1 Peter 4:10

"Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

Act 19

I’ve been a bad blogger, but the combination of Christmas travels and post-holiday exhaustion have now passed. I’m ready to get back to work.

Chloe and I spent our Christmas in Oregon with family. If you’ve ever been through the Portland area I’m sure you remember all of the beggars. There are beggars on every on and off ramp throughout Portland and its suburbs and covering every corner of the downtown area. For the last few years, I’ve had a cold heart towards these people. When I was in college my dad and I spotted the beggar from our onramp driving his car through the Taco Bell drive thru. I had seen all of the news reports about the large amounts of money these beggars make and how many of them were con-artists, but it was hard to witness.

When I was getting packed to leave, we had an extra plate full of cakes. I decided to take them with me and give them to a homeless person. Although, I think there are probably many people “acting” for pay, I feel like something still isn’t right with these people. Your life couldn’t be that good if you’re standing outside in thirty degrees Fahrenheit, begging for money or food, on Christmas Eve. When I handed the beggar my plate of goodies his fate lit up in a beautiful toothless grin. He ripped into the plastic wrap before my light even turned green, to continue traveling through the intersection. As my car passed him, he gave me a big smile, thumbs up, and mouthed thank you.

Act 18

Today Chloe and I dropped off some bags at Goodwill. There’s something refreshing about getting rid of excess stuff, and I’m a supporter of Goodwill’s employee programs. I know they aren’t a perfect organization, but I think they help many people who would otherwise be unemployed.

Act 17

I left some Christmas cakes and a card in the mailbox for our postal worker, and I wasn’t sure if that was weird or not. It seemed like a fun and surprising act of thanks, but I wasn’t sure if it was odd to offer a stranger homemade food. Around 12:00 I got a knock on the door from our postal worker thanking me for the treats. I’m glad she appreciated them!

Act 16

Toys R Us has boxes for toys at all of their stores nationwide. We dropped off a couple books here as well.

Act 15

Being a military wife isn’t always easy. It’s hard spending birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays without my husband. However, I feel like because of this my husband and I have a great deal of appreciation for our love and the time we have together. I often have a hard time watching couples and families argue over insignificant issues, especially this time of year, because I would give anything to have my husband home with our family. One thing I would like to teach Chloe is that although our family isn’t always together, we have many material and emotional things to give thanks for everyday. One of my favorite parts of the holidays is how easy it is to give. Many stores and organizations make it easy for everyone to give a little to those who need it. For those of you who are local, the Walmart in Lacey has two big boxes for toy donations. We dropped off a few children's books, because Chloe loves to read.

Act 14

Earlier today, I had pizza delivered to our home. As I was figuring out my tip, I added a dollar more than I would normally tip. This is a very small act, but I have been thinking about how many people are hurting financially this year. Many people are out of work, or taking jobs they are overqualified and underpaid for just to pay their bills. Tipping is a small act, but it’s important nonetheless.

Act 13

There are many ways to show your gratitude to the soldiers serving our country without spending a dime. Visit www.letssaythanks.com today, and join me in letting our soldiers know they’re in our thoughts and prayers.

Act 12

American Soldier Network (www.americansoldiernetwork.com) is just finishing up its stocking project. They are accepting stockings, goodies, and money in order to complete their project. I believe the goal is 400 stockings for 400 soldiers. I sent out two stockings for the project this afternoon. Hopefully, they can bring a smile to a couple soldiers’ faces.

Act 11

I brought hot coffee to the poor guys working at the DuPont gate tonight. When we were pulling in tonight, the poor guy letting us through looked like he was freezing. It was 30F a few hours ago, and I’m sure it’s even colder now. They seemed grateful for the hot drinks. I know it’s their job to be outside, but it’s really, really, cold out tonight.

Act 10

I think most people were shocked when they read about the horrific shootings at the Lakewood Forza. I felt guilty that although I felt horrible for the police officers and their families, I wasn’t surprised that it happened. My very first memory of Lakewood occurred right after I moved here. It involved a trip to Target where a guy jumped at me as I left my car and asked for money. I said sorry, and he proceeded to follow me into the store. About a year later, one of my students watched an apartment complex shooting. Shortly after that, another one of my students was mugged. Then there was the Walmart shooting/murder. There was the man from Lakewood who murdered the woman at the PX as well. I try to avoid going to Lakewood, because the city seems to be a haven for criminal activity. Today, I wanted to pay my respects for the fallen police officers. Even before we made it past the Lakewood Forza, tears welled up in my eyes. I dropped off some cranberry bread and a thank you note with the police officers working near the large and growing memorial. I hope that things can change in Lakewood. May the officers who died rest in peace. My heart hurts for the spouses and children they left behind.

Act 9

I think if we’ve learned one thing this week, it’s to be thankful for the police officers who give up their safety so we can be safe. Chloe and I brought some cranberry bread to our local police department. Thank you for your service to our community, DPD!