Smiles 179 – 184

Smile 179:

I brought a box full of pumpkins to a local nursing home and donated them to their activity department.  (Is there anything better than making Seniors smile??) 

Smile 180:

Instead of eating my soup for lunch, I gave it to a very hungry and over-worked co-worker.

Smile 181:

I made a connection with a neighbor that I should have made two years ago.  (Why is it so hard to simply knock on a door and say “Hello!”?)  I am looking forward to building this new relationship.  (Thanks, God, for literally opening doors!)

Smile 182:

I spent about 30 minutes visiting with/listening to the produce department man at Whole Foods share his thoughts on eating fresh fruits and vegetables.  He really was quite interesting, and seemed to thoroughly enjoy our conversation.

Smile 183:

I volunteered my time working to raise money that will benefit hundreds of lives in rural villages in Cambodia.  If anyone else is interested in learning more, check out an amazing organization called “Wine To Water.”  (http://winetowater.org/)

Smile 184:

I gave a birthday hug to someone who may very well not have received any others on his special day.  (Living life with “intentionality” sure does open my eyes to needs I may have otherwise completely overlooked…)

Smiles 176 – 178

Smile 176:

I gave a chocolate-starved friend a chocolate bar…She did a little dance (and smiled).  

Smile 177:

I said “thank you” to the woman who was working in the public restroom.  She was trying to clean up the floor from an overflowed toilet, but was also very concerned about warning people of the wet floor.  She had such a disgusting job to do but was doing it with such a great attitude!

Smile 178:

I hugged the cowboy/horse rider man who led our group trail ride.  He seemed surprised and happy to get a hug instead of a handshake. 

Smiles 169 – 175

Alright, so I’ve gotten just a wee bit behind on my blog since summer arrived.  I have still been trying to find at least one person each day to make smile…but I haven’t exactly been keeping track well enough to post them all here.  (Sorry!)  However, here is a brief summary of a few I can remember from the past several weeks.  (Again, sorry!  I will try to do better!!  And, thanks for reading!!! )

Smile 169:

I introduced one amazing woman to two other equally amazing women, then I sat back and watched God at work.  Wow, what a privilege that was!  Many smiles (and a few happy tears) from all that day!

Smile 170:

Shared in a day of fun with some friends to help one friend’s “sad heart” find a bit of “happy.”  I sure do love my friends!

Smile 171:

I helped a good friend prepare for some upcoming, stressful, job-related events.

Smile 172:

I volunteered to be part of a team to make the dream wedding for two beautiful women come true.  (What an honor to be a part of that love-filled day!)

Smile 173:

I paid a surprise visit to two folks whom I love like family.

Smile 174:

I told the lady at the pizza place how incredibly yummy her pizza was.  (I’m pretty sure her recipe included a pinch of love!)

Smile 175:

I hugged my phlebotomist.  (I’m quite certain I’ve never said that before, but after she sang to me for 10 minutes, how could I not??)  Then, I made sure to compliment her professional skill in front of her supervising doctor.

Smiles 167 and 168

Smile 167:

I returned a call to a collection agency (who had thankfully dialed my number by mistake).  When the woman answered the phone, I said, “Good morning!  How are you today?”  There was a pause of silence before the woman said, “Excuse me?”  I replied by saying, “Oh, I was just asking how you are doing today.”  The woman then laughed and said, “Oh, I’m sorry, but I’m just not used to getting nice people on the phone.  Normally everyone we talk to is mad and not very nice!”  Well, I’m glad I was able to start her day off with a smile this time instead. 

Smile 168:

I helped a little boy have a really good day by providing a means for him to interact with the world around him.  Some days my job is just super-cool! 

Smile 166

I danced with a little boy until we both had the giggles.  (This particular little guy has autism and is non-verbal.  It was so wonderful to have those moments of “connection” with him.)

Smiles 164 and 165

Smile 164:

I made sure to tell one of the amazing Paraeducators (aka: Special Ed. Teacher’s Aides) how much respect I have for her and all of the people who do their job on a daily basis during the school year.  I mean, talk about a job that requires patience, a sense of humor and a good attitude, not to mention a strong stomach at times…sheesh!…those folks earn their money (although not nearly enough for the job they do)!

Smile 165:

One little boy in the class was not very keen on working with me.  (He even went so far as to tell me not to sit near him.)  However, by the end of the day, he laughed at a silly joke I made, and even gave me a hug.  Yay!

Smile 163

Sometimes I feel God nudging me to do something, big or small.  Sometimes I “accept” His suggestions and follow Him, and other times (all too often, really) I “decline” His offer.  Well, today, I was thankfully not as stubborn as I sometimes am.  Today, I decided to get out of the way and let God do His thing.  As a result, I had the opportunity to share God’s love in a very simple way – by giving a homeless man a package of new socks.  I can’t fully describe the interaction I had with the man, nor the magnitude of his gratitude.  However, I can tell you that it nearly broke my heart to realize how desperate this man was for something as simple as clean, dry socks.  How much longer would that man have gone without that most basic item of clothing if I hadn’t “listened” to that little nudge?

I have to say thank you to our pastor for his message this morning about reaching out to those around us.  It helped me remember why I started my Smile blog.  I believe the purpose of life is love, period.  Love can come from many different places, can go many different directions, and can be shown in countless numbers of ways.  But, to me, that’s what it’s all about – love.  I want to make others smile, because that gives me a visual/physical confirmation that someone else has felt love.

I believe love comes from God, so who better to “listen” to when I want to share love/smiles than to the One from whom love originates?  I am so glad I was able to get out of God’s way today so that His love could be felt in the heart of a man who was suffering.  I can only imagine how many more hearts would feel that same love if we all (myself included) did that a little more often.

Smiles 160, 161 and 162

My husband and I saw Toad the Wet Sprocket in concert.  As always, they played a great show.  Afterwards, I had the opportunity to meet several of the band members…

Smile 160:

The drummer from Toad was walking towards me behind a crowd of people who were watching another band perform.  (i.e. No one was paying attention to him.)  I approached him, shook his hand, and complimented him on their performance.  He smiled and thanked me, but seemed almost surprised (in a humble way) by my comment.

Smiles 161 and 162:

After the concert, my husband and I went to have dinner at the buffet.  It turned out the entire band had decided to do the same.  At the food bar, I met the bass player and told him how I wished they could have played all night.  He smiled/thanked me and gave me one of those sideways “guy” hugs.  Later, I met the lead singer near the dessert bar.  I shook his hand, told him how much I enjoy listening to their music, and told him that I thought he was “pretty fabulous.” (It’s true, he is.)  As with the drummer, he seemed incredibly humble when he smiled and thanked me for the compliment.

I really like these three smiles because this talented group of musicians has made my heart happy on countless occasions over the past 20 years, and now I finally had the opportunity to return the favor.  (If you’ve never heard Toad’s music, you should check them out; If you have and you like them as we do, get excited because they are putting out a new album next year – yay!  )

Smiles 158 and 159

Smile 158:

I held the door for a lady entering Starbucks.  At first she seemed like she didn’t understand what I was doing, but eventually she walked through and gave me a half-smile and a thanks.  (A half-smile is good enough for me; I’m counting it! )

Smile 159:

I joined my girlfriend with her husband and kiddo for a long walk through the park.  It was a great way for all of us to find smiles!  Good companionship/conversation, plus fresh air/sunshine equals happy hearts.

Smiles 156 and 157

Smile 156:

We invited my cousin and his family over for a 4th of July barbecue.  They are recent Midwest transplants (like many of us here are), so it was a really nice time for all of us to visit, catch up, and enjoy a bit of relaxation.

Smile 157:

My dog and I often have fun playing a game that is a combination of peek-a-boo and chase around a tree.  (I think everyone who’s had a dog knows this game.)  Well, I decided to see if it works with 2-year olds, too…Guess what, it does!   It certainly got lots of smiles from my cousin’s little boy!

Smiles 154 and 155

Smile 154:

I saw a woman who looked very sad standing in the parking lot at the vet’s office.  I asked her if she was okay and, when she said no, I asked her if she wanted a hug.  She smiled sadly and nodded yes.  After we hugged, she explained how her poor little kitten had chewed on some wires and been electrocuted…Very, very sad situation.  I gave the woman another big hug and then, before we left the vet’s office, I gave her two more.  I don’t know the prognosis of the kitten, but I was glad I could offer a bit of comfort to someone during a sad time.

Smile 155:

My husband and I rescued a lost Cockapoo and, after a bit of detective work, were able to return her to her worried family.  When we pulled up to their house with the cute little doggy on my lap, there were five VERY happy and grateful people waiting to receive her with open arms.  After spending about an hour with that little doggy, I can see why, too; She was soooo sweet! 

Smiles 151 – 153

Smile 151:

I was at the grocery store, tired and grumpy.  I went down an aisle, only to discover that someone was blocking my way with their shopping cart.  I sighed a big sigh and opened my mouth to utter an impatient “Excuse me.”  Luckily, before I actually said the words, I looked up.  Standing there on tip-toe, with one hand clutching the shopping cart handle and the other stretching as high as she could, was a tiny and frail older lady.  It was at that moment that I told myself to get over my attitude and, instead of getting impatient with the woman, I kindly asked her if I could be of any help.

This was a perfect reminder for me that it is possible to choose my attitude, but I sometimes have to be willing to look beyond my own “issues” in order to do it.  Thankfully, in this situation, I made the choice not to be an impatient brat, and as a result I made a lady smile.

Smile 152:

I apologized to my mom for being unnecessarily grouchy on the phone.  My grumpiness certainly didn’t make her smile, but my apology did (via text message).  (Needless to say, this is not my ideal scenario for finding a smile.)

Smile 153:

I got up at 7:00AM and knocked on my neighbor’s door to make sure she didn’t sleep through her alarm on her first day of work.

Smiles 144 – 150

Smiles 144 – 147:

On Friday, I went to my doctor’s appointment right after drinking a 16 oz. vanilla latte. (i.e.: I was over-caffeinated and in a pretty silly mood.)  Apparently, that was the key ingredient to making the nurse, doctor, scheduler, and pharmacist all find a smile and laugh at my goofy comments and silly jokes.  I was glad I could add a cheerful ending to their busy week.

Smile 148:

I offered to help a lady in a parking lot carry her teetering mound of boxes and bags to her fundraising table.  She declined the help, but smiled and thanked me for the offer.

Smile 149:

I helped an elderly lady in the store locate the birthday cards she was searching for.

Smile 150:

I made a struggling dad smile by demonstrating kindness to him and his daughter.

Smiles 141, 142, and 143

Smile 141:

I acknowledged the hard work the movers were doing at my school.  (They had spent nearly a full day hauling huge carts of books out of the library.)  They smiled and appreciated the recognition, also admitting it had been a long, hard day.

Smile 142:

I thanked another group of movers for their hard work as they were removing computer monitors from the many offices.  They smiled and agreed they would be sleeping well that evening.

Smile 143:

When my neighbor’s dog shoved his cute, curly head under our fence and barked playfully at my dog’s squeaking toy, I laughed and told him, “No bark.”  My neighbor then laughed and called his doggy out from under the fence.

Smiles 138, 139, and 140

Smile 138:

I shared my bread with a family so their 3 little girls could feed the ducks.  All of us had smiles, but especially the ducks. 

Smile 139:

I made a confused customer service telephone agent smile with relief (it was an audible smile) when I helped her understand the role of an interpreter during a phone call.

Smile 140:

I thanked a government worker for his courtesy and efficiency.  (I sure do wish I could say this more often!)

Smiles 133 – 137

Smile 133:

When a friend was going through a hard time yet still needing to keep herself composed, I didn’t give her a hug and instead read to her with great enthusiasm from a really boring work-related memo.

Smile 134:

My husband and I helped a family with their move.  Only one other [amazing] person was able to help, so we were really glad we could be there.  Even though moving is not typically a “fun” activity, we all shared lots of smiles.

Smile 135:

I joined my cousin for a romp around Pike Place Market.  We both were smiling since this was our first visit in nearly two years.

Smile 136:

My cousin and I made a tourist smile when we had our “reunion” hug directly in front of her as her husband’s camera went click.  I wonder if we’ll make it into their family photo album… 

Smile 137:

I made a street musician smile when I thanked him for playing his clarinet so beautifully.

Smiles 129, 130, 131, and 132

Smile 129:

I made a little girl smile by speaking her language.  Clear, direct communication can be such a beautiful thing, especially to those who don’t experience it often enough in the outside world…

Smile 130:

I made an older man smile by showing a genuine interest in his stories of family, immigration, and of raising his children.

Smile 131:

I made an older woman (who lives in the Seattle area) smile by offering a hug and letting her know I would be thinking of/praying for her lost family members who live in Joplin…Such a devastating tragedy for so many.

Smile 132:

I brought home a Starbuck’s coffee for my hubby.    I love you, baby!

Smiles 125, 126, 127, and 128

Smile 125:

I introduced someone to their very first taste of real frozen yogurt = BIG smiles! 

Smile 126:

I thanked our landlord for the beautiful job he does maintaining our yard.

Smile 127:

I checked on a neighbor when I heard their smoke alarm ringing from across the street.  (Thankfully, it was just a burned breakfast.)

Smile 128:

I made up my brother’s bed with a stuffed giraffe atop the pillows to make him smile when he stayed the night with us…It worked! 

Smiles 121, 122, 123, and 124

Smile 121:

I caught a woman’s eye as we were both heading to our cars in a parking lot and I smiled and wished her a good evening.  She smiled and wished me the same.

Smile 122:

I made the cashier at my local market smile when I declined a bag for my purchase.

Smile 123:

I made a friend smile by offering her a pillow.

Smile 124:

I helped a woman find her voice today.  She both cried and smiled.

Smiles 117, 118, 119 and 120

Smile 117:

I went into the post office to use the automatic stamp machine to weigh a letter.  (I didn’t actually need to buy anything.)  However, when I entered, I saw there were three postal workers behind the counter and no other customers.  I decided to see if one of them wanted to weigh my letter instead.  I told them that I was choosing them over the machine because they all looked very bored.  They all three laughed and were quite happy to have a customer.

Smile 118:

I made the lady who runs my favorite bookstore really happy by getting excited about an upcoming sale.  It made her so happy to be able to tell me about it because she had only moments before finalized the plan, and then my enthusiasm about it made her even happier.  Smiles really are contagious!

Smiles 119/120:

I surprised my husband by doing his grocery shopping the day before he was planning to do it.  I also baked him some really yummy chocolate chip cookies from scratch.   (Look at me being domestic!  )