Kettle Update!

My last post was a bit of what I love about doing kettles... Well, I'd really like to blog each week about things that happen whilst I'm on kettles... Here goes! =)

This week went by really fast!!! I've chatted with so many people, had prayers answered, and had a really great time! =) Some of the things that people say really touch me =) Here's some examples:
As a lady puts in a handful of dimes, nickels and pennies: "I ran out of loonies and toonies, but every little bit helps right?"
One of the Superstore employees, seeing me there for the third day in a row: "Don't you ever go home? ;)"
A little girl that put a loonie in this morning said, "Merry real Christmas!!!"

Being on kettles is a great opportunity to make connections with the community!!! I've had little chats with so many different people about different things! Here's some stories:

One lady that came by on Thursday told me she will always give to the Salvation Army because when she was 6 or 7 she started going to the SA church that was on Marion (it's not there anymore...), and that is where she went to her first Sunday School classes!
Another girl that had finished her shopping had no cell phone and no quarters to phone a taxi, so she came to me and I let her use my phone. She was so grateful, and she put her whole change purse worth of pennies and nickels into the bubble!
A man asked me what rank I was in the Salvation Army, and we had a conversation on what the ranks are in the SA and how they compare to the real army. But I was also given the opportunity to explain to him that we are in spiritual warfare, and we - the Salvation Army - are fighting for peoples' souls!
Another guy that donated put his hands on my shoulders and said, "God loves you!!!" and I nearly fell off my chair with excitement as I said back, "God loves you too brother!!!"
Emmanuel is the Superstore host (the greeter at the front door) that has been there almost everyday that I've worked, and we got talking about how he will always give to the Salvation Army because they helped his family back in the Philippines with the flood that happened this year... Lol he also calls me Miss Salvation, when I get there in the morning he's like, "Good morning Miss Salvation!" He puts his pocket change in the bubble every morning after I get set up, and he always does a cute little dance lol... =)
A couple who are both on disability put in a toonie each because the Salvation Army has helped them and they want to give back!

Prayers have also been answered!!! Each morning when I set up the bubble, I pray over it, asking God to bless it and to fill it... Sometimes I ask for certain things, and today I prayed that someone would put in a $20 bill. Between 9-1, THERE WERE FOUR OF THEM PUT IN!!! My biggest prayer right now (since day 1 actually) is that I will see a $100 bill put in the bubble...
I've been asked by so many people where my bells were and why I wasn't ringing them... I wasn't given bells, I assumed that it was because Superstore had said they didn't want them so the staff wouldn't get annoyed at the constant ringing so I hadn't said anything to my boss... But yesterday, a gentleman bought me some silver bells!!! It was a big red bow with some bells hanging down, cost $3, and he brought it to me (with the receipt to prove it was paid for), and said, "There you go, now you can ring your bells!" So I took the ribbon off and played with the strings the bells were on and made a sort of bell ringer LOL hey it works! What amazed me about this story was how much the bells mean to people! "Kettles just aren't kettles without the silver bells!" is what one person had told me...
I also had a lot of people ask me for a sticker to put on their jacket to show other kettlers that they had already donated... One guy even said that there's two benefits to the stickers: one, it advertises to other people that hey, they should go donate, and two, it does let other kettlers know that they've already donated and so they won't feel guilty as they walk by the bubble. One woman even came up to me the other day and showed me that she had a mini calendar because she had donated and she didn't want me to think she was being cheap. Another lady came to me today and asked for a sticker for her jacket because she had donated before and only got a calendar (she showed it to me lol).

Speaking of people feeling guilty... haha... I kinda feel bad for making people feel guilty... As a kettler, I make eye contact with people and smile at them, and sometimes it makes people feel guilty and so they'll donate... I do not, in any way, want to guilt people into donating... I love smiling at people because when they see a smile, it's a natural reaction to smile back, and I LOVE seeing people smile!!! In sociology class I remember learning about the "dog face", which is when your face is relaxed, which makes you look grumpy (because you're not smiling...), and so many people coming through the doors are wearing their dog faces (or they are actually grumpy lol...), and it's amazing to see the transformation of a dog face to a smiling face, to see their whole persona just brighten up!!! There are some people that walk by that look like they would NEVER smile, but then they smile, and I'm like, "WOO!!! =D"

As much as I completely love this job though, I am VERY glad for a day off tomorrow =) For one, working 6 days in a row where I basically just sit for 4 hours on a bar stool isn't that great for the body... And second, I get to go to Weston!!! =D And this week is the first week of Advent, can you believe it??? AND the band is playing now (because it's Advent...), so I get to pull my clarinet out again, woop!

Anywho, that's all I have for now... This next week is looking pretty good
Sunday: church, play practice
Monday: kettles 9-1, dyeing Shayani's hair (whether or not she decides to go through with it, I'll tie her down if I have to... =P)
Tuesday: kettles 9-1
Wednesday: kettles 9-1, coffee date with Sherrie @ 2, pool @ 7:30 (though I gotta be at Players by 6:45 cuz we're away this week...)
Thursday: ketles 9-1
Friday: kettles 9-12 (woop!), Smitty's @ 3
Saturday: kettles 9-1, Smitty's @ 3

For now though, it's bedtime!!! =)