Be intentional – show kindness!
“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you,” (Ephesians 4:32).
Believe it or not, I have a sub-motto this year as well as a motto. In this post here, I shared how a motto seemed to emerge as I pondered what I wanted to accomplish this year. And as crazy as the idea may seem I’ve acquired a sub-motto, courtesy of my favorite planner.
Have you heard of the Homemaker’s Friend Daily Planner? Let me tell you, this is no mere planner. The author, Sue Hooley, designed the planner to fit the flexible needs and randomocity of the mother and homemaker. Coincidentally, I find the “super” planner to be just what I need to keep up with business, writing, crafting, and all the other peculiarities of my life.
Before I used Sue’s planner I tried to keep up with everything in a tablet, which is definitely less organized and more harried to maintain. It’s now going on the 4th year using these planners for my mother and me, and I will never be satisfied with a normal planner again.
What’s So Special About This Planner?
The planner includes areas for weekly and monthly planning, and yearly calendars. And what I love most is that it has gloriously scads of room for making notes and creating lists.
-Yearly Section
In the yearly section, there are mini calendars and space for notations for future months. There is also a free space where it suggests “journaling, prayer requests, birthdays, etc.” For me, this area is for brain dumps and temporary lists. I don’t keep it neat but it saves my brain.
-Monthly Section
The monthly section is an enlarged calendar with space on the side for quick notes. I use this area for making short notes on next months holidays, promotions, events, deadlines and, of course, birthdays, in order to get my brain primed and stay ahead of the pressure. (Still working on that, by the way).
-Weekly Section
The weekly section is where I live. I consult it throughout the day to keep up with what I plan on accomplishing daily. Each day features plenty of space for the day’s plans as well as a spot for the menu, which I do use because I do a lot of cooking. But what I find the most beneficial is the lined section at the first of the page called “Tasks list.” Like most people, I have a lot of things I want to do in a week: some I have to do, and some I’m hoping I’ll get around to. I write everything I want to do in the week in that list and, because I still try to remain somewhat flexible with my schedule, I fill in the specific tasks per day as I go. It’s great for when I actually am able to cross off the day’s tasks and need to move on. Sue recommends writing in pencil so that you can erase, which is a splendid idea, but I have to say I love my green pen too much. But it’s okay, I can handle scribbles.
-Tasks and Projects
Just past that are two separate sections labeled “Tasks” and the other “Projects.” In the tasks section I used to keep up with my writing brainstorms but I’ve become rather disorganized and keep small torn out pages of notebook paper stuffed into the pockets of my binder instead. However, the projects section is filled with my craft project ideas, from crochet patterns to scrapbook and clay designs.
-Info and Shopping
Next there is an area called “Info” where I keep up with addresses, phone numbers, birthdates, and the like. And lastly, at the very back is our shopping helper! This section has slender tear-out shopping lists as well as a master list, a few pages for clothing sizes and gift ideas.
This planner is for the person who has a lot to keep up with, wheither you’re a homemaker, business owner, or you name it. Believe me, you have not seen a planner until you have tried Sue Hooley’s Homemaker’s Friend Daily Planner.
Show Kindness
But here is another thing I love about this planner. Not only is it beautifully redesigned every year with a bright, new layout, it features Scripture and positive quotes. This year, Sue has done something new and given it the theme of “kindness.”
She opens the planner saying, “Who doesn’t enjoy being around someone who is genuinely kind? An act of kindness gives us courage, especially when we are overwhelmed.” She goes on to say,
“Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate, regardless whether we think people are worthy of it or not. Kindness is invaluable—one small gesture can change someone’s day. It makes the recipient happier and inspires her to spread kindness to others. People may not remember what you say or what you do, but if you show kindness, they will remember how you made them feel.”
How inspiring and empowering to know we can help those around us by showing them kindness!
Four ways Sue suggest we can do this is by speaking encouragement, communicating thanks, showing support, and giving our time and resources. Just as we are intentional in our daily and weekly tasks, so we should be intentional in looking for ways to show kindness to those in our sphere.
“One simple act of kindness can make a tremendous impact on a person’s life.”
What better way to keep this front and center in our minds than to see it daily in our planners? Be intentional, show kindness.
If you would like to take a closer look at the Homemaker’s Friend Daily Planner, check out www.homemakersfriend.com (this post is not sponsored or part of an affiliate program).
How can you show kindness today?
A Bold and Daring Spirit 