Challenge for good

I have a challenge for you readers today. Please do one thing today that will help another person. Donate your change, open the door for someone, bring a homeless person food, or donate some household items to someone in need. Just the act of thinking of others makes me feel good. How about you? Tell me what you did later today. Share your story with others. Come on people, I wanna hear some stories!

If you don't think you have anything good to give others, your wrong. Just as most American families make it check to check, so do we. Seems like there is always something that comes up and takes our extra money. This month its one of our duplex's that we own. You all know how expensive plumbers can be. So I know how it is, I live it just like each and every one of you. But I have found other ways to help out. It did not cost me one cent out of my pocket and all I had to do was a little leg work.

I recently ran into a friend of mine that I worked with for a few years. She is a single mom with a 11 yr old daughter and a 6 month old son. Sad thing was that she was laid off and was starting over her life with nothing. Well she has some things but only furniture and beds. She was getting help with formula for her son but not for food. Since she was laid off she was getting unemployment checks but they were covering most of the bills and was not anything left over. I felt for her and wanted to help her out as much as I could. This is what friends do. Well since my current issues in my own life (duplex) I had to think big. I was able to help her out a few ways. Maybe you can get some inspiration from my example.

1. Made calls to all my friends and family and told them I had a friend in need who needed everything but furniture.

2. I logged onto my Facebook and posted that I had a friend in need who needed help. We as moms needed to stick together and help out a fellow mom in need.

3. Talked to my neighbors, told them the story, and each neighbor came up with a bag of groceries from their own pantry.

4. Went in my own pantry and filled 4 bags of groceries.

I came to my friends house that day and was able to bring her 6 bags of groceries filled with lots of goodies. Baking goods so she can make food from scratch, frozen meat, bacon, canned goods, and the list goes on and on. Plus toothpaste, toilet paper, etc. A few days later I brought her some pots and pans and picked up another care package from a Facebook friend and brought them over to her. She now had a way to cook her food. She was limited to a few pans she did have.

Another great thing is going to happen this week. I'm hosting a clothing exchange party at my house this weekend and she is invited. Because I posted about my friend in need, most of my friends who have boys are bringing baby clothes for her little boy. And if she still doesn't have enough for her children, I'm planning a Goodwill trip with her next week and were going to hunt for what she still needs. I will be babysitting for a friend tomorrow and the money I make there will go to help my friend.

I could of just shook my head and thought "Oh I wish I could help but I have no money myself."Then turned around and went home and forgot all about it. Personally I just cannot do this. I cannot turn my head when someone is in need. Its something I was born with and imprinted in my brain. Memories of my mother giving out produce from my grandmothers garden come to mind. We lived in low income apartments where you had to have children to live there so there was always someone who could use the produce. Babysitting for others, giving away our clothes, and just being there for others was how I grew up. So helping is my calling. I will continue to help out as many people as I can and my children will be right there by my side. I will lead by example and my children will learn and lead by example too one day.