{"id":1793,"date":"2011-08-04T12:01:21","date_gmt":"2011-08-04T16:01:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=1793"},"modified":"2011-07-13T12:49:46","modified_gmt":"2011-07-13T16:49:46","slug":"random-acts-of-kindness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2011\/08\/random-acts-of-kindness.html","title":{"rendered":"Random Acts of Kindness"},"content":{"rendered":"

I\u2019m happy to have Lorraine Niemeyer, who writes the blog Inspiration Awaits You<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0 as my guest today. I love sharing the blessing of giving back to others. Lorraines true story brought me to tears and I asked if I could share it with you. She shows how a small act of kindness can bless more than just you!<\/p>\n

Pay It Froward<\/strong>
\n By Lorraine Niemeyer<\/strong><\/p>\n

One day after work, I asked my husband to pull into a local store so I could buy some cards and some gifts for our nieces. I got into line to check out behind a man dressed in a suit. I didn’t pay much attention but then the woman in front of him started asking directions and he politely gave her all the directions. What caught my attention is that twice he said either God bless you or you have a blessed day. As a Christian, I thought – how refreshing to hear. It was now his turn to check out and he just had a gift bag and a card and tissue and some other small things, buying to wrap someone a gift. But, it seemed he didn’t have much cash on him.<\/p>\n

So he told the cashier to check him out and he’d pay cash for part and part on a credit card. When she checked him out he was a little less than a dollar short and started to scan his credit card. “Stop” I said, “Don’t scan your credit card for that dollar” and so I handed the cashier a dollar. He looked over at me and I said “no, it’s nothing – I’m just trying to get out of debt and I hate to see anyone using a card for anything.” He thanked me and “blessed” me too.<\/p>\n

The cashier was surprised. I’m not sure if she was surprised because I did that or because she didn’t expect me to help him or if it was because he was in a very nice suit and I was there in jeans and a t-shirt – I’m not sure, but when she gave the little change back from my dollar, she held my hand and told me that that was so unexpected of me and told me that I would be truly blessed for the act I just did. I just smiled and said “well I hope so -I could use some blessings!”<\/p>\n

So just then she told me my total which was around $6.00. As I reached in my wallet to pay her, a young man behind me said – “Wait! How much was her total?” The cashier told him and he reached in his wallet to pay for mine! I said, “No, you don’t need to do that – – mine is much more than what I just dished out to help him.” He said no he wanted to pay for mine for what he had just witnessed.<\/p>\n

And here all along, I was feeling good by helping someone, but then when he did that, well; it was so unexpected and took me so by surprise. With tears in my eyes, I gave him a hug. I always try to do little things that I can, but have never had anyone do anything like that for me. I was speechless. As I walked to my car just amazed at God’s love that had just been shown, I wondered what the cashier must be thinking of what she just witnessed in front of her. I cried when I told my husband because I just felt right there, right then, in a world where there is so much going bad, I witnessed God’s love.<\/p>\n

I went home that night and blogged about it and challenged anyone reading it to do the same. To do something small for someone else and see the difference it makes in your life as well as theirs. Of course my blog only has a couple of followers, but I had to get this story out! That young gentleman does not know how much he touched my heart by following my example. I’ll never forget it. So, why not do something? Pay a toll for the car behind you, offer to pay for someone’s item they are checking out, hand a water to someone working on the road, pay for someone’s lunch – – it doesn’t take much to show the love of God.
\n***************************<\/p>\n

I have done things like that and it feels good! Look for a way to show someone a random act of kindness. It truly does come back to you! Please post anything that you do so others can read about it! Helping others helps say, “I love me!”
\n*********************<\/p>\n

Take the self-love challenge<\/strong><\/a> and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways<\/a><\/strong> for free at http:\/\/howdoiloveme.com<\/a>. And you can post your loving acts HERE<\/a><\/strong> to reinforce your intention to love yourself. Read my 31 Days of Self-Love Posts HERE<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Please leave comments under my posts so we can stay connected.<\/p>\n

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I\u2019m happy to have Lorraine Niemeyer, who writes the blog Inspiration Awaits You,\u00a0 as my guest today. I love sharing the blessing of giving back to others. Lorraines true story brought me to tears and I asked if I could share it with you. 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Daylle's books have been translated into over 10 languages and are popular around the world. She speaks for colleges, organizations and corporations. Through her company, Project Self-Empowerment, Daylle creates programs and materials to help people empower themselves. One goal is to raise the money to self-publish her book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways and give it away for free in colleges and through organizations, to give thanks for all her blessings. 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