Fiercely Kind

-Jessie Keener in her Amy Peters Jewelers Dream, Fly, Dance, Sing ” Ring. Jessie and a few other dreamers/flyers/dancers/singers still nine years later wear their rings in memory of Maggie Lee and show fierce kindness every day, especially October 29th.

Raise your hand if you’re like me and the nightly news gives you stomach cramps. Well, Doxidan Cowboy, here’s some good news: you already have your own platform in your personal corner of this broken world to make life beautiful. To be the news cast you want to watch in the world. (Sorry, Gandhi) I am not suggesting an all-night Pinterest bender or HGTV binge but rather something longer-lasting than the latest chalk paint trend: as Bob Goff suggests, “spreading kindness like confetti.” More than just a single news cycle, your explosion of goodness is actually eternal work. (Matthew 25:40)

How exciting it is to partner with God! How thrilling that God has loaded us all with enough creativity and resources to make a improvement in our hula hoop of influence. To lift our eyes from our phones for just a moment and engage with those whom God adores. If we believe in lavish grace, may we let our kindness flow like a fire hydrant in our homes, neighborhoods, cities and across the map.

The groundswell is here my friends. There is another way through than vitriolic argument and weaponry, of turning our backs on someone for whom Christ died unless they agree with our every opinion. Only love can cast out hate is what King said. Time is passed time for this crusty narrative of negativity to get an overhaul! The soccer team is pulled from the cave and the tomb is empty!

Can you feel it? Under the all the natural disasters, national disasters and personal disasters lies something deeper than the temptation to chunk it all and be a hermit. Here echoes a God-given call to rise up with the power of love and do. The revolution of fierce kindness is here!

Kindness is the new beautiful. And not a silent, one-dimensional winsomeness but rather a beauty with teeth. Fierce kindness confronts a bully, stands up for the weak and speaks up when the circle is silent. Fierce kindness loves boldly without needing press coverage. Even when fierce kindness is anonymous, her rising tide floats all boats around her. This kindness when allowed to move through us literally changes the air in the room around us.

Many people exhibit this controlled strength of character on the sports field, in the classroom, in the office and in the courtroom. Over the nine years since Maggie Lee for Good began, I have been shocked by the creative acts of kindness I have seen you perform. En masse or individually, I believe the moment of greatest impact lies before us!

Who needs love in your hula hoop of space in this world? Who needs a bag of groceries or a tank of gas? A first bra, a hospital gown, a gas bill paid, a lock of love? Where is the need God has given you eyes to see and resources to meet? How phenomenal it is to think of your fierce kindness reverberating in Starbucks lines and school lunchrooms every day as well as on Maggie Lee for Good Day.

One day, one deed, one difference has been the MLFG battle cry since 2009 when a friend suggested we remember our deceased daughter’s kindness by encouraging others to perform a good deed in her memory. You joined in that glorious one day: October 29, and have bravely made an impeccable impact. You have done so with spunk, with sparkle, with intention and with strength.

You founded Maggie Lee’s Closet and provided school uniforms & regular clothes for the underserved children in the Northwest Louisiana Area. You cast of the Musical Wicked gathered clothes for a Broadway children’s charity. You baked cookies for the crank pot bus driver in Illinois and stirred an entire school district in Georgia to highlight the value of kindness. You became organ donors, funded African water wells and built a home in Haiti. The fervor of goodness is unflappable and love expands to fill cracks which duty could never reach. That’s why love always triumphs.

Maggie Lee for Good Day is simple. No application to fill out, no screening process to go through, no dues to pay: go out and love someone who needs something. Be kind. Remember the spirit of love which Maggie Lee had. Participants have fed homeless individuals and even BEEN homeless individuals merely sharing the meager resources they have. Experiencing kindness so often brings a chain reaction; this is the exponential explosion of excitement which changes the world.

So….who wants in? Who wants to change the narrative? Who wants to be evidence of the good which is still alive and well? If you are inspired to do something kind every day of the year, of your life, brilliant! If you want to link arms with us, woo-hoo! There is room for stinking everyone.

If you live in the continental U.S., I would love for you to rep MLFG and carry this message of revolutionary fierce kindness with you on October 29th. Let me know which state you’ll represent and if you’re the first one to claim your state, I have a T-shirt for you along with MLFG cards. Just message me here, on Facebook (Jinny Henson) Instagram (Jinnyhen) to let me know if you want to dive in.

If you live outside of the U.S., awesome! I will send you a shirt & swag as well. All I ask is that you email or post a picture / send me the story of your MLFG deed either tiny or huge on Oct.29.

Our MLFG Celebration in Shreveport, LA will be on October 29th at our La Madeline on Fern at 6pm. Each year we select a non-profit to highlight and ask others bring donations for them. The organizations for which we are collecting serve homeless Vets & Pets. Razors & socks for our countries’ heroes and cat & dog food for our local shelters.

I am tremendously thrilled to make this new way with you!

Fiercely Kind

Since 2009

Maggie Lee for Good

Love,

Jinny Henson

http://www.maggieleeforgood.org

Jinnyhenson@gmail.com

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