Let Your Light Shine

On the Friday before Mardi Gras break, I received an e-mail from St. Paul's explaining a new school-wide campaign..."Let Your Light Shine."  It is based on Ann Curry's campaign to complete 26 acts of kindness...one for each victim of the Sandy Hook shootings.  It is also based on scripture.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16

(An aside, but I found it interesting that this scripture is part of the Taize worship service.  Philip, Daniel, and I have attended this service at All Saints each Wednesday night during Lent.  It was such a wonderful reminder.)

This e-mail is one of those that makes writing the tuition check just a little bit easier.  I thought it a great idea and decided the boys and I would participate.  I had a few ideas of things we could do and asked them for their help too.  Off we went to do good.  I didn't count, so I'm not exactly sure we made it to 26, but I'm guessing that isn't the point.

Some things we did at home...William making his bed by himself without being asked...Philip cleaning his room simply because he saw me vaccuming and knew I needed the floor picked up...Daniel giving William his balloon when William's floated away...and probably more that I can not remember.  Kindness has to begin at home!!

We did a lot of cleaning out...coats, clothes, toys...and donated those to others.

We did lots of baking...Valentine's cookies for the nurses/aids at Big Mama's nursing home...lemon muffins for the staff at All Saints...cookies for Susan and Rob and GranGran and PopPop.

To All Saints, Daniel wrote: Thank you for sharing your church.

We helped others...taking GranGran to the doctor and even babysitting Campbell for a little bit so Aunt Susan could take a shower in peace!

We delivered doughnuts to the construction workers at Trinity...after having a few ourselves!

Such a wonderful idea.  I wondered if it made any impact on the boys...until I got this e-mail from Daniel's teacher this morning.  Part read:

Daniel told me about taking doughnuts and muffins yesterday.  He wants to share about the experience tomorrow for Shared Journal.  It obviously made an impact...

I hope so!