8 Good Deeds: Simple Ways to be a Good Samaritan

Feel a calling to do a good deed, or just like to make people happy? It is a good time of year to help others. Consider this list of things to do.

Visit an assisted living home

One year, I took cookies to an assisted living home with my children. The residents loved the kids and enjoyed the cookies. If you take cookies, remember a lot of people can't have much sugar, so try buying a few sugar free, or search " sugar free cookie recipe" and make one batch of sugar free cookies to take along too. The people you visit will appreciate your thoughtfulness. Always remember that older citizens have a lot of wisdom to offer, if only we would take the time to listen to them. Try offering to visit once a week, or once a month to read or play a card game or something.

Offer to help a busy mother ( someone you know )

Volunteer bringing her family a meal once a month or even just once. Offer to take her children to the park for her. How about watching her children in her home for her while she takes a nap/bubble bath/ or does some Christmas shopping? There are many ways to bless a busy mom.

Teach a child how to read

Teaching a child to read is a life long gift for a child and you. There is a wonderful sense of accomplishment that goes with teaching a child how to read, and the child will remember it forever.

Participate in Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child is a program designed to introduce the love of Christ to children with very little in other parts of the world. These children would not get Christmas without people like me and you participating in this wonderful program. Nor would they know what Christmas is all about. Find out more about Operation Christmas Child @ http://www.samaritanspurse.org/OCC.asp?MPGID=1

Offer to shovel a sidewalk for someone ( without asking for payment )

Or clean snow off a car. Imagine your driving through town after a decent snow. You see a person shoveling their way out of their house, then you look at the car they are trying to get to and you see it has been snow plowed, leaving it covered with 3 ft of snow on the road side. How about helping that person out? How grateful would you be if someone did that for you?