ARK

Dear LAYNE, what do I do when everything in life feels like a boring routine?

Luke 6:38 "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

       Here lately, I have been feeling sort of suffocated on my campus. What I mean is, I have been feeling like my campus is super small with nothing to do and nowhere to really go. I have been getting bored and even a bit irritated and grumpy because of lack of entertainment. I just don't like routines and ruts. I never have. But this particular time, my boredom has had me thinking about what kinds of things I could be doing to fill my time of sitting around after all my homework is done.

       I could definitely watch movies because Netflix is readily available. I could watch all my favorite TV shows: How I Met Your Mother, Heroes, Once Upon a Time, etc. I could color pictures of huge butterflies or lady bugs, I could do word-searches, I could work some Sudoku puzzles or even put real puzzles together. I could go for walks, I could write some songs, poetry, or stories. I could attempt to draw a self-portrait or a picture of my boyfriend. I could play Solitaire or any other games including that of video games with my boyfriend and friends. I could do SO MUCH, even if it requires me to deal with being in an enclosed place. OR... I could do ARK. That's right. There's no typo. ARK: Acts of Random Kindness.

       I remember when I was on my drama team called 4FR, we talked a whole lot about Acts of Random Kindness. They are literally exactly what they sound like. Little things that we can do for those around us out of the kindness of our hearts. This can include, but is not limited to: holding the door open for people, offering to put groceries into a person's car such as a mother who is trying to get her baby in the car by herself, offering to help tutor someone in one of his or her classes, washing someone's car, walking someone's dog(s) for them, babysitting some children so that the parent(s) can get stuff done or go out for some much needed relaxation time, painting someone's house (or better yet helping to build someone a home like Habitats for Humanity), making or buying food for the homeless and the hungry. There is SO much that needs to be done or can be done to make a difference in the world and make it brighter. Too many times, we sit around and get bent all out of shape because we are bored or want to go somewhere and can't. However, there are so many problems that are ten times bigger than that, and we can be the solutions to those problems through ARK! 

       The amazing part is: even if we do not do ARK for attention or to get anything in return, the ARK do not go unnoticed by God! He sees your heart and your intentions when you serve those around you, and He blesses those who give all they have with all their might as if they are not only serving people, but Him also! He rewards our characters and our desires to follow His will, and His will is to humble ourselves before others, putting them before ourselves. In fact, the Word says that if we give, whatever we give will be given BACK to us. The more we give, the more that blessings will basically fall into our laps, overflowing from the heavens! If you need any more good ideas for ARK in your daily life, here are a few, or you can even visit: randomactsofkindness.org

(All photos are not mine and may be subject to copyright)