MInTheGap » Weekend Kindness

Build A Sign

MInTheGap — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 03:08:44 +0000

Over at Weekend Kindness I just got done giving this week’s mission– Making a Sign to Say I Love You. But how can you go about this?

Well, one way is to go and get some paper and drawing it yourself, which is fine, but you can also go and get it done professionally at a competitive rate with someone like BuildASign.com.

What’s really neat is that if you wanted to do a really creative spin on this idea, you could use one of the many magnetic car signs that BuildASign.com has and place it on your car when you go out for a date, or when you go to pick them up from work!

They let you create your own designs in a couple of different sizes, and the best part is that you can reuse it the next time you want to show your love. Of course, I’d make sure not to create wording that was too embarrassing, but it would be a great gesture.

And, of course, these magnetic signs are perfect for businesses, realtors or any other purpose, but what a unique way to send a message to someone!

How I Got Engaged

MInTheGap — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 12:00:43 +0000

I’ve started a new meme over at Weekend Kindness asking “What’s Your Story”– How you got engaged. Since I started it, I think that it is only fair that I share my story as well.

The funny thing about my engagement is that there’s an official story and multiple side stories. You see, from pretty shortly after we started to date, Virtuous Blonde and I believed that we were the ones for each other. We talked about getting married shortly after we had started dating– whether it was because of my break up six months ago, or just because we believed we were the right ones for each other.

So, I had purchased the ring in December. At the time, I was still living in my parents’ house, and she was attending a community college close to where I worked and was attending my church. We were seeing each other regularly, and the first time that I truly asked her to marry me was Jan 1, 2001–the first thing after the new year hit (she was spending the evening with us). Of course, that wasn’t the official time, because I wanted something more special and my family wasn’t totally on board yet.

So, I waited until the anniversary of the day we started dating, in February right next to Valentines Day, and I came into her apartment after work to take her out and I got down on one knee and asked her if she would marry me. We were both dressed up so we went out to eat Chinese Food– her favorite so you’ll have to ask her– before taking her back home and announcing it to our friends and family.

The neat thing was that we were able to share this with the church at the Sweetheart banquet we were attending at the end of that week. We were in the ”soon to be wed” category. We were married in June of that year, so needless to say there was a lot that happened in a short period of time.

Here are the three bloggers I’d like to nominate:

Here’s How it Works:

Copy the link to this image (hot – linking is fine by me!)
Write your story of how you got engaged.
Select 3 bloggers that are married or have gotten engaged and let them know that you want to know their story.
Make sure you link back to this How Did You Get Engaged post.

Relationship Building

MInTheGap — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:30:40 +0000

Today starts the introductions for the contributors for Weekend Kindness.

Weekend Kindness, as you may recall, has always been about encouraging people to be kind to each other, and use our blogs as ways to encourage one another in the endeavor. Well, starting this week, we have a new focus– talking about relationship building and being kind to those around us. We’ll talk about marriage, family, friends, and what’s going on in each and how we can make them better.

So, come on over and welcome those that have joined to write, and read the great writings of people wanting to explore their relationships!

What I Love About My Wife

MInTheGap — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 12:00:05 +0000

This week’s assignment was to write a letter to our spouse telling them why we love them so much. It’s a challenge for me to get much time to do something in secret– especially with all the time that I take in writing blog posts!– so this was something extra special for me to write.

I am going to write my list in a book that we were keeping before and after we are married, as an update. We’ve been wanting to do this for sometime, and I’ll find the right moment to tell her.

Here are just ten of the things that I love about my wife for public consumption:

I love the fact that she loves me and cares for me and our children.
I love that she provides meals for us everyday.
I love how she desires a clean and orderly house.
I love how she has a passion to know God better and prays for us.
I love how she wants to keep ties with both my family and hers and actively cultivates both relationships.
I love how we are committed to each other.
I love how she thinks about how I can best work, serve, and be a testimony for God.
I love how she looks! (That has to be in there somewhere, you know!)
I love how organized she is.
I love how she reaches out to others.

Have a Weekend Kindness to Share? Leave a Comment and we’ll paste your link here:
Mary

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Weekend Kindness is Back!

MInTheGap — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 19:30:57 +0000

I’m pleased to announce the return of Weekend Kindness!

What is Weekend Kindness? It’s a site devoted to helping you reach out to those around you with a kind spirit in the effort to make a difference.

Each week (on Wednesday) a new “mission” is presented to you to accomplish by the following Monday. We’ve done crazy things like give treats to people in line at the grocery store, attempt to babysit children for parents, and give secret surprises.

With this new installation, we’ve streamlined the “code” a little and we’ve added a new wrinkle in that we’ll be providing you with ways to help build your relationships with others around you– particularly your spouse!

How does it work? We give you a mission, you sign up, you perform the mission (or write about a time when someone was kind to you) and write a post about it on your blog. We’ll link to you and then others will go around, read your kindness and link to theirs!

This first week’s mission is posted, so go on over to Weekend Kindness and sign up today!

Calling a College Friend

MInTheGap — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 15:00:40 +0000

This weekend I called a college friend that I haven’t called in quite a while. A little backstory: He and I were roommates my freshman year. He was a sophomore. We stayed close all the way through college, trying to arrange to be in the same prayer group and on the same floor. Even after he finished, we still did things together, and when I graduated and returned home, we started visiting each other (he, and another mutual friend).

The year after I finished, the other friend and I flew back down to the campus for Bible Conference, the two of them were in my wedding– with this friend being the best man. He’s flown to my house more times than I’ve been to his (and he may be coming up this Thanksgiving!) and we’ve kept in touch that way.

But it’s been hard to keep up via e-mail and calls simply because of how busy we are and the different interests/activities we find ourselves in. He’s single, I’m married with kids, the whole thing. So, he wrote an e-mail last and I knew that I had to call him, so I used the call I knew I had to do as this week’s weekend kindness.

It’s amazing how you can not talk for a while and then talk like nothing’s changed, isn’t it? Same sense of humor, same insight– we’re both a little wiser, I’m sure. In any case, it was great talking to him for eighty-eight minutes (long time!) and I appreciated the push to get it done.

Have a Weekend Kindness to Share?Leave a Comment and we’ll paste your link here:

Get the Weekend Kindness code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get people motivated to be kind to our fellow men and women and to encourage one another in that pursuit. We all If you participate, leave the link to your Weekend Kindness in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Weekend Kindness with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their Acts of Weekend Kindness.
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Weekend Kindnesses

MInTheGap — Tue, 15 Aug 2006 12:00:56 +0000

I know, I’m late. This weekend was full of the unexpected. I was to be away this weekend, enjoying some time with family. That amount of time grew as events happened that were completely out of our control– but kindness was shown along the way, and though I didn’t get to the mission, I will write about those acts done toward me and my family.

The first night we were away, we attended the final night of a Vacation Bible School. My children were accepted in as one of the gang, caught up with the verses, and given plastic coins they could use to purchase snacks (mostly for Virtuous Blonde!). They were treated with love and acceptance!

The next day we were at the beach throwing rocks in the water when we found out that our modis aperendi would not start. We first tried to get a jump from this man in smaller car. When that did not work, a rougher/stronger looking guy came over and offered his higher powered alternator to see if we could get it going. He stayed working on it (showing me kindness) even when…

…My mother-in-law volunteered her AAA card and her phone. I had tried my AllState card, but they couldn’t find a tow truck in the area. While waiting for AAA…

My mother-in-law found a client of hers that lived close by that was able to take my family home while I waited for the tow truck…

Who, even though we were more than five miles from the repair shop decided not to charge me the extra mileage!

I did make it to the store last night, and I did have someone show kindness to me– the cashier recognized that we overpaid and made sure we got $10 back. But that wasn’t the mission!

Thanks to all those who showed kindness on my trip. You all were greatly appreciated.

Have a Weekend Kindness to Share?
Leave a Comment and we’ll paste your link here:
Mary
Shelli

Get the Weekend Kindness code here! The purpose of the meme is to get people motivated to be kind to our fellow men and women and to encourage one another in that pursuit. We all If you participate, leave the link to your Weekend Kindness in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Weekend Kindness with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their Acts of Weekend Kindness.
Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Weekend Kindness
Participants

A Boss Gets Some Candy

MInTheGap — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 15:00:29 +0000

Well, I had all good intentions of going out and completing this mission this weekend– but if you read my Thursday Thirteen you owuld have seen just how much there was to do, and the budget was already looking grim. So, I wrote in the original description the first time I did this act of kindness– but here’s the second time!

It was shortly after I had returned from Summer camp that year and I was working at a job for the summer. Coming off the spiritual high from the weeks there, I heard that a boss of mine liked Milky Way. So, near the last days I was there, I took a tract and a Milky Way and snuck into his office, opened a lower drawer, and placed ths items inside.

I don’t know if he every figured me out or what he thought of the tract, but it was an act of kindness without thought of what it would benefit me! I realy liked the idea of him not knowing and it being my secret– one that I’ve now shared with you!

Have a Weekend Kindness to Share?Leave a Comment and we’ll paste your link here: Mary

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My Dad Demonstrates Kindness

MInTheGap — Sat, 29 Jul 2006 16:00:18 +0000

It was more than a year ago that my wife and I decided that in order to get out of the debt that we had accumulated and to accomadate our growing family we were going to have to sell the two cars (including my beloved 2 door Saturn SC2 with moon roof– the works) that we had and move to one mini-van. Between the insurance and the fact the we had a new one on the way, we needed the change, and we did not want to go any further in debt.I had (and still am) been in the habit of driving home at lunch time to be with my family. It’s something that I’m very blessed to have the ability to do since we live much closer than my father did when I was growing up. It allows me to be with my wife and children at all meals, and lets my wife have some adult communication in the middle of the day (and a hand with diapers, etc.)So, the problem came up about how I would get to work, and if I could continue to come home for lunch. My father offered to step in, and though my house is on the way to the place where we both work, it still takes him longer to get in to wor than it would if he didn’t have to pick me up. Sometimes he’s had to wait as my family is running late. He lets me take his car home at lunch time, and though he jokes about me leaving the radio on a certain station or using up his air conditioning (which is broken this summer!), he is gracious and willing to bend his schedule to mine.My dad shows kindness to me each and every day, and I’d like to use this first Weekend Kindness post to thank him for that.

Have a Weekend Kindness to Share?Leave a Comment and we’ll paste your link here: MaryShelliShari

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