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Pay It Forward Friday graphic

I used to work for the local ambulance service and I know personally just what a hard and thankless job it can be. It is also emotionally and physically a draining job. You see the good and the bad. You see life and death and everything in between.

SO when I was thinking of what I would do this week for my Pay It Forward Friday, I decided that I would make cookies and deliver them to all the local public service departments.

Pay It Forward Friday Emergency Services

So, I got to baking, and then packaged all the cookies up…

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And stopped off at the EMS office. While I was there I got to catch up with some of the great folks I used to work with.

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Next I went by the City Police Department.

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And then to the City Fire Department.

While these are only a few of the public service departments around me, and I wish I could have hit all the county departments as well, it sure was nice being able to visit the ones that I did and see the smiles on their faces and just say thank you for all you do.

It isn’t easy working all the holidays, being away from their families all night, pulling double shifts during disasters, etc. but I sure am thankful that they are there for us when we need them.

Are you Paying It Forward this week? I would love to hear some of the ways that you make a difference in others lives or some of your random acts of kindness.  Happy Friday and have a great weekend!

 

Pay It Forward Friday graphic

This week was a little special for me. I have friends from all over the world, some I have known for years, some I have never actually met and some I may have only known for a short time but they quickly became like family and are there to stay. I met this family about 4 or 5 years ago. The instant we met, we became quick friends, then as time passed we became family. I love the whole family to pieces and can’t imagine life without them and wonder what took us so long to find one another. A few years ago when I got the call…sobbing on the other end…and the words “We lost everything”… I immediately got to work gathering, seeing what I could do and making the 3 hour trek to see how I could help. They would do the same for me in a heartbeat. See, a tornado had leveled their home and threw a tree right through their truck.

But this goes 2 ways, don’t think it is just me doing for them. See this website right here, yeah, the one you are reading? Well, they are the ones who help keep it running. They handle all that technical stuff that I have no idea what it even means. Anytime there is an issue they work tirelessly to resolve it…and give me reassurances that it will all be ok…because I tend to freak out a little bit when something goes wrong.

tires

Recently, my friend Beth called me in a panic and needed to borrow a little money, I sent her the money never thinking anything about it. About a week goes by and a different friend calls me and asks can I get Beth to do something for her and she would pay her a set amount…it was the same amount that Beth had borrowed. So when I tried to pay Beth for the work she had done she said I owe it to you, just keep it. I stuck the money in my pocket and thought no more about it. Well,  Beth and I were on the phone recently, talking about the upcoming warm weather, when we could all get together, what was going on in our lives, etc. It was mentioned that the tires on their vehicle were bald and that they had to stick close to home. Living on a very fixed income I knew it would be some time before they could afford new tires…and seeing as how another dear friend of mine owns a tire store, I got to work. I called Mark and he started hunting for a set of decent used tires that would fit what they needed and that I could afford. Tires were found and when I go to pick them up I pulled that money out that we had been passing back and forth to help pay for the tires. Mark told me to just keep it, that I would need to use it for gas money to deliver the tires. So, I set off to Alabama to deliver them…on my way I had to make a stop to see another friend and have lunch. I pulled out that same money…the very same money we have all been passing back and forth…to pay for mine and my daughters lunch. My friend looks at me and says “this one is on me, put your money away”. Well, I put the money back in my pocket, have a wonderful lunch with my dear friend and her mother, finish my journey to Beth’s house and deliver the tires and some plants. We sat and chatted for awhile and Erin and I headed home.

The story doesn’t end there. You see, there is ALWAYS more to a story.

About the time that Erin and I get to the Tennessee line it becomes a TORRENTIAL downpour and the lightening is SCARY! I am not normally scared of storms but this was a bad one. We drove in it for over an hour, creeping along wondering if it was ever going to let up. By the time I got to Dalton and exited the Interstate my knuckles were white from gripping the steering wheel so hard…and I was starving. We had made it to the other side of the storm and were debating on where to eat. I told Erin that after all that I was just wore slap out  and just wanted to get home…so we decided to hit the Chick-Fil-A drive through. I placed our order and pulled around, waiting in line to get our food. As we pulled up to the window and I got out that SAME money to pay the young man and he informs me that the person that was in line in front of us had paid for our order!! How awesome is that?!

I am still toting around that money and one day I am going to use it for something good. Something really good, when the time is right I will know it and THAT money will surface again.

I hope you get the opportunity to bless someone this coming week or be blessed yourself! Happy Weekend Y’all!

 

 

 

 

Pay It Forward Friday graphic

Every week I get more and more excited about Friday. And not because it is the start of the weekend. It is my day to pay forward some of the many blessings that I receive on a daily basis. I love giving others a little surprise and can only hope that it helps brighten their day a little. In case you have missed previous editions you can read about how we delivered a box of food, toiletries and household items HERE. And in THIS edition we placed cards with lottery tickets on random cars around town.

This week I wanted to bless a man and his family that have been dear to me for years. While we aren’t the kind of friends that talk on a regular basis, we do keep up with one another. We know the milestones that happen, we send congratulations and condolences when needed and we occasionally send a “How You Been” note to one another. He used to keep my daughter Erin when she was a little girl, I taught him CPR, etc. Here is the thing about Robbie…If I called him and said “Robbie, this is what is going on, this is what I need” he would reply with a “How can I help?” before I could even finish sentence.  And not just for me, for anyone. If he saw you on the street with no shoes, he would give you his. If it was pouring down rain he would give you his umbrella. If you were hungry, he would give you his lunch. Even as a child he was that way. He just has the biggest heart of about anyone I know.

The thing about being the go-to guy for everyone else is that you are rarely the one that gets a treat. And I KNOW that folks like Robbie don’t the things they do because they are seeking a reward, they do it out of kindness, compassion, love and simply because it is the right thing to do. But as I was thinking about who and how I wanted to Pay It Forward this week this is what was on my mind. I wanted someone who is always there for others too be the recipient of a kind gesture. And I knew just who that someone would be.

Pay It Forward Friday Note

So, I got busy and made a cake. I know Robbie likes food, heck, he is even a great cook from what I hear. Along with the cake I put together a few things for his kids and a book that I wanted to share. And that is my Pay-It-Forward Friday this week.

caramel delight cake

The cake was even still warm!

And here is a little tip, when you want to deliver a cake to someone but are looking for something to put it in, check the bakery at your local grocery store. They will sell you empty cake “plates”!

pay it forward friday delivery

I would love to hear some of the things you are doing to Pay It Forward! Leave me a comment and let me know what you have done, are doing or have an idea to do because I am always looking for other fun ways to Pay It Forward and I know others would love suggestions too!!

 

 

Share Breakfast Logo

It breaks my heart to know that 1 in 5 kids may go without breakfast every day. But unfortunately, that is a reality that many face. We are so lucky and blessed to know that our kids start the day out right with a well-balanced breakfast. So when I was presented with an easy way to help others do the same I jumped at the opportunity….and you can too!  Kellogg’s® and  celebrity dad and actor Taye Diggs have partnered to share breakfast with children in need as part of the third consecutive Share Breakfast initiative. Thanks to this great program, families across the country can share a breakfast with a child in need by simply sharing a public service announcement featuring Diggs on ShareBreakfast.com. For each view, share and comment, Kellogg’s will share a breakfast.

 Kelloggs Share Breakfast Infographic

Along with in-school breakfast partner Action For Healthy Kids®, Kellogg’s and Diggs are making it their mission to show families how a wholesome breakfast can help kids reach their full potential every day. Kids who eat breakfast have more energy and focus for learning[1], yet nearly one in five children across our communities go without breakfast.[2] That’s why Kellogg’s and Diggs are leading the charge to help end childhood hunger and are rallying families across the U.S. to help provide breakfast for kids in need.

 

 

As a dad, Kellogg’s Share Breakfast campaign is a cause Diggs feels passionately about. His mom was a teacher and he was raised on the belief that eating a wholesome breakfast helps give kids the potential to have a great day. As a child, Taye grew up as the eldest of five children in Rochester, New York and after the sudden death of his father, Taye stepped up to help his mother care for his four younger siblings. Through his family leadership, he can relate to the financial worries that many families in America face in putting food on the table every day. In the program’s third year, Kellogg’s Share Breakfast will share one million breakfasts* with kids in need through grants to schools or school districts to help them increase their participation in school breakfast programs.

 

 

 

“Just imagine what kids across the country could accomplish if they each had a great start every day. That’s why I am partnering with Kellogg’s and the Share Breakfast program to help make this a reality,” said Diggs. “Join me in raising one million breakfasts to help get America’s kids the start they deserve.”

 

 

 

How to Join the Share Breakfast Movement

 

Families across the U.S. can join Diggs in the Share Breakfast movement and give the power of breakfast to kids in need. Every time you do one of the following, Kellogg’s will share breakfast to a kid who might otherwise go without:

 

  1. Share the public service announcement with friends.
  2. Sharing your “share” on your Facebook page
  3. Posting on Twitter with the #ShareBreakfast 
  4. Pin the public service announcement on Pinterest.

 

 

 

Visit ShareBreakfast.com to watch the public service announcement with Diggs and learn about all the ways families can get involved for Share Breakfast 2013.

 

We have not only shared by clicking the above action links, but we shared out breakfast with some family and friends one morning.

Kelloggs Share Breakfast table setting

After getting everything set up, our guest started arriving and were ready to dig in.

lets share breakfast

Make sure to share your breakfast with the special folks in your life and remember those that may be doing without. Teach your children the importance of a balanced meal to start the day, it will make their day go smoother…they will be more productive, can focus better and have more energy.

While we haven’t ever had to go completely without, we have wondered many times just where the next meal would come from. I can sympathize with the many parents who struggle day to day wondering where their next meal will come from. I sincerely hope that each and every one of you will visit  ShareBreakfast.com to watch the public service announcement with Diggs and share it with your friends, encouraging them to share it as well.

After all with just a click or two, we can Pay-It-Forward, and make a difference by helping to fill a child’s tummy, and get their day off to a great start!

 

 

 


* Each time you share, Kellogg will donate the monetary equivalent of a school breakfast shared. Kellogg will donate up to $250,000 – the equivalent of 1.25 million school breakfasts shared. Program ends 4/15/2013.

[1] Kleinman RE, Hall S, Green H, Korzec-Ramirez D, Patton K, Pagano ME, Murphy JM. Diet, breakfast, and academic performance in children. Ann Nutr Metab. 2002;46 Suppl 1:24-30.

[2] U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. 2012. Breakfast: Percentages of Selected Nutrients Contributed by Foods Eaten at Breakfast, by Gender and Age, What We Eat in America, NHANES 2009-2010. Available: www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/fsrg

 

“I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Kellogg’s. I received a product sample as well as a promotional item as a thank-you for participating.”

© 2013 The Post-It Place Suffusion theme by Sayontan Sinha