34 by 34...

Once again it's that time of year....birthday time.  I am party planner through and through, not so much a party person.  I don't get real jazzed about the "Big Day" and my idea of a great birthday is low key with great friends and good food!  I know for some of you that is unreal, because the hub's as a matter of fact is a huge birthday person (which works out nicely when your married to a party planner :)).  I am just not wired that way.

The danger though is that I can be very negative about my birthday and needless to say the Lord has been challenging my thinking these past few weeks.  Lets be honest, I am melancholy by nature and can be pretty negative when I want to be.  So I've been asking myself, what is it that makes me dislike my birthday?  Perhaps unaccomplished goals or being one year closer to passing the baby birthing age or maybe even another year in a house that is not my own.  Whatever the cause, when I dwell on the reasons I am discontent I fail to remember this one thing....I have been given another year of life!  Another year to serve Him, with new goals, a roof over my head, a precious baby boy and an amazing man to walk beside me and remind me just how special birthdays are.  Looking back on the past year, with all I have been blessed with, I should be overflowing with joy!  And that is cause for celebration!

So here's how I intend to celebrate and I hope you will join me!  Since giving and serving others brings me so much joy, I can't imagine a better way to celebrate this past year and start a new one.  What better way to do this than to complete 34 Random Acts of Kindness by my 34th birthday, this Saturday!  I'm calling it 34 by 34!  With only 5 days to go, I am hoping you will help me get there.  Just complete a Random Act of Kindness (RAK), take a picture and tag #hj34by34 on Facebook or Instagram.  

Some ideas might be....

*Tape change to a vending machine

*Write a thank you note and leave it for your mailman

*Bring your child's teacher flowers

*Send a letter to a soldier serving overseas 

*Anonymously pay for someone's dinner at a restaurant

*Purchase a gift card at the grocery store and hand it to the person behind you in line

*Pay for the order of the person behind you in the drive through 

*Help an elderly person unload groceries

*Hand out water bottles at a sporting event

*Bring lunch to a homeless person

*Donate food to the local food bank

It's up to you, no need to get elaborate, it's about blessing others because you have been blessed!  I hope you will join me in making this a birthday to remember. 

Many Blessings!