Ice cream or cup cakes?

Ice cream or cupcakes?

Follow the link to see the simple culinary wonder of cupcakes in the guise of little ice creams.
Today's mitzvah is to share this wonder with you!

Helping someone you don't know

I was asked to talk to someone who is considering a change of career about my experiences on the PGCE.
We spoke for nearly half an hour and she was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss a whole set of questions.
It was good for me too, in the midst of assignment writing, to remind myself why I am doing this!

Thank you!

I've had a lot of support and advice from people in the last few days as I have been wrestling with and assignment, my family, my children, friends of friends, ex-work colleagues, peers... it's like an Oscar's acceptance speech.
I have thanked everyone along the way - I am truely grateful to all of them.

Welcome a new neighbour

Today my mitzvah was to knock on the door of a new neighbour and just say hello. The new neighbours are lovely and it was a pleasure to meet them. They were pleased to have a visitor too. Win win!

Time flies

I've been so busy this week, barely come up for air, but in the middle of all that I've been keeping mitzvahs in my awareness and many very small acts of gratitude, and cheery smiles have been meted out!

Praise where praise is due

Today I had to review my mentor's performance during my school placement. It's been a tough few weeks and I haven't found it easy. My mentor has from day one told it like it is. She has been completely fair in her assessment of me (not easy to do!) and has tried hard to make sure that I have been able to do what I needed to do.
What more could she do? especially on top of all her other work. So I gave her practically 'top marks' - and told her why.
I have never been made to feel in the way - when I know I must have been, just by being there interrupting her routine. In fact I have felt very welcome and at home in her class and for that I am grateful.

Martin Luther king Day, 16th January 2012

“Those not looking for happiness are most likely to find it...those searching forget that happy is to seek happiness for others.” -MLK Jr.

Today's mitzvah - taking time out for someone else

This morning I made sure I had time for a proper conversation two men from the drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre who came to my church this morning.
They are lovely men and I benefited from the chat, which was about photography as it turns out it is something one of them is quite knowledgeable about.
So, I wonder if it was a mitvah after all?

Maybe doing the sunday school class when I am feeling swamped with studies counts!

Yesterday's mitzvah - help promote a friend

 Yesterday I went to my local Waterstone's bookshop to ask if they had my friend's book on their shelf. They don't yet and the man said he would chase it up and got straight on the phone to the publishers :-)
Dave has been in himself, obviously, but every little helps.
And it gave me a reason to call my friend Jane (Mrs Dave).

Pay it forward

This morning I got a voucher for £3.05 off my next shop (part of a brand price match promotion) - I gave to someone on his way into the shop. It took him a moment or two to understand that it was a simple no strings attached offer.



He was thankful, and I was happy.

Mitzvahs are easy and cheer me up when I'm stressed!

I feel as if I am sinking under my studies and uncertainties over how well I am fulfilling my requirements... I took two minutes out yesterday to tell the facebook world that my friend's first book is published, printed and in the shops (also available on Amazon: Fifteen Days Without a Head, by Dave Cousins)
Today the happiest of news reached me of an engagement between two of the loveliest people. All I did was send congratulations with a true message of how lovely they are and I'm told I'm kind. Well It was my pleasure!

Sharing

Today I passed on details of services that I knew about to people who I know would benefit of be interested in.

Thank you!

Today I made sure I thanked everyone for things they did for me. Lots of very small acknowledgements of what other people have done for me, sometimes without thinking about it themselves.

Hugs and compliments

I gave virtual hugs via facebook to a friend who was feeling down; a real one to a neighbour who I had just seen being road-bullied (innocent victim of road rage) and my daughter who had gone to school not feeling well and then spent half an hour locked, cold and wet, outside the house at the end of the day because she had no key, only to find her brother had been home the whole time.

I collected my son from a rehearsal and saw him dance for the first time and he was really good so it was my pleasure to tell him how impressed I was.

A mitzvah for myself!

I took about 20 photos, here a few favourites.

Yesterday I was kind to myself - does that count?


I was feeling overloaded and when the sun came out I desperately wanted to go out in it even though I had a mountain of work to do and a fast approaching deadline.
If it had been anyone else I knew my advice would be that an hour away from the computer and desk would result in a clear head and greater productivity later.
I went of a lovely walk, took some photographs and felt sated.
So my mitzvah to myself blew away cobwebs, let me appreciate the beauty around me. My mitvah to you is follow my lead and take some time doing something good for your souls - get beck in touch with the version of yourself you identify with.
* pay it forward!  *

 

As I walked home through the church yard I noticed something I knew I should talk to someone about.
It was a hard decision but hopefully the right one.

(update, few days later: still don't know if it was the right thing - but done with best intentions.)




Today, on an entirely different level, I tip-toed around the house as I left for school trying not to disturb my own children who don't go back until tomorrow. We all like a lie-in!
And despite them being 11 and 14 (and therefore quite capable in the kitchen) I am going to cook tea without any hint of martyrdom!

My teacher mentor was run off her feet so I collected the class for her after lunch. No skin off my nose but it gave her another five minutes elbow room.

New Years Day 2012

Today I thanked my friend for hosting a NYE party and a number of friends who asked after my poorly daughter.

I can't help thinking that this kindness thing so far is just documenting things I do anyway - and isn't it the minimum of how we should be?Perhaps in time being aware of doing them will increase my positive self image?

Perhaps I should try harder!

For more inspiration, here's some information and a link to "1000 Mitzvah's" the story of another woman's kindness project.

link to: 1000 mitzvahs

Mitzvah (Hebrew: מצווה, IPA: [ˈmɪtsvə], “commandment”; plural,mitzvot; from צוה, tzavah, “command”) is a word used in Judaism to refer to (a) the commandments, of which there are 613, given in the Torah (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible) or (b) any Jewish law at all. The term can also refer to the fulfilment of a mitzvah as defined above.

The term mitzvah has also come to express any act of human kindness, such as the burial of the body of an unknown person. According to the teachings of Judaism, all moral laws are, or are derived from, divine commandments.

Mitzvah Ideas

Here are some ideas to get you started on your own mitzvah/kindness efforts:

Make a meal for a new mom

Volunteer at a soup kitchen

Donate children’s clothing to a local shelter

Donate centerpieces or flowers from an event to a hospital

Hold the door for someone

Send a gratitude card

Send a condolence card

Visit a shiva house (house of mourning)

Volunteer at school

Bake some cookies or a meal for a new neighbor

Compliment someone

Tip the housekeeper

Let someone’s employee know they did a great job

Surprise someone with flowers

Donate Blood

Donate money in honor or memory of someone

Visit a nursing home or senior center with your kids

Parents With Tweenage/Teen Children: 

Have your kids run a Lemonade Stand, Bake Sale or Car Wash. Give the proceeds to their favorite charity. If you let the organization know that you will personally deliver the donation maybe they will shake their hand or at least publicly acknowledge their efforts.

Collect outgrown coats, toys, books and donate them appropriately.

Volunteer to deliver meals on wheels, pass out charity cards for a non-profit.

Collect partially used gift cards (www.giftcardgiver.com) to give back to a non-profit.

Mentor younger children in something.

Offer babysitting services for a single parent.

Take a family volunteering vacation.

Seniors 

Volunteer in a school reading program.

Become a foster grandparent.

Become an ESL language teacher.

Arrange a fundraiser.

Work at a school cafeteria.

Volunteer to work with animals.