Last week I asked for ideas from you about ways that we can care for others. Ideas on how we can serve. I have to tell you, reading what you all are doing was so inspirational to me.
I am sorry that I could not use all of them in yesterday's sermon, but below is the entire list. I hope that something that someone is doing will inspire you to kindness in the name of the Lord.
Here is what you all sent in... Its a beautiful day in God's world...
I did fix soup and cookies and had Glenn drop off on Mike and Kathys porch today and texted them and told them the food was there because I knew they weren’t up to company.
I keep track of the date of the death of loved ones of my friends and family and on that date each year I acknowledge that their loved one passed on that day.
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Sometimes a simple phone call to a friend or family member can me their day.
I have received lots of cards of encouragement that have meant a lot to me during my cancer treatment.
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Ever morning when I awaken I say a brief prayer asking God to give me the strength and courage to try to joyful and positive with everyone with whom I come in contact. It is difficult to be of service to others if you don’t have a positive attitude. I pray that I can pass a joyful attitude to others, remembering that it doesn’t take any talent to be grump!
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Blessing bags with water/fruit juice, packaged sandwich crackers, fruit snacks, piece of chocolate and an alcohol prep wipe (can add other items like socks, Band-Aids, etc). Ready in car to hand out to persons asking for money on street corners.
Joy surprises by paying for car behind you when in fast food or coffee drive thru.
Ask a low income apartment complex manager if there is someone close to eviction and pay one month rent for them.
Take a reheat meal to a widow, new mom, person who is sick or quarantine.
Hold the door for others.
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Hi Jeff, hope you’re doing well. I’m hanging in there. Looking for help for reference to helping people. When I was working with the Elks Lodge. We helped a lot of the underprivileged at holiday time. It was very rewarding just seeing people so grateful for the groceries that we brought them for the holidays. We also gave kids bicycles that we had refurbished from parts of old ones that were donated. The kids were very grateful for those too. One little guy was just so grateful just to get a gallon of milk. We also worked a lot with the vets. Helping them with the necessities of Getting things they needed for an apartment. Hope this helps.
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We don't think we are able to do a lot right now but we help at WCC Raytown now with meals that we prepare there and hand out to drive thru. (Word that however you want)
Also we buy for the food pantry and other areas that the church needs food for.
We only donated money towards the school supplies as we don't shop.
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take rolls of quarters to the laundromat.
give a larger than 20% tip to the server.
Take a box of candy to your bank tellers.
Buy a house for a family in Nicaragua.
take food to the homeless
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Covid has put a huge crimp in visiting people in hospitals and nursing homes, but some things I loved doing for/with these folks was just carving out a little time to be with them: listening to their stories and things they are concerned about, reading to them, writing out cards for them to send, sometimes feeding them, if necessary, brushing their hair, applying hand lotion or lip balm, etc., showing interest with grace and compassion.
We may not be able to serve others in this way at the moment, but other things we can do right now as we’re out and about is to smile at people. I have heard it lamented that wearing our masks makes it impossible for others to see our smile, but I beg to differ. Look into their eyes....people smile with their whole expression! Smile. Share a greeting. Be a light in someone’s day.
Hope this was helpful. Love you.
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Work in a food pantry or donate extra items to it. Work in or donate to an organization like Hillcrest.
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I prepare sack lunches and keep them in my care for people standing on street corners.
We cook a meal and serve it monthly at the shelter Kc’s women shelter. Doing this regularly has allowed us to build a relationship with the staff and women. This had also opened up many other opportunities to serve these women.
I try to look out for any neighbors that are going through difficulty.
I help my niece who has emotional problems. I have learned not to try to change her but to do this with no expectations. I clean her apartment and help with finances
I am a cancer survivor and am an active participant in the cancer connection. I deliver care bags to members that are in treatment
I try to send notes of encouragement to anyone I feel needs a boast
I try to be open to the nudges I get from the Holy Spirit and try to act on them
I try to be a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.
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1) Make or send cards to your local hospital staff as a means of encouragement and thanking them for their service. As Covid -19 cases rise in Florida and nationwide, medical personnel feel discouraged and frustrated.
2) Send cards or donate baked goods to your local police station or fire station. These folks risk their lives for us every day and I think they need our encouragement and appreciation.
3) Next time you are shopping whether it’s at the grocery store, gift shop or department store, thank your clerk or cashier and say their name. It means so much to these essential workers to hear a kind word as the public has been increasingly ugly and combative. I also tell them to stay safe- their health and well being is important to me.
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Mow their yard
Shovel their walk
Rake their leaves
Offer them a ride
Offer to drive them to a scary dr appt if they are alone and stay with them
Leave a bag of groceries at their door
Anonymously leave cash for rent when you know they are struggling
Spend an evening with someone who is lonely (after COVID)
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I grew up, Jeff, in a family that chose not to mix freely with others. As a consequence I had few friends growing up, and to this day I am at ease with that. But I am concious of many others like me, and in many settings at church, where I am known and elsewhere I make a point of offering a greeting or other brief gesture of friendship.
...and in so many cases it is returned.
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I’ve been picking up leftover Panera bread and pastries on Monday night’s for years and bringing the pastries to the Tuesday morning men’s Mpact meeting (which temporarily has been suspended because of Covid), and then delivering the bread to Salvation Army or mainly Hillcrest housing in Ind. or Lee’s Summit.
For the past month, I decided that our own WCC Food Pantry could also benefit from it, so I’m splitting up the bread and pastries delivery to both now. Shirley Early is also bringing a lot of the bagels over to Grace Place.
My wife and I also spend a lot of time working on the Landscape team at church. Plus other projects at church that I help out from time to time (helping Jay move big rocks this morning from south islands to the other locations prior to islands be rocked this week).
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I work at the Hillcrest office one afternoon a week answering calls and helping the residents and case managers. I used to volunteer at Harvesters and weigh the food the agencies picked up. I think a great way to serve is doing things like what you do and making sandwiches and delivering them to the homeless, or doing meals on wheels or taking food to people who are sick, grieving, etc. It's super hard to make a time commitment, but sometimes that's more important than spending money. I always admire people who do Habitat as an example.
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Actually listen. A lot of people don’t feel heard and understood. People have a tendency to think about what they are going to say next instead of actually listening and watching nonverbal clues.
One way to serve is to actually and actively listen. A lot of people don't feel heard or understood. People have a tendency to think about what they are going to say next instead of paying attention to the person they are talking “with”. Whether it is a stranger or a family member.
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When you see someone in a restaurant with a Veteran cap (WW II, Viet Nam, etc.) … secretly buy their meal and have the server tell them “thank you for your service”.
Put a little tip next to your pillow on your last day at a hotel (for the cleaning crew)
Homeless people need food … yes … they also need candles. Save your candles (skinny, fat, big, little, half-burned jars, etc.) for them.
Give someone something special to you … just because they need it more than you do. Last winter, I was feeding the homeless in KC. I had on my favorite Chiefs stocking cap that was so so warm. A homeless man asked, “How would I get a stocking cap like that one?” I said, “Oh we have stocking caps on the Uplift truck.” He said, “I mean one just like the one you’re wearing.” You probably know the rest of that story!!
Hand out full size Halloween candy … the trick or treaters LOVE it.
After your grandkids are in bed and almost asleep, run back into their room and tell them, “Get up, get up … we’re going out for ice cream.”
When you can and feel safe, stop and smile and have a conversation with a homeless person. Look into their eyes. I try to remember … there is no one whose eyes I look into that God does not love.
My friend goes to garage sales and buys sleeping bags and boots to give to homeless. He just might stop on the side of the road and say, “Do you need a pair of boots.” So cool!!
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- providing a school lunch for students in Haiti
- sponsoring the education of a student in Haiti where fewer than 50% graduate from 6th grade
- sitting in the hospital emergency waiting room with person awaiting results of a friend/relative
- calling anybody who is sitting/working at home during Covid
- listening - yielding to understanding - yet not necessarily agreeing
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I think about Gloria, who is going through Chemo treatments for lymphoma, but has still been helping a friend with dementia--taking him to dr appointments, checking in on him almost every day, moving him from his condo to a care facility, making dinner for him a couple of times a week.
I think of Judy--who has for the past 6 years been sending a short prayer or scripture passage via text/email every morning to maybe 30+ people.
I think of Joanne who cares for animals and the environment and is usually the first to volunteer to roll up her sleeves and work on their behalf. Working to protect the nest of burrowing owls, for example.
I think of Cheryl, who every day calls or texts at least one person who is in need of companionship, support, or encouragement.
I think of a group of ladies who alternate weekly delivering a homemade meal to a woman who is bed ridden (and has been for 5 years) and under the care of her husband.
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Jeff, not very creative but some things that gave us lots of reasons to smile—-random acts of kindness. Clearing someone’s driveway of snow, raking or mulching someone’s leaves, bring food to a neighbor for no reason, pay for someone’s meal behind you at a fast food restaurant(really like to do this for first responders)
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I have doubled my tips to servers and to my hair dresser. I gave 20% before the pandemic, now I give at least 30%, and most of the time 40% because they lost so much business these last months, and they depend on tips.
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Buy several fleece blankets at Walmart (2.50-5.00) to keep in your car. And when we start to have cool nights, give them to a homeless person.
Sponsor a student in Nicaragua for $30.00/month.
Buy Christmas presents for a foster child, this is what we give to our adult kids at Christmas. We sponsor 3 children every year. I put pictures of the gifts in a special card to each couple. ( My three married children.)
Walk dogs at an animal shelter.
Volunteer at your local elementary school. They need volunteers with many different skill levels. Work in the library, read to the young ones, help with a craft, help with office work, spruce up the outside play area.
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When cleaning out your closet, don’t take your clothes to Goodwill or the such. Take them to a local women’s shelter or homeless shelter for their use. Or even purchase new for either shelter.
Give your TIME to a food pantry unboxing food coming in or box up/take to their car food going out.
Mow a neighbors yard. (I’d say shovel snow off neighbors sidewalk/driveway but I don’t think it’s applicable where you live. LOL)
Offer to watch a friends/neighbors children a couple of hours for the parent(s) to have a date.
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By being aware of our surroundings and those who need help and it can be as simple as reaching a higher shelf at the grocery store for someone.
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During this quarantine I have been leaving a ziplock bag of treats/bottled water for my trash collectors. I leave one on top of both my trash bin and my recycle bin. They have occasionally left me thank you notes which made my day!
If you get any more good service ideas, send those out in another blog!
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We have an elderly neighbor and friend who lives down the road from us. She lost her beloved husband 5 years ago. Lina is such a gifted artist, but when Val died, she put down her paintbrushes and lost interest in her artwork.
This summer I asked an artist from church for an art assignment because I missed her art challenges to the church: painting a verse from the Lord’s Prayer or from the 23rd Psalm. I’m not an artist nor have had any training, but I felt the Lord’s presence whenever I took on Martha’s projects. Martha very kindly sent me a simple assignment: find an object, draw it, but when drawing I wasn’t allowed to lift my pencil from the paper. My drawing had to be a single line.
I felt the Lord nudging me to call Lina, so I went outside and picked up a maple leaf and an oak leaf. I called Lina and asked her if she wanted to do Martha’s art assignment with me. She hesitated but then said yes and invited me to her home. When we walked into her studio, she told me she hadn’t been in her studio since Val died. We hugged each other and reminisced about Val and what a special, wonderful husband and friend he was.
We sat side-by-side at her drawing desk, and I brought out the leaves. Lina chose the maple leaf. I gave her Martha’s assignment and the instruction about not being allowed to lift our pencils from the paper. Lina guffawed loudly! Her eyes lit up! She had never heard of such a thing! We laughed and began to draw the leaves. We worked and talked nonstop for over 2 hours on the complexity of this “simple” project. Then Lina enthusiastically got out her colored pencils and wanted us to color our leaves and finish them “properly!” Lina was so radiant! A spark had been reignited within her! Her eyes shone and a smile covered her face.
After that first project, Lina and I have drawn and painted together many times. She instructs me in paints, drawing techniques, and we have wonderful discussions, or sometimes no discussions; we simply paint and enjoy the fellowship. Lina is back in her studio and creating beautiful works of art. She calls me an inspiration, but we all know God is the inspiration. All we have to do is listen and follow His lead.
One other thing: Give everything away! Your time. Your money. Your prayers. Your love. Even yourself. It’s such a blessing to freely and lovingly GIVE.
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Hope all is well with you. Like you, I am rather handy and most of my friends and neighbors over the years have learned this fact. I often get solicited to help and almost always jump at the chance to do so, even if it means putting myself behind on my own projects, etc. I take a lot of pride in helping others and this is something that I enjoy. It truly makes me feel better inside to help others fix things or solve problems.
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We are able to do more with our time than treasures therefore we send cards to those who are needing a lift that might be experiencing cancer (Cancer Connection) or other things.
During COVID, one of the best ways to serve is to reach out and call or Zoom others you haven't talked to in a long while. I have an Aunt problem. LOL.
My problem is I have 5 Aunts and I haven't reached out like I should, so this week, I reached out to all of them to let them know I love them! :) They are precious to me.
I schedule coffee dates with my Mom and Dad via Zoom or friends that I've missed connecting with over the years. It's soul lifting for us all.
God's Bucket Brigade is a new charity in KC that delivers 5 gallon bucket of needed items to gender specific people. Ladies get lady items. Men get men items. Kids receive the things kids need.
All I have to give is time right now, but I'm finding people need that as much as anything else. It sure does my heart good to connect.
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I plant trees at the church
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I missed two haircuts when barbers and hairdressers were prevented from working. When I was able to get a haircut, I gave the woman who cuts my hair a payment that amounted to three haircuts and tips - one for the current work, and two for those that I missed. It wasn't really generous on my part, because I would have paid for them anyway. But she appreciated it.
Maybe Thanksgiving and Christmas would be a good time to pay barbers and hairdressers for income they missed earlier this year.
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Call shut-ins, sick people, anyone needing encouragement.
Send paper notes, cards to the above.
Donate cash or food to local food banks.
Acknowledge beggars on street corners; have prepared bags of toiletries or food and water to give at street corners. Don't judge them - that's God's job.
Give them a blanket in cold weather.
Donate necessary items thru your chuch.
Say "God bless you." Some of them really mean it when they say it.
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What about doing something for someone without looking for acknowledgment.
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