unbelievable!!!

Where has the time gone??? I didn't realize it has been so long since I had blogged. Well, let me first start off by saying, we have continued our journey, each and everyday; some days are planned out while others are a simple smile at a stranger or holding a door open for someone or calling a long lost friend.

The blogs stopped but the kindness acts didn't stop. I began to feel convicted that in posting on the blog was making the acts about us and not about God. It would be easy to post the "missing" days on the blog as I have been keeping a notebook/journal full of our journey.

Let me say, when the journey began last June it was to teach Cody & Ellie to look for opportunities to become involved to help out where needed. We set out as a family to make a difference in the lives of those around us. Some of the acts we have gone out of our way to do while others have merely been paying for the toll of the vehicle behind us while going on vacation. Those who have been changed by the journey has been us, the Gollihue family. We each are eager to jump in and not sit back when we see an opportunity to make life a little brighter for someone else.

Cody & Ellie amaze me daily with this journey. Ellie has purchased extra food at school to give to other children who don't have the money to buy extras, while Cody has really become concerned about the homeless population in our area. Our acts of kindness, in the beginning, we had to think of things to do, while now it is a natural part of the day. Please don't misunderstand, we have days that we wonder if we missed the opportunity that God placed in front of us or if we got it right that day. We pray daily asking God to direct us in the ways that are pleasing to Him and use us to brighten, uplift and encourage someone who needs it that day. Our God is an awesome God!!! This journey, a journey intended to teach them kindness, has without a doubt been the best journey I have been on with my children.

Who knows where you might see us next??? Paying for a dinner? holding a door for someone? writing a note to a complete stranger in the phone book? who knows? What I do know is that God is large and in charge of this journey.

Kindness is contagious!!! I am a different person because of this journey. Don't just hold on to kindness....give it away. Can you imagine our world if it had more kindness in it?? I think there needs to be a kindness revolution. I know that throughout our journey we have been recipients of many acts of kindness performed on us. There is nothing special about us....this is all God. This is something we felt we needed to do to teach our children life is filled with all kinds of people and many different chances to make a difference...to simply be kind to someone else. I always thought that Cody & Ellie were kind but now....man oh man they simply are making my heart smile more and more everyday about the choices they are making to make their life count for God....to make a difference by loving their neighbor just like God commands us to do.

Be kind one to another....it really is just that simple.

Where will we be next?? Stay tuned. Until next time.

Love you to the moon & back!!

Annie, Cody, & Miss Ellie