HEY SISTA! OVER THERE ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE PLANET... Yep, YOU, the gorgeous, creative, generous, funny, wise and WISE ASS one making faces at me right now.

ahem. Hey Dee! Happy Birthday! Hope it ain't facocta! LOL!

Seriously, hope your birthday astonishes you with its fun and joy and goofiness and total lack of extra work! Cherish yourself. Bounce around, enjoy a beach walk, some time getting hugs and some time alone. You're the BEST! Love you always and every day.

I meant to post these a couple of weeks ago. I had icicles hanging from my kitchen window, including one partially inside. The sunset that night was very pretty, and I liked the prism effect through the icicles! I also had little "stained glass" holiday bulbs stuck to the windows so it was a neat visual moment all around.





 This is the inside icicle. I tried to make a decent composition out of it, but I'm not good enough at this photography thing yet...

Second Grader Organizes Mass Homeless Shelter Donation

7-year-old Jonathon Slack cried when he saw a homeless woman, then he decided to help

By ANDREW GREINER and NATALIE MARTINEZ

Updated 4:36 PM CST, Wed, Dec 30, 2009

He may be a little guy, but he helps homeless folks in a big way.

After seeing a homeless woman during a holiday trip to Chicago, Jonathon Slack, a seven-year-old boy from Orland Park, led a 10-day donation drive, collecting over four truckloads of food and toys for a Chicago shelter.

Jonathon was moved to tears when he saw the homeless woman standing outide of Macy's on State Street, holding a sign that said she and her son had no place to live. After he finished crying, he was moved to action. 

"At home that night after I read to him and getting him ready to be tucked in, he started crying," said Heather Slack, his mother.
 

He told his mom, "That lady had no shelter, mom."

"He wanted us to drive back to the city so that he could give the lady the $6 he had in his pocket," Heather said. 



The Slacks weren’t sure that was a good idea, but they encouraged Jonathon to think of other ways to help. He thought of plenty. 



He was going to paint smiley faces on rocks and sell them. He was going to ask president Obama to take money from rich people and give it to poor people. 



His mother suggested starting a donation. 



So Jonathon wrote a letter asking his community to pitch in. He dropped off photocopies all around his neighborhood. 



The response was tremendous. The youngster managed to collect over four truckloads of food and toys, which he then sent to the Su Casa Catholic Worker homeless shelter in Chicago.

"We got started late and people only had 10 days to get their donations together," Heather said. "They ended up donating about four and a half trucks worth of stuff. We ended up filling their whole elevator with food."

Jessi Gauger-Kiraly, the volunteer coordinator at the Su Casa Catholic Worker House remembers the day well. 

"It was really exciting because we had a lot people moving donations in and out of the house," Gauger-Kiraly said. "It’d be nice if people did this all year round." 



"I don't know where it came from," Heather Slack said of her son's selfless drive.  "Last year we tried to get him to realize there were people less fortunate, and it wasn't working, and this year I'd like to think that it was Divine Intervention."

 

First Published: Dec 29, 2009 2:32 PM CST
 

dahliablue  !!!!!

MAY THE NEXT YEAR BRING YOU ALL YOU WISH FOR, PLUS A FEW SURPRISES. BE FILLED WITH JOY AND LOVE, BE CONFIDENT THAT YOUR STRENGTH AND BEAUTY WILL SHINE THROUGH EVERY ENDEAVOUR AND LAUGH WHENEVER YOU CAN (AND EVEN WHEN YOU THINK YOU CAN'T).</span></strong></span>

Just a few of the good deed stories I've come across, in addition to all the Toy Drives, card drives, soup kitchens, etc. There are more stories everywhere. Small acts of kindness add up. Feel free to add stories you find in your area, or your own.

Secret Santas help cancer patients
http://feeds.nydailynews.com/~r/nydnrss/ny_local/~3/sVdpe3yNRjs/2009-12-25_kindness_of_strangers_secret_dream_team_helps_fulfill_christmas_wish_of_cancer_p.html

Church, trying to help homeless, about to sell Tiffany window, receives donations instead
http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/christmas-miracle-church-s-window-saved-17286102

Veterans pack packages for troops serving overseas
http://www.northjersey.com/community/80101067.html

Students at school for disabled gather food donations
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/12/24/2009-12-24_bighearted_students_fight_against_hunger.html

Mass for Differently Abled
http://calendar.northjersey.com/venue.aspx?venue_id=53332

( I've told this story before, but it bears repeating )Acts of kindness spread.

Spread some kindness, keep the spirit of giving alive today and every day.

It's Christmas Eve. Know what I have to do today? NOTHING! YAY! I finally have an honest to gods day off. No list, no chores or errands, no volunteering, no visitors, no responsibility. Sunny weather and a warm home. Food in the fridge, clean clothes in the drawers. I am going to cook and read and watch movies and look at my tree and rest my feet and legs and... WHEW! I'll probably annoy neighbours by singing loudly too. I am enjoying the bejeezus out of the holiday music I bought! Singing at the top of my lungs will make the dish washing (which cannot be avoided with all the cooking I will be doing for myself) a lot less painful. At least to me. I may cause pain in someone else's ear, btu I don't care! LOL!

So anyway, MERRY HAPPY EVERYONE! Have a day filled with love, laughter, good food, better company (including yourself) and at least one food fight, that someone else will clean up! :)

Well, it's Christmas at last, and from the sound of you all on Twitter your cards are sent, and your presents wrapped. It's been great hearing all your cries of delight recently, as your poor postmen and women have struggled with packages through the snowy weather!( More )