Saturday, August 6, 2011

Right Now

"Before you go to bed, write down three 'gratefuls' for the day and three 'did wells.'  They can even include something as simple as doing the laundry.  The results can be amazing!"  -Carol Burnett

Will you share some of your "gratefuls" and "did wells" with us?

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Winners!

Congratulations to those who played the game and won the prizes!

The first few winners were announced this morning at our Facebook page.  Be sure to "Like" the page and to scroll down to see if you are one of the winners announced so far.  As soon as the first few people have claimed their prizes, or seven days have passed without them claiming their prizes, some more winners will be chosen.

Thank you for participating, and please continue to fill our inbox with those random (and not-so-random) acts of kindness!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

WHAT is going on?

There are so many different events happening to benefit such a wide array of causes, and we would like to help spread the word about some of them.  In order to do that, we need to find out about them.  Can you help?

Do you know of a fundraiser or benefit or something of the like happening for a non-profit group?  Please send us the details, the web site, whatever information will help us to spread the word so that others can find out about these events and participate where their hearts lead them.

Oh, and there is that bonus of the possibility of winning a prize in the GAME.  Happy RAKing!

Friday, July 22, 2011

A Pause

Listening to this lovely, soothing song seems like a great way to set your mind for the weekend.  Enjoy!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Got Cards?

Lake Norman RAKs has business cards that you can grab.  What, you may wonder, would you do with Lake Norman RAKs business cards?  We will tell you!

1.  Pass them out to friends and encourage people to check out the web site and participate.
2.  When you perform a random act of kindness for a stranger, leave them a card.  This will help spread the word about Lake Norman RAKs and hopefully inspire them to pay-it-forward.
3.  What other positive things could you do with Lake Norman RAKs business cards?

Send us an email if you would like some cards.  We can mail them to you or meet you out and about somewhere to give them to you.  Until then...happy RAKing!


Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Evening Farmers Market

Boy and I took a drive to Statesville last Thursday evening to check out The Evening Farmers Market at Pecan Park, and it was wonderful.  An old-time feel of local people sharing their goods, home grown, handmade, and the like.  Friendly people.  Fresh produce.  Beautiful flower bouquets.  Homemade foods.  Benches to sit.  New folks to meet.  Oh, and as busy as it seemed to be, we had no trouble parking.

We bought an interesting-looking tomato from a gentleman toward the back wearing a hat like the one that my dad wears when he is working outside.  He told me his name, and I am sorry to say that I do not remember it.  I should have written it down.  When Boy and I returned home and gave the tomato to Grandpoppie, he said that it looked like the back of a dog with his tail between his legs.  Hehe.  You may have to cock your head to the left to see it.

Another gentleman at the farmers market was selling bags of apples and peaches out of the back of a white pickup truck.  I asked him if we could get one apple.  "Big or small?"  After I answered, he gave me a small apple for Boy and advised me to wipe it off.  When I thinked him and tried to pay him, the man all but shooed me away and went to help someone else.  Hehe.  Thank you, Kind Stranger, for sharing your fruit with my child.

We also got to me the gal behind The Jennuine Article, which was a treat since we had communicated a bunch online already.  If you are a person who prefers to give personal, unique, hand-crafted cards, then you should to a trip to Jennifer's online shop.  Oh, and anyone who knows me knows that I like vintage, so you will not be surprised to see that some of Jennifer's cards have a fun, vintage feel to them.  (Those shoes are adoreable!)  I also found her page on Facebook, so feel free to head over there and "Like" it and let her know that you found her cards at Lake Norman RAKs.

Now that you know a bit about The Evening Farmers Market, you can stop by on Thursday between 4:00 and 6:00 PM to enjoy it for yourself.  Remember to bring cash because you will probably want to treat yourself to some goodies!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

No Money

As you know, we encourage you to do random acts of kindness for others.  Today our challenge to you is do do a random act of kindness that does not cost any money.  To help your creative juices, we are sharing a few ideas here.  Oh, and remember that when you comment on this post, it will help you with the Game!

1.  Send someone a hand-written note.
2.  Stop by and take a few moments that thank your local police or firemen.
3.  Pick up litter.
4.  Call or visit someone who is sick.
5.  Compliment a store employee to their boss.
6.  Smile at someone who looks like they need it.
7.  Help someone with yard work.
8.  Donate clothes that you no longer wear.
9.  Leave inspirational stick-notes in public bathrooms.
10.  Forgive someone.
11.  Teach a child about giving.
12.  Ask someone something about themselves and listen.
13.  Open a door for someone.
14.  Volunteer to read at a nursing home.
15.  Help an elderly person with their pets.
16.  Have a date with your child and do what they want.
17.  Let someone else have that good parking spot.

Lastly, please remember to email LKNRAKs@gmail.com to tell us what you did  and include your city and first name only.  Thank you, and happy RAKing!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Are you in?

We have a big game going on now with neat prizes as well as a mini-contest.  Are you participating in them?  Since Lake Norman RAKs is still in its infant stage, you have a good chance of winning either one!
THE BIG GAME.  You could win from a variety of gorgeous, practical and unique gifts.  Check out the game page by clicking here, and be sure to start sending us your submissions right away.

FREE MOVIE TICKETS.  Click here for details on how you might possibly win a pair of movie tickets to an area theatre simply by referring your friends to Lake Norman RAKs.

We cannot do it without you, and we hope that these activities will make helping Lake Norman RAKs grow...even more fun for YOU.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Do you see it?

Your mission for today -- should you choose to accept it -- it to SEE acts of kindness.

It is the weekend.  Chances are that many of you will be out and about.  Instead of being harried and rushing all over the place, take some moments to notice the world around you.  What is going on?  Who is doing what?  People do little things for one another frequently.  Make an effort to notice these kind deeds, and then email us to let us know what you witnessed.  Please remember to include your first name and city.

We will post these random acts of kindness that you have witnessed on the web site, and hopefully other people will be inspired to be more aware of the good things that are happening around them...thanks to you and your helpful submissions!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Let the Games Begin!

Okay, officially the game began a few days ago, but we want to make sure that we let everybody know in every way that we can.  Therefore, we cannot neglect the blog.  Hehe...so head over to the game page and start participating!

Do you remember when we said to pay attention because you never know when we might decide to add something extra?  We are doing that now.  Are you ready?  Here it is.

In order to build up participation, we need to build up readership.  To do that, we need YOUR help.  Refer an area friend who follows this blog via Google Friend Connect or via NetworkedBlogs or both!  Anybody can do this by scrolling down on the right side of this page.  After your friends follow us, they should comment on this post to let us know that you referred them.  Easy-peasy!

The person with the most referrals will win TWO MOVIE TICKETS to an area theatre.  A movie seems like a fantastic (air conditioned) activity for this time of year, eh?

Monday, July 4, 2011

This Weekend?


Did you perform a random act of kindness for anyone this past weekend?  Did anybody perform a random act of kindness for you?  We would love to hear about it!  Please send us a note telling us what it was along with your first name and city, and we will share it on the web site.  You can comment here or email LKNRAKs@gmail.com.  Thank you so much, and we look forward hearing from you soon!

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Be Determined, Be Specific

Today our encouragement for you is to plan to do a random act of kindness during your daily activities, and then do it.

Are you going shopping?  Maybe you can help an elderly person carry their bags to their car.  Maybe you can help a harried mom unload her cart.  Maybe you can bring carts from the parking lot back to the store and save some work for the employees.  Maybe you can tell a store employee how much you appreciate them doing their job so that you are able to shop at that store.

Are you taking a child to an activity?  Maybe you can take aside the person who planned it and let them know how grateful you are for their efforts to provide your child with the entertainment or learning.

Are you going to be at home?  Maybe you can pick up the telephone and contact someone with the sole purpose of saying something kind to them.  Maybe you can put aside the chores and focus on something that will make someone else in your home happy.  Maybe you can bake cookies for your neighbor.  Maybe you can spend some quality time loving a pet.

Something else?  Today we would like to see your comments, so post something and tell us what random act of kindness you plan to do...and then do it.

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Appreciate a Child

A random act of kindness does not have to be big.

Today we encourage you to appreciate a child.  It can be yours or someone else's.  Take just ten seconds out of your day to look a child directly in the eye and tell them that you appreciate them and why.  You will make them feel good, and your heart might just smile when you see how good you make them feel about themselves.

Then comment and tell us about it.

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Will you help? Yes, YOU.

LakeNormanRAKs.com is going to be one month old in just over a week, and we are ready to start working a bit more aggressively to get the word out there about this web site and movement.  Will you please take a few minutes right now to email LKNRAKs@gmail.com with some things that we might share on the web site so that others may see and possibly get ideas or be encouraged themselves?  

NEWSWORTHY:  Do you know of a Good News story that is worth sharing?  Tell us!

DEAR PEERS:  Do you have a question -- or an answer -- for others?  Tell us!

EVENTS:  Do you know of a local event being done for good or our of kindness?  Tell us!

PRAYERS:  Do you have a praise that you would like to share?  Tell us!

There is more for you to see at LakeNormanRAKs.com, so check it out now, and please email us some content to help get this concept growing!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Is it Good?

Our blog is an infant, only a week and an half old.  We know that it will take time to grow a following, and while that time is passing, we will continue to post and hope that people like you will read it and start commenting.  Feel free to go back and comment on previous posts, too.

Today, we would be grateful to hear about the things for which you are grateful.  Please share with us something for which you praise God this morning, and let us know from what town you are posting.  How wonderful would it be to see this page grow?

Your friends at LakeNormanRAKs.com

Thursday, June 9, 2011

A Good News Story

Do you know of a local story that is good news, that brings a smile to your face, that you are excited to share with others?  We would love to post it on LakeNormanRAKs.com, so please comment with the details here or email us at LKNRAKs@gmail.com.

The more you feed us content and spread the word to your friends, the more Lake Norman RAKs will go, so we appreciate you as we get this baby web site off of the ground!

Sunday, June 5, 2011

What did you do?

It is great that people are reading this new web site.  Now all we need is for people to start getting involved.  If you are in the Lake Norman or surrounding areas, we invite you to "Like" Lake Norman RAKs on Facebook, follow this blog on the right, do whatever you need to do to remind you to check in each day!

NEXT...we have a challenge for you.  Today we challenge you to DO a random act of kindness for someone else.  It does not matter how big or how small it is.  Hold the door for someone who has their hands full.  Pay for the person behind you at the drive-through.  Ask someone how they are and really listen.  If you see someone at the supermarket buying something for which you have a coupon, give it to them.

A random act of kindness can be anything that does good for another, puts a smile on their face, or even gives them a sense of relief.  While you may perform RAKs as a norm, not everyone does, so please make it a point to DO RAKs TODAY and the comment on this blog to say what you did.  This can give others ideas of ways that they can do something kind for someone else.

Oh, and if would be fun if you would add in what town you were when you did the random act of kindness!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Hello!

What a simple way to launch this friendly endeavor.  Hello!  Be sure to post a quick hello here, and check out www.LakeNormanRAKs.com to see where this goes....