merry Christmas!   The looks on their faces are priceless.  I just love it because they never see it coming!
4. FINDERS KEEPERS – This is another one of my faves that can be done all year long.  Buy some gift cards, place them in small envelopes, and put them in random spots.  I usually add a note saying something like, “Enjoy this random act of kindness!”  Some places to “hide” them; a shelf at the store, on the sink of a restroom, at the gas pump, at the library, courthouse, etc.
5.  FILL A BELLY!– Do you know someone who has been working long hours or lonely at home or struggles to put food on the plate? Take them a meal, bake them a pie, or have food delivered!  One of the things I like to do during the holiday season is buy a reusable bag, fill it full of groceries WITH recipe cards, and give it to families in need.  I try to use recipes that are easy to make!

ENOUGH IS A FEAST 

A woman once said this during a conversation we were having about food but I find that it applies to everything.  Having enough of anything is a feast and so if I can bring joy to someone and give to those who do not have enough, whether that be time, joy, money, or food, then I’m doing my job in glorifying God as the hands and feet of Christ.