52 Acts of Compassion Campaign ~Week Twelve

Unfortunately, one of the places that I manage to make many trips to per week is the grocery store.  Now, that is no easy feat with three kiddos in tow.  However, I am not afraid of using a little bribery to make the trip a bit easier.  Jacob (my middle son) is into balls.  Any type of balls, small, big, soccer, bouncy or squishy.  My oldest son Malachi likes the vending machines where you try and grab a stuffed animal. Luckily our local King Soopers (Same thing as City Market and Kroger) has a vending machine of bouncy balls and a vending machine of stuffed animals.  So, the deal is, you behave while I shop, meaning no tizzy fits, no whining, and no begging for stuff you don’t NEED, you get 2 quarters to spend on the vending machine of your choice. While visiting the store this week and stopping at the vending machines on the way out, I realized that we could easily do an act of compassion right here at the machines.  I decided to leave 2 quarters at each machine for a child to run across and use.  I wish I could have stayed and seen the excitement on the child(rens) face(s) when they discovered the quarters, but I obviously have to get home to put groceries away, and my youngest son is starting to let me know that he is hungry.  I know that if it was one of my children who discovered “free” quarters, they would have been elated.

How can you take a daunting or weekly task and turn it into an act of compassion?