Weekend Kindness
Reaching Others Through Kindness

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So, today’s Weekend Kindness mission will stretch you if you have any degree of shyness!

Make a big sign such as: “I Love You, Kristi. Love, Joe” and put it in front of your house or her apartment complex for the world to see.

Yes, that’s right– some things are best said where all can see.  I mean, you may be the kind of person that proposed on the Jumbotron, or in a crossword puzzle, but have you done anything in a big way to say “I love you!”?

Another way you can do this, if you’re not ones for big messages, is to adopt a pattern like in the one in the story about SHMILY — See How Much I Love You.  If you read this story it’s sure to touch your heart, and you’ll realized just how much fun this can be!

When I was in college I spent a few of my summers at Csehy Summer School of Music in Philadelphia, PA as a counselor.  My musical instrument was primarily my voice, though I do play some piano now (and the going joke was that I could play any instrument if someone would give me lessons!).

Anyway, we had different days to do different goofy things, and this one day we had a clash day (or weird hair, I’m getting old… and the winners of the day (one guy and girl) were going to be treated to a fancy dinner in the other room served by “Garcon” which turned out to be yours truly dressed up like a waiter.

Today’s Weekend Kindness reminds me a little of this, since I got a person to come play violin for the couple while they were eating.

Arrange for someone to sing a favorite love song to you and your love when you’re together.

Of course, the more famous version of this is in the movie It’s a Wonderful Life where they sing outside the window in the rain, but this could work in most places– just make sure that you’re comfortable with who is around when the song is sung.  (You also might want to verify that the person you get can actually sing!)

Here’s one that’s going to take some talent:

Compose a love song.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know that I’ve ever composed a song, let alone a love song.

Now, I’ve come up with a lot of poetry in my time– nothing that I’d like to duplicate here!  When my wife and I were dating we each got a notebook for each other and we wrote things to each other in it and we swapped them to read them after we got married.  I wrote lots of rhyming stuff in there for her (I’m not really good at the non-rhyming poetry).

And I’ve also come up with a few ditties– but I mostly play things I know with improvisation.  I think I may have come up with two or three true songs in my lifetime, but many were repetitive and were about Lego figures.

But in any case, for those of you out there that want to do something really special, put the time in and give it a try.  Regardless of how it comes out I’m sure they’ll be pleased!

So, here’s another something that you can do if you’re artistically gifted– but even if you’re not, the time that you spend together will make it special:

Design your personal crest combining symbols that are meaningful to both of you.

So, what kinds of things can you use?  Simply write a list of the things that are most important to the two of you and either find pictures of them or draw pictures of them.  It can be as fancy as you like.

You could make it in such a way that it could be the logo for your family, something that you put on stationery or find some other use for it.  Or you could simply scrapbook it and pictures of you creating it as a memory of the activity.

Whatever you choose, make sure it’s a time to enjoy one another and to celebrate those things that you enjoy!

No, don’t kidnap your spouse– although I’m sure it would be a welcome relief from work or from watching the kids!  I’m talking about kidnapping the car!

Kidnap the car for a thorough washing, waxing and vacuuming.

Ok, so maybe doing all three will be a lot of work.  Perhaps you’d just like to take it down to the local car wash and have them do it.  The point is, it will make more of a difference to that special someone than you think.

Right now, our van is pretty messy, but it’s nothing compared to the car that my dad lets me borrow every day at lunch (we car pool).  I had to clean off the caked dirt the other day in order to make out what it said on the speedometer!  So, perhaps I should do this to his car.

Surely you know of a car near you that could use some TLC (Tender Loving Cleaning– I mean, Care) and in the process you can show kindness and love to someone?

Today’s assignment will take a little planning and some of us are going to be a little better and making this prettier than others:

Make a coupon book and include coupons for a back rub, a compromise when about to lose an argument, a listening ear when needed, and doing the dishes when the other cooks.

I have a funny story here– this past weekend our church had a going away carry-in meal for a family that’s relocating.  I was standing in line waiting to get food for my kids, when I just reached out in front of me to one of the male senior saints in the church and started to give him a back massage.  After asking how much I charged (he could never afford it!) he said that he hoped my wife got the same benefit he was getting.

Do we take the time to indulge our partners in massages, or playing with hair, or doing something out of the ordinary?  Then this is just the thing to help break out of the routine!

Anyone want to post something unique you’re putting in your coupon book?  I bet Revka will have something in there involving Transformers.

Here’s an assignment for all of you out there that bake:

Bake a giant cookie and write “I love you” with heart shaped redhots or frosting.

And here’s a Giant Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe to do just that:

1/2 c. white sugar
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
6 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts, optional

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugars, butter, and vanilla. Beat in egg. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix in chocolate chips and nuts. Grease pizza pan and spread dough in the pan. Bake until light brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool and cut. You can decorate if you wish. These are great for birthday parties, Father’s Day, etc.