* Today’s post is by my sweet friend, Bet, who blogs at Bet on Dinner. She is helping me get the word out about my eBook, The Kindness Antennae, by sharing a simple way she and her daughter blessed a new mama recently. Don’t forget to pop over to Bet’s blog for delicious, easy recipes and a fun giveaway!
I was so thrilled that Julie was writing a book, since she is a dear friend and I absolutely love her creative ideas and sense of humor! But I was extra excited about the topic – making kindness a priority in our lives and our families. I devoured The Kindness Antennae and it is SO full of ideas – but not in an overwhelming or to-do list-y kind of way. Julie’s ideas are extremely doable – it’s more about keeping your “feelers” out for everyday opportunities to bless others than about putting all your effort into one big gesture!
…Which I love. And honestly, one of the biggest ways The Kindness Antennae ministered to me was the reminder that “our greatest and most important acts of kindness start in our own homes.” I love to bring dinner to people, because to me, food = love, and meals others have brought me have been such a balm, but sometimes my pride makes me want to bring something more “masterpiece” than just “meal.” But if I’m short-tempered with my girls while I’m running around like a maniac busy in the kitchen, I’m not teaching anyone anything about kindness! Instead of serving others coming at the expense of my family, I want it to be a joy for them, too.
My oldest daughter is 4, and one of the kids in her preschool class just got a new baby brother. His mom is one of my friends, too, and I’ve been wanting to do something for them. I talked to my daughter about being on the lookout for ways to be kind to others, and together we came up with a fun, sneaky plan to bless our friends!
We mixed up a batch of our favorite chewy chocolate chip granola bars. The bars are one of my daughter’s favorite snacks so we figured her buddy would like them, too. They’re almost as good as a chocolate chip cookie, and I love to give new moms something easy to snack on but still healthy (or healthy-ish) since feeding yourself becomes a path-of-least-resistance, is-this-a-baby-or-a-tapeworm, one-handed desperate operation when you have a newborn! When my oldest was a couple of weeks old, a friend brought us pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and I sat down and ate the entire bag as soon as she left and I wasn’t sorry. Whole wheat banana bread and breakfast cookies are good options, too!
I made a label for the granola bars and my daughter made a card (“All the boys like dinosaurs, Mom.”). We decided to sneak the surprise into her friend’s cubby at preschool so he would find a fun treat to take home at the end of the day.
We used the printable antennae headband from Julie’s book and took our sneaky selves very seriously!
Please excuse our antennae – the printer was (of course) low on ink and I may have rushed the cutting a bit! ;o)
We loved getting a chance to surprise our friends with a little treat, and it was so much fun to include my daughter in the planning and execution of our kindness mission. I’m so thankful for Julie’s encouragement in my mission of teaching our girls about God’s love and how to share it with others. In fact, we’ve been praying Micah 6:8 for this daughter since she was a baby:
“…And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
If you haven’t already gotten a copy of The Kindness Antennae, I’d love to help! I’m giving one copy away on my blog – Bet on Dinner, and you can hop over to enter the giveaway by clicking HERE.
Or you can buy one AT THIS LINK! If you’ve already gotten a copy, consider purchasing one to encourage a friend. And thanks, Julie, for your wise words and fun ideas!
– Bet, blogger at Bet on Dinner
Leave a Comment