Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome

Home
Progressive Christian
The #AmericaIsKind Challenge: Day 22

The #AmericaIsKind Challenge: Day 22

Last updated on: November 22, 2016 at 12:53 pm by Reba Riley

The #AmericaIsKind Challenge: Day 22 2016-11-22T12:53:47-04:00 Reba Riley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The purpose of the #AmericaIsKind Challenge is simple: To remind us all that America is GREAT when Americans are KIND. After a devisive election, our country has never needed kindness more than we do right now.

Take the #AmericaIsKind Challenge today! Here’s How:

– On social media**, SHARE an** ACT OF KINDNESS someone has done for you, or an act of kindness you have witnessed, with #AmericaIsKind

–PAY IT FORWARD by doing a random act of kindness for a stranger

–TAG 3-5 friends to take the #AmericaIsKind Challenge

AND/OR

–Take the full 30-day #AmericaIsKind Challenge, where we are turning our #GratefulToGood– observing daily gratitude and turning it into acts of kindess every day for a month. You can find the daily gratitudes, acts of goods, and highlighted charities HERE. You can jump in or out any day…whenever you find the challenge is the perfect time to begin.

Today is Day 22 of the 30-Day #AmericaIsKind Challenge:

Our theme today is LAUGHTER, and our Charity of the Day is: DonorsChoose.org, an incredible charity that matches donors directly with classroom projects.

“Founded in 2000 by a high school teacher in the Bronx, DonorsChoose.org empowers public school teachers from across the country to request much-needed materials and experiences for their students. Right now there are thousands of classroom requests that you can help bring to life with a gift of any amount…Support a classroom. Build a future.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxWPM2LMJ6I

Gratitude: “I am grateful for the laughter and joy of children.”

Even if you don’t have children in your life on a daily basis, you will likely hear the laughter of children over Thanksgiving weekend as extended family gathers to celebrate the holiday. Children’s laughter is so carefree and enthusiastic that it can’t help but make adults smile. The laughter of children reminds us to observe and enjoy the little things in life.

Good: Bring a book. Purchase or check out a book guaranteed to make the kids laugh at Thanksgiving. (My personal favorite is The Book With No Pictures by B.J. Novak). Check out this list of legitimately funny books for kids for a jumpstart.

Good: Teach a joke. Kids love to hear a joke they understand and learn to repeat it–even if they get it wrong half the time!. Here are 20 silly jokes for kids to get you going.

Good: Play telephone. Make a trip to the kids table and start a game of telephone. How to play telephone—just in case you forgot.

Good: Stage a silly face contest. A silly face contest is simple: players stand in a circle with one player chosen as the “judge”. On the count of 3, everyone makes a funny face, and the judge picks a winner. The winner is the judge for the next round. The more adults that play the better, because kids think it is absolutely hilarious to watch adults be silly. (And couldn’t adults all use a little–or a lot— more silly in our lives?)

Good: Support DonorsChoose.org, the charity making students happy all over the U.S. by providing educational supplies for their classrooms. You can even search for projects by keyword! I searched “humor” and came up with several projects. My favorite was “Science and History Meets HUMOR!” which only needs $179 to complete the project.

Need more kindness & gratitude ideas? We have them. Find the other days of The #AmericaIsKind Challenge HERE.

During the year I explored 30 religions, I found KINDNESS and GRATITUDE present in every faith. In spite of our many differences, these qualities unite us.

Later, through a yearlong battle with clinical depression, I discovered that practicing KINDNESS and GRATITUDE are two of the scientifically-proven ways to defeat depression and increase happiness.

Coincidence? I don’t think so!

I came up with the #AmericaIsKind Challenge as a way to inspire the practice of kindness and gratitude, unite Americans with the things we have in common, help others who may be struggling with depression, and to remind us all America is kind because Americans are kind.

Together let’s make positivity, gratitude and kindness go viral with #AmericaIsKind!

For daily inspiration & ideas, follow Reba Riley*,** author of Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome: One Woman’s Desperate, Funny, Healing Journey To Explore 30 Religions By Her 30th Birthday on:*

Facebook Instagram Twitter

Interfath; Reba Riley; Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome; PTCS

post-traumatic church syndrome

Previous Post

November 21, 2016

The #AmericaIsKind Challenge: Day 21

Next Post

November 23, 2016 The #AmericaIsKind Challenge: Day 23

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #FridayReads Excerpts America Is Kind Couraging Depression/Healing Grateful to Good Kindness Podcast Post-Traumatic Church Syndrome Uncategorized

Select a Month May 2017 April 2017 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 September 2015 August 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz