A Not So Secret Mission

I LOVE a good secret mission. I started regularly doing them about a year ago. You can read more about some here and here and here and here.

So I'm embarking on my biggest ever not so secret mission!

I want to send you some snail mail!

Head over to Brave Teachers to get some love!

I can't wait to see how much love and courage and strength goes flying out from here! It's my special Valentine celebration.

How are you celebrating life and love these days?

Christmas Day Secret Mission

Part of my ploy this year is to embark on secret missions--where I'm doing things that are just thoughtful for other people or I would like to have done for me.

I got a great idea from brandy. As soon as I read her post I knew I wanted to do this with my son. Our secret mission was to make snack bags for people we knew would have to work on Christmas. We just took brown lunch bags and filled them with snacks--microwave popcorn, bottles of water, granola bars, hot cocoa, and a variety of other goodies. We filled bags around our dining room. Some bags even got stickers.

On Christmas morning we left early for church. We went to 2 fire stations, the police station, and a variety of gas stations and convenience stores that were open. It was a real moment of humanity--what I think Christmas is really all about. It was also more of the Christmas that I want Sam to know than the toy pit that is overtaking our living room today. He was also delighted to get to sit in the purple fire engine. Yep, I said purple! I hope to download a photo from my husband's phone--super cute! I loved that when we got in the care he said, "OK, let's give away more treat bags."

It might have been the best part of Christmas for me. What was your best part of Christmas?

Are you working on your word for 2012? I'm still not there, but I'm working on it!

Secret Mission Revealed

If you read this blog regularly or visit BraveTeachers.com, then you probably know I'm way into offering all sorts of little encouragement to other teachers. This year I decided to actually make it tangible for some of the teachers with whom I work. And we had conferences the last couple days--on Thursday evening after teaching and on Friday morning instead of teaching.

If you're a teacher you know it's just stressful. It just is. So. . .

I decided to make little bitty gratitude bags! They were sort of like goody bags, but without much loot. It was the thought that had to count! I sent them to all 3 elementary schools in my district--about 75 bags. My husband and son were couriers of kindness to the other buildings. Each one had a little note that said, "Thank you for the amazing work you do!" (Words I think teachers should hear every day of their life, but often don't hear for weeks or months or even years.)

The bags also contained 2 little nuggets with a word (like brave or hope or faith or joy) or a heart drawn on them, an enchanted affirmation, 2 pieces of dark chocolate, 2 mint lifesavers, a Tazo Passion teabag, 2 little bits of steamer, and some metallic star confetti. It was just fun!

The verdict is still out on whether teachers felt appreciated and valued, but I sure had fun! I'm already starting to think about my next secret mission. What will it be . . .

Have you ever gone on a secret mission?

I'm On A Secret Mission

I love secret missions! Sometimes they save my sanity. I'm a big believer in doing something for other people when I'm struggling myself.

I started thinking about the mission a few weeks ago. I did most of the preparation over last weekend--mostly at a coffee shop in Friday evening. I'm finishing up the prep work tonight. Tomorrow my secret mission will be in full swing--thanks to my little family who will be couriers!

The picture above is a little hint. More will be revealed in the next couple days!

Have you ever done a secret mission?

Secret Mission Revealed

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

So I told you I was going on a secret mission. My secret mission was a card drop. I left little turquoise cards anywhere and everywhere I went. They had little inspiring quotes and affirmations on them.

While this was a great experience that was full of simple surprises and unexpected turns, the most surprising part was what it did for me. I was so ENERGIZED--especially on a creative level. I had good strong clear ideas spilling out of me and into my spiral notebook all day long. It will take me several weeks to just enact the ideas I had.

I continue to be amazed and surprised by how giving to others affects me. I wrote about it here a few months ago. My secret mission once again reinforced this crazy concept that when we giving we receive so much in return. I'm already thinking about my next secret mission!

How does giving affect you?