It's Nice To Do Nice Things

I like being in control.

That sentence will come as no surprise to people who know me well. But. Life does't always work that way. While we can control the choices we make, we cannot really control what's going to come our way in return. That's been made all too clear the last couple of weeks. 

However.

One of the things I do have control over is my ability to do nice things for people. And my ability to instill the importance of these acts in my children. 

As I've said before, the motto our little family adopts for the month of November is "It's nice to do nice things for people." Last year, we elected to do 25 random acts of niceness for random people, ranging from leaving quarters on candy dispensers in grocery stores and dollars in the dollar section of Target for unsuspecting children to delivering homemade cookies to the local fire department and hot chocolate to construction workers. We had a wonderful month and felt really good that we were doing nice things for people, even if in small ways. 

This year, we are focusing on spreading niceness to others on a larger scale. I remain hopeful that my children will continue to learn of the importance of kindness from these acts and also that maybe, just maybe, we'll inspire someone out there to spread the niceness, either by giving their time, energy, and/or finances to one of the organizations below or to one through your own local community. 

So, here are some of the nice things we plan to do for others over the next two months:

• Filling a brown grocery bag full of canned goods, peanut butter, and diapers (random, I know, but these were the items requested) for our local boy scout troop to pick up and distribute to those in need in the Fort Mill, South Carolina, community. 

• Making and delivering food to The Haven, a men's homeless shelter in Rock Hill, South Carolina, along with several other members of our Bible study group. My hub and kiddos will actually be delivering the food this weekend, while I am out of town, but I look forward to helping prepare the meal and hearing all about it. 

• Donating to, and helping organize Thanksgiving meals for, those in need in the community of Aiken, South Carolina, as part of the L.W. Rutland Thanksgiving Fundraiser. 

• Providing both a meal and a fun, kid-friendly activity to complete with a group of homeless women and their children through the Pilgrim's Inn of Rock Hill, South Carolina, again with members of our small group.

• Adopting several children for Christmas to ensure that their Christmas wish lists are filled and their trees underlined with gifts on Christmas morning.

Whatever your acts of niceness may be, I truly hope that both your family and mine are able to spread holiday cheer and joy to others, not only this time of year, but whenever possible throughout the rest of the year. Let the niceness begin abound!