when I chenged my focus, God changed my perspective ... here's my story on video.
2008-12-27 12:11:38
heat
tom and jackie, 52, castalian springs tn, US
one of my coworkers that work for me was telling me that his house only has ceiling heat and that his elect. bills are outrageous due to the heaters he has this man is 82 yrs. old and has a wife of 54 yrs. and a daughter that is been ill all her life his wife has cancer and a challenged grandson that all live with him he has a church family and has been a follower of Christ for many years so we went by his house and dropped off baseboard heaters and portable heaters in hope that their bills wont be so high and the next day at work he came to me with tears in his eyes telling me that he prayed for a way to cut down on his bills GOD BLESS EVERYONE
2008-12-27 02:57:23
gas for work
jackie carter, 50, castaliansprings tn, US
i was talking to one of my coworkers and she had been out of work due to illness for about 6 weeks and she needed gas to get back and forth to work so i offered her a tank of gas and she would not accept it so i slipped the money into her backpack and she found it latter that day and called me and said the lord was watching over her. she has been to our church before and pastor lance has helped her also through some hard times in the past. GOD BLESS
2008-12-27 02:37:52
Mackey Student Small Groups Ma
The Mackey's Student Small Gro, 17, Miramar, US
We have a student small group that averages about 30 teens each week and we wanted each of them to understand their potential as young people & the impact they can make with The Gift Revolution. We gave them three opportunities to impact others. They took the challenges & ran - just look at how fast & how far:
1) The first project was to attempt to touch 300 people in under two hours to say "Merry Christmas & we love you". First we hosted a free car wash and handed out candy canes (& Christmas cheer) @ Pembroke Lakes Mall. In under two hours 15 kids washed 20+ cars (no one could believe it was actually free & we spent a lot of time convincing people we didn't want anything from them)& handed out 300 candy canes with Gift Revolution cards and a hearty "Merry Christmas!". Many people were extremely touched that teens wanted only to give them something with nothing expected or accepted in return. The funniest part was our son, Stephen, pulled out a banana costume from Halloween and wore it to attract people to the car wash & bring a little humor and Christmas cheer to a whole lot of people who looked as though they didn't have a lot to be happy about. It really worked - With "Banana Boy" in tow, we were suddenly able to bring laughs and Christmas cheer to far in excess of 300 people - children were approaching asking for pictures with Banana Boy & adults were having a great time laughing and joking with the kids from The Rush! Many wanted to know where we came from & how they could get involved.
2) The second activity we had was a Christmas party @ our home for our small group kids...the catch was that they all agreed to donate money to TGR instead of doing a gift exchange amongst themselves, as we had always done in years past. At the party they made their donations & we discussed their options as to how they could make the most impact with the $ they had available. They texted a vote for their favorite charitable activity. Everyone had a great time and the focus was on giving instead of recieving!
3) Our 3rd activity was to use the funds they donated for TGR and "Just Do It". They had voted to feed the poor - not in our environment (a soup kitchen or church), but in their environment - on the streets of Ft Lauderdale. We purchased 70 cheeseburgers and burritos & several cases of bottled water & hit the streets to find & feed the homeless (with significant adult supervision, of course). It was an amazing experience, with great lessons, for the students of The Rush! They witnessed how homeless people really live, heard stories about where the homeless slept, how they survived & what they needed, but most importantly learned that the smallest act of kindness can mean the world to someone who has little, and that the streets can be a very hard place to live (and even visit). We saw things that were a little hard to see, but the teens appreciated what they had so much more! Everyone we encountered was so appreciative of the food and water, and the fact that we were out there - where they live - to care for them & wish them a "Very Merry Christmas". It was so amazing to see those we touched smile & even laugh with us! As much as the homeless we touched in Ft Lauderdale appreciated the fact that we gave - we learned, and experienced, so much that we all felt as if we had received the gift!
I do believe that our small group of teens learned a lot about themselves & others through TGR, and as much as it was about giving and serving others, it became a great exercise in recognizing and growing from receiving great intangible benefits from people who did not realize they were giving at all! We all believe we make great strides in inspiring others in 25 days!
But wait - we're not done yet....shhhh, it's a surprise. It may be after the 25th of December, but stay tuned for more from the Mackey's small group & The Rush, as we continue to impact our community & the world!
2008-12-27 00:48:56
Feeding the Homeless
Mackey Small Group, 17, cooper city, US
So the Mackeys got the old small group together again and we all brought in a few bucks. We put all the money together and baught cheeseburgers at McDonalds and burritos at Taco Bell and went down to Down Town Ft. Lauderdale. We walked around passing out food and water to the homeless that took it with so much gratitude. We got so many "thank you"s and "god bless" that we lost count. it felt good to do the right thing =)
2008-12-26 23:28:46
Spread the Gift
allyssa llinas, 17, pembroke pines, US
So i walked into McDonalds with a 20 dollar bill. My meal that i purchased was only $3.00 and i told the lady to pay for the rest it can afford. she asked if it was for gift revolution. i didn't even have to tell her. she knew it already and said that 3 people already did it. So after i got my food i sat at the table and watched the shocked faces of the next three people that got their food for free. When the fourth lady showed up there was only enough to pay for part of her meal. She paid for the rest and i saw her leave money. it kept going. i sat and watched 5 different people leave money for the next person in line. all for gift revolution. we can make a difference. =)
2008-12-26 23:23:04
Christmas Eve Free Ride
Nicolas Sheppard, 20, Cooper City, US
It was Christmas Eve and I was coming home on the Turnpike and came to the toll plaza and thought i'd pay the tolls for a few of the cars behind me..Hope it was a nice Christmas surprise for them..
2008-12-26 22:27:40
Peruvian Turkeys!
Dorcas Guschov, 26, Lima, PE
We learned about various families in Lima that did not have the funds to buy turkeys for their Christmas dinners, but TGR came through for all of them, & there were delicious Peruvian turkeys for everyone!
2008-12-26 18:32:00
The Gift of Laughter
Joker And Kidder, 15, North Myrtle Beach, US
You'll have to watch the video to see the gift, it was kind though.
2008-12-26 16:56:07
Time share stay
Nadia Lima , 20, Port saint lucie , US
Me and a few friends were planning on staying at onenof their parents time shares in Orlando. When they picked me up linda handed me a Christmas card from her parents. Inside it said "enjoy your stay as a gift from us!" so we did not have to pay for the room! How thoughtful :)
2008-12-26 14:58:27
The good Lord will provide
anonymous, 44, Gallatin, US
I thought I would write one for my wife, since she doesn't like to take credit for her actions. The week that Pastor Terrell handed out TGR cards, she was at the check out counter at Wal-Mart. She was praying to find someone to help and pass along a card. Standing behind her was a young couple that began discussing what they needed verses what they could afford. After nearly twenty years of marriage, she can still remember the tough days we had in our young marriage. Though we are not in the position of an abundance of wealth, she did turn to them and gave them enough money to provide their needs for the week. They made their needs publicly known, and she was blessed to be there to provide. I wonder, without The Gift Revolution, how many of these stories may have never happened??? We are blessed that Troy was given this vision. I will keep giving even after my cards are gone.
2008-12-26 12:12:12
Crossing Guard
anonymous, 44, Gallatin, US
Now that I have some time to myself, I thought I would write an idea that I had when The Gift Revolution first began. I have always been amazed at how tough this certain crossing guard has been. Through the worst weather, she stands IN THE MIDDLE of the road. Not on the side like I have seen most crossing guards. Day after day, I have always wanted to shout out, "Thank you!" When The Gift Revolution began and before school was out, I sat down and wrote her a "thank you" note, added some money, and handed it to her while passing by. It is amazing how we take for ganted little jobs people do.
2008-12-26 11:57:48
$2000
H&M, 26, South FLorida, US
...we were on the receiving end of the "finish school" story shared previously!!
At the right time, the exact amount , the exact heart ... Whoo Hoo!! they were right ... there wasn't a single dry eye in the room ... This will help my wife finish school this next semester!! Thank you guys ... we have been spreading the revolution all month ... but you topped it off for us like no one else! We love you guys!
Thanks for inspiring the world ...
2008-12-26 10:47:00
$2000
H&M, 26, South FLorida, US
...we were on the receiving end of the "finish school" story shared previously!!
At the right time, the exact amount , the exact heart ... Whoo Hoo!! they were right ... there wasn't a single dry eye in the room ... This will help my wife finish school this next semester!! Thank you guys ... we have been spreading the revolution all month ... but you topped it off for us like no one else! We love you guys!
Thanks for inspiring the world ...
2008-12-26 10:42:59
The week of giving....
Katie Warren, 31, Hollywood, US
You have probably seen my name before on here in the first 2 weeks. But this past week was one that totally got out of control with the giving. I do little things here and there. Smiles, doors,Merry Christmas to strangers. In South Florida that is really stepping out on the limb for most. Weird Huh? Then I was blessed with some great gifts for my kids. Then I participated in a food drop off at an outreach center. I found out through the center before hand that there was a lady that just had twin baby boys so I wanted to do something special for her. I made blue stockings for the babies filled with baby supplies and a huge box of wipes. Christmas Eve I took my 3 kids and went to drop it off to the lady. We were all dressed for church and walked in. The center was so surprised that I had done it. I just wanted to help someone less fortunate. I couldn't even imagine being in this lady's situation with newborn baby TWINS. My kids loved the experience and learned a little lesson on Christmas Eve. I had a little talk with them afterwards to explain her situation. They want to do it more. SO we will. Once a month we will make a donation to the center.
Last but not least. I have been through a pretty crazy last year with my divorce and finances. Single parenting the whole thing. I couldn't afford gifts for the adults in my family so I told them please no gifts and we would just do the kids. Well we did breakfast at my sister's house and the kids did the presents. Then my sister gave me the best gift in the world. I scrapbook and I don't have a camera. I wished for one and even hinted for one for my birthday ( I even had one picked out) in 2 months but I never expected to open that box and find a digital camera for me in PINK. You know the tears that flow when you are given a car or something like that. I couldn't stop crying. I was so happy. It was the best Christmas in the world.
I truly think that if you show so much good with your heart so many people see it from you even when your life is in a big mess. All I can say is give from your HEART. It doesn't have to be big. God finds a way to brighten your days when you don't expect it.
This will probably be my last post so HAPPY NEW YEAR...
Hugs,
Katie
2008-12-26 09:48:49
My True gifts
Edy, 35, Greenbrier, US
I'm a single mom and I have been truely struggling just to make ends meet. My job started cutting back on hours and the bills keep coming. I have been cutting so many corners I feel like all I have left is a very thin straight line.I have been praying to God and putting one foot in front of the other as best I can. When a few weeks ago I was attending church and the time came to write my tithe check. I really didn't have this money to spare, I didn't want to write this check out. Then it became clear to me that I was about to let go of God and grab this money (like it could save me) I was heart-broken to see this about myself. At this point my friend asked if I could stay after church. It seems my study group had put together a care package for me and my son. This included food, x-mas gifts for my son, and money for bills. When I was at my lowest and I finally let go and let God, he showed me what blessings he has been surrounding me with all along. My true gifts, my loving friends at Freedom Church. May God bless each of you in the year to come.
2008-12-26 00:42:53
Christmas Cookies
Nina Grace L., 6, North Bay Village, US
I learned about the Gift Revolution at church and my gift revolution was giving cookies to a man...every year there is one house that decorates for Christmas so well that I ask to go see it every night that I am up at my grandmother's house (she lives in Davie and the house is in Pembroke Pines). We have met the family that does all the decorating many times. They are grandparents themselves and the whole family chips in to get all the work done...plus they sit outside and visit with all the people who come by...they are truly some of the nicest people we have ever met as a family. This is my favorite Christmas place ever! When I heard about the Gift Revolution, my aunt and I decided we would bake & decorate homemade Christmas cookies and take them to the man & his family. When we got there, we saw one of his daughters headed into the house and simply asked her to take the cookies in to her fater for us and wish him a Merry Christmas. Well, as we were walking around the house looking at decorations, he ran out and was looking for "the little girl that made him some cookies" and we told him it was us. He thanked me very much and said he was so happy we did that for him & that he would save a couple to leave out for Santa. It felt so nice to do something for someone who makes Christmas so special for everyone!
2008-12-25 23:49:26
Gas station in WI
EM, 30, Osceola, WI, US
today i stopped to get gas at a local gas station and swipped my card for the next car that pulled up behind me. when the lady came out of the car i told her merry christmas and gave her a TGR card.
2008-12-25 23:33:56
$50 tip
EM, 30, Osceola, WI, US
I had dinner with my family at a local restaurant and left a $50 tip for the waitress. She was great!
2008-12-25 23:31:21
Miami Improv tickets
Ann Somrah, 30, Miami Beach, US
i attached TGR gift cards to miami improv tickets and left them in the atrium of my apartment building. laughter is the best medicine!
