Acts of Kindness: Good For Your Health

Random Acts of Kindness:

1. Improve your health;

"People who perform Random Acts of Kindness generally agree that doing a kind deed for someone else makes them "feel good." But apart from sheer niceness, why should people be encouraged to commit Acts of Kindness? Are there any other concrete benefits that would motivate more people to become kinder?

The answer is an overwhelming "yes!" A number of scientific studies show that Acts of Kindness result in significant health benefits, both physical and mental, for those who perform them." . . . .Read Entire Article Here: http://www.actsofkindness.org/node/478424

2. Give you a healthy sense of well being, happiness, and contentment;

3. Change lives, both of the giver and of the receiver, for the better;

4. Helps improve your relationship skills; and

5. If you have little or no money you can still bless others with acts of kindness by giving of your time, knowledge, and talents, such as volunteering or mentoring.

1. If you live in an apartment, condo, or a homeowners association, write a note of thanks and appreciation to each maintenance worker, grounds keeper, etc. It will brighten their day that the service work they do is appreciated.

2. Here's a good one that I did this morning as I was leaving to take my father to a Doctor's appointment at the VA hospital. My next door neighbor's son had gone back to sleep after his parents went to work and had missed the school bus. He was running down the sidewalk with a heavy bookbag, a trombone, and a bag of canned goods the school was collecting for food boxes for the needy. He was struggling and dropping the items. I asked him if he needed help and he told me, on the verge of tears, that he missed his bus and was going to be in trouble for being so late by the time he got to school. I told him to hop in the car and we would drop him off at the school on our way to the VA hospital. I had to drive right past the school to get to the VA. Later this afternoon, he came by to thank us for giving him a ride to school and that when he walked in the door the bell rang. He was so thankful that he was not late.

3. Help an elderly or disabled neighbor scrape the ice or snow off of their car windows in the morning.

4. Visit a nursing home, the VA hospital nursing home section, or any other hospital in your area that has a nursing home section. Most of the elderly never receive any visitors. They will be blessed and you will be blessed. I have done this for many years and I have made some wonderful friends and learned so much from their wisdom when they tell of their lives, careers, talents and gifts.

5. Here is another great idea that I have done. One time I was visiting a senior retirement place to visit with seniors that have no visitors or family that comes to see them and I met an elderly lady who was legally blind from Macular Degeneration. She was upset and I asked her what was wrong and maybe I could help. She was a Christian and had been a ordained Evangelist and Missionary for years. She loved reading her Bible and Devotional books. This lady had a special magnifier reading machine to help her read, but her eyesight was deteriorating to the point that even with the special magnification machine and with high powered hand-held magnifying glasses used to further magnify the largest type setting on the machine that she could no longer read. She had memorized most of the Bible and the verses she remembered she would sit and recite. However, she could no longer do her devotionals, which meant so much to her. I smiled and told her I was also a Christian and an ordained Evangelist and Missionary. She was ordained in 1946 and I was ordained in 1994. I told her I had a simple solution for her problem and I would be very glad to help her. We also agreed on a regular visiting schedule so we could talk about each others experiences as Evangelist/Missionaries from two different eras -- compare notes. She was anxious to see what my solution to her dilemma was, but I told her it would be a surprise for her from me on my next visit with her the following day. I asked her where her devotional book was and she took me to her room and told me to look around her reading machine. I found it, asked if I could borrow it, took it home, and that night at home I read the entire devotional book out loud recording it on my cassette tape recorder. Devotionals are dated and there is one for each day of the month. After each day's devotional and bible verses there is often a prayer. So, when I recorded the devotional book I stated the date, day of the week, read the devotion, the bible verses for that devotion, and the prayer. I then left a little pause on the tape between the days (she was blind and it would take her a couple of seconds to turn the tape recorder on and off) then I would go on to the next day. I was blessed reading the devotions and she was going to be blessed because of my solution for her not to miss any of her daily devotions. It took me a couple of hours to complete the tape. The next day I took the tape to her. She was so happy and overwhelmed that someone would do this for her that she broke into happy tears. We have become very good friends and I record her devotions each month. She just turned 96! This was a simple solution and a simple act of kindness that sparked a very rewarding friendship.

6. Invite an elderly neighbor over for dinner once in a while, especially if they live alone and do not get visitors. Or, if they cannot get around easily take a home cooked meal over to them as a surprise.

7. Give a short note of appreciation and thank you to a waitress, checker or drive through person that has given you good service with a smile. This will brighten their day! They work very hard and deal with many people, who are not always kind taking out their bad and sometimes angry attitude on those serving them.

8. Shovel the walkway of an elderly or disabled neighbor.

9. When the weather is bad offer to bring in the mail for an elderly or disabled neighbor.

10. If you are in a store parking lot and see a mother with a young fussy baby that is struggling to soothe the infant and put the packages in the vehicle offer to put the packages in the vehicle so the mom can tend to the child.

11. Volunteer at a local shelter to help serve food or hand out food boxes.

12. Volunteer at a local library to read to the children. They always need more people to do this.

13. If you are on your way out to do errands and you see one of your neighbors on their porch or in their yard ask them if they need something from the store, dry cleaning picked up, or stamps that you can pick up for them while you are going on your own errands anyway.

14. If you know of someone from church or one of your neighbors that has been ill, had recent surgery, or just got home from the hospital cook a meal and take it to them or if you cannot afford to then offer to clean their house, visit with them, or help them answer get well cards.

15. Offer to read the newspaper or letters to a blind person.

16. Take a game or games that you no longer use to a hospital for patients to use.

Make Someone Smile Today! Pass It On!

You can make a difference by giving of yourself and making a pledge to keep that Spirit of unselfishness in your heart every day. The best gift is the one that comes from the heart given to bless the heart and life of the gift receiver. A simple act of kindness can change a life and has a ripple effect that touches others as that Spirit of love, compassion, and kindness is passed on to others. Start touching lives with acts of kindness gifts from the heart. It is contagious and you will discover all the treasured moments and lifetime memories you have been overlooking if you have not lived this type of lifestyle yet or maybe not to its fullest.

I have lived my life giving and helping others through acts of kindness from a heart filled with love, compassion, and genuine care for others because the Holy spirit dwells within me and I would not trade a single solitary nanosecond. I have received blessings, miracles, and lifelong true friendships in return. The best and most fun acts of kindness that bring the greatest joy to the giver and are my personal favorites and I love doing are those done anonymously as a secret benefactor. I will continue to show God's love daily through acts of unconditional kindness blessing as many people as I can until the glorious day when I go home to heaven.

In Honor Of One Person Who Is The Prime Example of a simple act of kindness that touched thousands of lives around the world through the act's ripple effect and shows just how even the simplest acts of kindness can touch and change many lives I relate to you the following story of a kind person, who faithfully brightened my day many times and I call friend.

A resident of Carson City, Nevada practiced a simple act of kindness for thirty plus years. This man was nicknamed by locals, as "The Waver." "The Waver" liked to walk and walked every day. He decided one day that people needed to smile more, so he started waving and smiling at every car and all the people he would pass while walking. He was always met by the driver and/or passengers smiling and waving back and all the people he walked passed would exchange the smile and wave back to him and sometimes stop to talk with "The Waver." "The Waver" could tell what a difference this small kind act was making because he saw people driving and walking along with all kinds of faces that were not smiling and when they would see him waving at them with a big smile they would break into a big smile and wave back, temporarily forgetting their troubles. For me personally, many times over the 30 years, while going about my daily business, I passed by "The Waver" and his wave and big smile always uplifted my spirits making my day. Over the years, if I did not see "The Waver" for a few days or a couple of weeks -- because most of the time I saw him at least once a day and sometimes several times while I was running errands around town -- I would pray for him that he was alright.

People would speculate on the "Waver's" identity. It was rumored he was independently wealthy and walking and waving was his way to find people to bless or that maybe he was a writer and worked from home or some other such job that allowed him so much free time to walk and wave in and between two cities. Yes, I did say between two cities. He would walk the streets of Carson City waving and smiling, then walk the 33 miles to Reno waving and smiling, and walk the streets of Reno blessing people he passed by, other walkers and drivers alike, with his big smile and wave or conversation with those also walking.

Then one day, I realized that I had not seen "The Waver" for quite a few months. I thought maybe he had retired after 30 some years he was older and probably not able to get out and walk as before. I prayed that God would bless him wherever he was and let him know that all his years of waving and smiling while walking in two cities and the road between the two cities had made a difference in the world. I prayed that somehow God would someday show him just a glimpse of the impact he had on this earth.

A few months later, I was reading the local Reno newspaper online (Reno Gazette Journal) and a headline caught my eye. It was a story about "The Waver." I read it right away. The human interest story about "The Waver" said that his wife had cancer and that he had quit taking his walks to take care of her. The article said the huge medical bills, the fact that both were elderly, and the wife needed round the clock care that "The Waver" and his wife had moved away to another state to live with their daughter. The story went on to say that if anyone had been touched by "The Waver" over the years to send him and his family cards and letters to give them encouragement during this trying time for them. This was an opportunity for those touched by "The Waver" to return blessings to him. I had definitely been touched by "The Waver" many times over the years. His wave and big smile every time I drove past him when he was out walking his rounds in and between Carson City and Reno had blessed and made my day many times over.

I immediately went to the store and picked up a nice card to send to the daughter's address that had been given in the paper. The article said to send cards and letters to "The Waver" in care of his daughter's address. I sat down and prayed for the words to write to express the impact "The Waver" had on my life over the years. I wrote a prayer in the note for them during this trying time. I wished him well and said I had submitted their names to my churches prayer chain and a few other prayer groups I belong to and wrote how his smile and wave had brightened my day so many times. I signed the note and card and drew a stick person waving with a big smile. I mailed the card with the note inside.

About a month later I received a letter back from "The Waver." He told me he appreciated the kind words, prayers, and wishes expressed in the card and my note. He said he especially enjoyed my drawing of the stick person with a big smile and waving. Then he went on to tell me that his wife had died a couple of weeks earlier. He said from the day she was diagnosed with the cancer and all through her illness until the end he never left her side. They had been married for many many years. (I looked for the letter, but cannot find it right now so I could see how many years they were married. I remember it was a very long time but not the exact number.)

"The Waver" wrote that he had been so overwhelmed with thousands of cards and letters, some containing gifts of money, and gifts in general from all over the U.S. and parts of the world. He stated that he now had the full-time job of reading and answering those letters and he intends to answer each one personally. My friend, "The Waver" was so overwhelmed that he had touched so many lives. He touched people all around the world because this is a popular tourist area and tourists as well as locals were touched by the man who walked the streets and roadways waving and smiling at everyone he encountered. Many wrote to him that he had inspired them to do simple acts of kindness because his simple act of greeting everyone with a smile and a wave had touched them.

The Waver finished his letter to me telling me that all those years of walking he had kept track of the distance he had walked and it was equivalent to walking around the entire circumference of the globe 3 and a half times. Then he signed his letter, "The Waver" and stated he prays for everyone whose lives he impacted, and then he traced the outline of his right hand that he waved with all those years. Wow! What a precious soul. This individual's one simple act of kindness impacted so many lives and caused a ripple effect all over the world of simple acts of kindness that also will send out ripples of impact.

Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.

James 3:13
Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.

Proverbs 12:25
The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.



Luke 6:35
Love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil men.

Luke 6:38
Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.

"It's one of the most beautiful compensations in life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson"

"If you haven't any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble." ~Bob Hope

"There is no greater loan than a sympathetic ear." ~Frank Tyger

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. ~Mark Twain

Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness. ~Seneca

How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these. ~George Washington Carver

You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you. ~John Wooden

You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

The everyday kindness of the back roads more than makes up for the acts of greed in the headlines. ~Charles Kuralt, On the Road With Charles Kuralt

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~Leo Buscaglia

Open your heart - open it wide; someone is standing outside. ~Quoted in Believe: A Christmas Treasury by Mary Engelbreit

Life is short but there is always time for courtesy. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson,

Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. ~James Matthew Barrie

Christian MySpace Graphics


Christian MySpace Graphics