Day 362-My favorite Christmas card

Christmas cards are one of my favorite things about the holiday season.  With Facebook, e-cards and e-mail I am fortunate that many of my friends still take time to send Christmas cards. I enjoy the letters and family photos, especially from those I don’t see or talk too much throughout the year.

Out of all the Christmas cards I receive, there is one I always wait for and is my favorite. It is the Christmas letter from Coach Bullock and Mrs. Coach.  Coach Bullock was my cross country coach at Taylor University.  He is a spry older man who had an impact on me that few in my life have.  Yes, there are many people that come and go in our lives and many make an impact. But there are those special few that make such a significant impact in your life that no matter where you are, how old you are or what you do, they will always be there in your thoughts, be reflected in how you make decisions and in your heart. Coach Bullock is one of those people. He was there with me day 1 when I stepped on campus at Taylor University, he was there when I suffered heartbreaking injuries and he was there with me on my wedding day.

He wasn’t only an amazing coach but he was a great friend who expected a lot of us as runners and as Christian women.  I think what I liked most about Coach was that he never made a decision for us as a runners.  He always gave us choices, the choice to work hard or be lazy or the choice to run extra miles or quit for the day. He made you want to work hard without ever raising his voice or being negative. He was an encourager. I worked hard because the last thing I wanted to do was disappoint Coach.

My gift yesterday was a hand-written note to Coach Bullock and Mrs. Coach.  I didn’t send Christmas letters (only cards with photos) this year, but felt it necessary to write and send one to him.  He is getting up there in years and his health has deteriorated but through his Christmas letter, I know he is still the same old coach.  By sending him this letter I wanted him to know what I had been up to but also to let him know that I still think about him and that he is loved and remembered.

Over the years, who has impacted your life? Take a couple of minutes today to drop them a note to tell them thank you for the difference they made in your life.  It will brighten your day and theirs!

Day 96-We received a gift!

Today I am going back to Day 96.  This day renewed my faith in people, strangers in the world that also believe in random acts of kindness.

My husband and I were in his squad car going through the drive thru at the Dairy Queen, our favorite summer treat place! When we pulled up to the window to pay for our delicious ice cream treats the cashier said, “the lady in front of you paid for you!”  This was a shock to both of us.  My guess is it had something to do to the fact we were in his police car and believe it or not there are still people out there who love,  respect and know the sacrifices law enforcement officers make on a daily basis. 

We told the girl at the window we would like to pay for the person behind us. This was my/our gift for the day! She was a little puzzled but accepted our money.

As we drove away I wondered two things, one what did the person behind us say when they found out we had paid for their meal and two did they pay it forward or did the gift giving end there?

Next time you are in line at McDonalds, Starbucks or the Dairy Queen offer to pay for someone’s meal.  Random Acts of Kindness go along way and may times have a ripple effect.  Start a wave of giving today!

I'm Still Giving Gifts!

Over the past couple of months people have been asking me if I am still giving gifts on a daily basis and the answer is YES!  I have kept up with my goal of giving at least one gift a day for every day this year.  I just haven't been blogging about it.

The blogging for me got a little overwhelming.  As summer came, increased responsibilities at work and more traveling, the blog was somthing I had trouble fitting into my day.

 It is my goal to go back and write about my favorite gifts over this past year and then start the new year with daily posts, some will be long and some will just be a sentence. I believe in what I am doing and it has changed my life for the better. 

Yesterday was day 336 and through Samaritan's Purse  I was able to give an orphan a month of loving care.  In more than 20 countires, Samaritan's Purse is caring for orphaned, abandoned, and destitute children by partnering with local ministries that meet their physical needs while sharing the hope of the Gospel.  A gift of $35 provided a child with a month of meals, lodging, healthcare and education.

I hope you have been giving through out the year and that it has made a difference in your life and the lives of others.

Thanks for taking the time to come visit my blog and look for more posts in the future.  In the meantime, take a minute and go back and read some of the gifts from the first part of the year.

Have a blessed day!

Days 94, 107, 108, 159, 162, 166, 170, 180, 198, 199, 200 and 205- No end in sight for these letters.

As of today, August 5^th 109 police officers have been killed in the line of duty in 2011.  This is up 5% over last year at the same time.  If you have been following my blog you know that I have made a commitment to write every family who has lost a son, daughter, brother, sister, husband/wife in the line of duty.  Over these ten days I wrote 32 letters to the families of :

·         Office Schaberger

·         Officer Breitkopt

·         Deputy Justus

·         Deputy Stiltner

·         Officer Brown

·         Officer Gibson

·         Officer Dunn

·         Deputy Diana

·         Deputy Britton

·         Trooper Dobson

·         Game Warden Gorden

·         Officer Birkholz

·         Senior Officer Christian

·         Deputy Stein

·         Trooper Fotiou

·         Sgt. Chapin

·         Officer Schmidt

·         Officer Johnson

·         Officer Cooper

·         Trooper Werda

·         Deputy Sherri Jones

·         Officer Zapata

·         Deputy Taylor

·         Officer Kilcullen

·         Sgt. Vann

·         Officer Garton

·         Officer Phillips

·         Trooper Hunter

·         Officer Tirado

·         Captain Braden

·         Officer Hall

·         Sgt. Dulle

I began this committment at the beginning of the year and I am starting to see that even one hand written note from a stranger can make a big difference.  I have been deeply touched by the responses I have received from law enforcement agencies and families of those killed in the line of duty.  Many days we give gifts and we never know the impact of the gift we gave. And then other days we see and know that just one person can make a difference.

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