McPIFP Goal for Week #4

I feel change in the air (no, not the change from freezing temperatures to BELOW freezing temperatures!), but real change. Does anybody else feel that?

Times are so uncertain right now with the state of our economy. I feel that it can either be an exciting time or a scary time.... which for most of us, we probably feel the latter. None of us can see into the future, which is scary in itself, but then to have the state of our country in such a mess...... it's only natural for fear to take over.
But the change that I feel is good! I am soooo excited for what God has planned this year.I will not let fear take control over me-- not over my finances; not over my job; not over my cirumstances.

"I choose happiness!"

This is my mantra. I speak this every day and I truly believe it. I believe that in this world we live in, we must search inside and choose to live every day as a happy day. After all.... how else are we supposed to be a light in this dark world? =)

About 5 months ago, I was going through a really tough time.... probably the hardest time in my life that I've had to endure so far. I was sitting in class and one of my professors started off her class with this incredible, life-changing quote. As you go through this week, I challenge you to choose happiness!

"I am still determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever

situation I may be in; for I have also learned that the greater

part of our happiness or misery depends upon our

dispositions and not our circumstances"

-Martha Washington

Goal: Make life easier for the hard-working people

Example: grab a grocery cart in the parking lot and take it inside; put your greeting card back in the right slot where you grabbed it from; throw your trash away or help pick up trash in a restaurant, gas station, store, etc; keep your table clean; if you choose not to buy an item in the grocery store line, go back and put it where it came from rather than laying it anywhere; after trying on clothes, hang up your clothes yourself rather than giving them to the attendant, etc., etc., etc.

Week #3: Compliment or "thank" a community worker

So I'm pretty sure this one was a little difficult for me... not because I wouldn't know what to say, but because I couldn't find a community worker!!! Did anyone else have that problem? =)

I have several friends/family that are community workers, but I wanted it to be a complete stranger. So I went through my whole work week, still not finding a cop in the same location as me; and still not getting pulled over (good thing, obviously!); and still praying for an opportunity to bless someone. So then on Friday, I felt it in my heart to mail a "thank you" note to the Chief of Police for the Independence Police Department. I looked him up online and saw his picture, which was nice, because it made a little bit more personal for me. I took one of my way cute note cards that I got for Christmas (thanks Mom!) and just wrote a simple note of thanks. I told him how I was greatful for everything he does to keep the city I love a safe place to live.

Like always.... I'll never know the impact it made, but along with his "thank you" note, I also breathed a prayer of blessing over his life and family.

And like always again..... the gesture is simple, but it matters. =)

I look forward to hearing about your experiences!

McPIFP Goal for Week #3

"Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up." Proverbs 12:25

Goal: Tell a community worker(s) that you appreciate them; or a give a simple "thank you".

*This can be a police officer, paramedic/EMT, fireman, any soldier in the military, etc. Or if you have any other ideas, please let me know. And in case you get pulled over this week (God forbid!), DEFINITELY try to remember this one! Ha ha!

Have a good week!

Remember: Because we are blessed, we choose to bless you; we choose to "pay it forward" and pray that you do too!

Week #2

McPIFP Week #2: Drive more friendly and unselfishly

I drive every morning to work and then back to my house; then I leave my house to go to school and then back to my house again. It was the same routine basically all week. But one morning, I thought I had an opportunity to be incredibly courteous. Turns out.... maybe just simply being courteous isn't God's plan for this week's McPIFP.

Has anyone ever encountered those drivers (or maybe you are one!) who act timid when trying to merge onto the highway? They're the drivers who won't speed up to get in front of you or in between two cars... instead, they keep driving slowly onto the shoulder like they're being forced there. This happened to me on my way to work... not the timid driver part!! Oh no! Not me... my parents raised me good and well learning how to drive defensively in the Golden City Missouri cemetery!! Ha ha! As far as I'm concerned.... a cemetery is the BEST place to learn! =)

So anyways... the car that I felt like I "forced" off to the shoulder was a woman driving a mini van talking on her cell phone. I saw her s-l-o-w-l-y making her way up the ramp to merge, but I couldn't get over in the left hand lane, so I tried to slow down a bit. But when she finally made it up there and when we were almost side-by-side, she had slowed down soooo significantly like she was scared to enter the high way. I had two choices:
1.) slow down to her speed and try to honk my horn or signal her over, which probably wouldn't have worked anyways, because she was talking on her cell phone. AND.... I had multiple cars behind me to where I could've caused a wreck and gotten rear-ended. So not cool.
Or 2.) Speed up and fly by her "forcing" her off the high way. Unfortunately or maybe it was fortunately... I chose choice #2. Was I wrong or right? I felt completely awful after the experience, especially because I had an opportunity to "pay it forward", but even more so, because I could've ruined her morning by shaking her up that badly. I kept looking in my rearview mirror to see when she would finally merge, but she never did the whole time I could see her. So since I had obviously screwed up that PIFP experience, I decided to pray for her instead.

While I was praying, I realized that maybe God had intended for me to simply pray for her instead of letting her merge on the high way. Maybe, at that time, she needed my prayer of blessing on her life, more then she needed my act of blessing.

Once again, I will never know, but I do know that for now on.... any act of the McPIFP will also be done with a prayer of blessing for that person. I encourage you to do the same. =)

Week #1

McPIFP Week #1: Smile or make conversation with complete strangers.

When my family and I were creating this list, we decided to start off simple. Although... now that I think about it, is #1 really THAT simple?? Was it really that easy to simply smile and talk to complete strangers all week long?

I started back to work and school this week. It was quite busy and I was pretty stressed out. I spend all day in the classroom having to be "on my game". I'm learning, that as a teacher, you CANNOT have a bad day. There is no time for being tired or letting your outside problems come into the classroom with you. So because I had to continuously put on a happy face all day long with the kiddos (and their parents!), I will admit that I struggled with this one just a bit. =) But I also had one great experience that made it all completely worth it!!

I LOVE McDonald's coffee and breakfast in mornings (1 large coffee + 7 creams + 5 splendas = heaven!). One morning, I was going through the drive-through and decided to make conversation with the attendant. I made a simple comment about the weather and how I hope she stays warm. I said my "pleases" and "thank you's" and drove off leaving a big smile on the attendant's face.

I will never know how I might have possibly affected her life, if at all, but by the time I left the drive-through, she was smiling and had felt some form of "warmth" inside.

It's simple, but it MATTERS. And that's all I can hope for. =)

Goal for week #2: Drive unselfishly and be more friendly to others

The PIFP Dream

....."Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony." Colossians 3:14

I have felt a stirring in my soul to exhibit, and show God's love for as long as I can remember. I remember in junior high, waking up, and the first thing coming to my lips was this prayer: "Lord, let your light shine through me. Let them FEEL your love through me; let them SEE your love through me....".

It has been my heart to encourage others, and to show God's love, and to genuinely express MY love in every aspect of my life. I've always made it my own individual effort, but I realize that to truly fulfill the stirring in my soul, I need to "pay it forward".

I read an article in a magazine that was describing 52 ways to help yourself in 2009... or something to that aspect. It was focusing on 52 things you can do to better your individual life. But as I read this article, it hit me that this was the perfect way to "pay it forward" and extend GOD's love! So as my family and I were sitting in our favorite Mexican restaurant the day after Christmas, we came up with 52 ways to show our love, and especially God's love, to OTHERS! We will be focusing on one thing each week for the whole year.

I will be posting our experiences each week, and what we will be focusing on for the following week. If you would like to join us in the "McPIFP", then please feel free to do so!

"There are three things that will endure-- faith, hope, and love-- the greatest of these is LOVE." 1 Corinthians 13:13