While most youngsters have spent their summer sleeping in and playing, three hardworking brothers have set up their own business and it’s proving to be a success in their local town.

Brothers Marcus, Travell and Marcelino McBride are just 12, 10 and 9 but have already set up their own business in their home city of Saginaw, Michigan.

Eldest brother Marcus decided he wanted to start a lawncare service a few months ago and with a little help from mom Terri Reed they started 3 Amigos Lawncare Service.

“Marcus told me that he wanted to start his own business doing lawn care work,” mom Terri told Michigan Live. “So, the following day, I got up and I purchased all their equipment and their work clothes.”

“I’m very proud of them,” their mom added. “They’re some hard working young boys.”

Now with the summer season nearing fall the three brothers plan to offer all-season services, clearing leaves and snow.

Proud mom Terri said her eldest son didn’t have any lawn care experience at the time, but he had a vision and “he likes to work.”

Throughout the summer the brothers have been busy mowing, weed whacking, edging, trimming, bagging and cleaning up.

“It’s going great. I didn’t expect them to be as busy as they are. It’s been crazy,” Terri said, who owns a number of rental properties in the area.

Now, with around 40 regular customers in the books the boys have earned enough money to put into an investment property.

“They are enjoying it,” she said of the business. “They have their weekly pay days and everything else goes into their business accounts.”

These boys deserve all their success and more. Such a great way to spend the summer.

Let’s wish them a happy and prosperous future in their new ventures by sharing this story.

Couple goes viral for $500 wedding, including $47 dress

Kiara Brokenbrough didn’t want to go into debt starting her marriage with her husband, Joel.

LOS ANGELES — The average American wedding costs $30,000, but two California newlyweds managed to tie the knot on a $500 budget — with the dress, venue and reception included.

Kiara Brokenbrough didn’t want to go into debt starting her marriage with her husband, Joel, and focused on keeping things affordable for her wedding.

WEDDING
Couple goes viral for $500 wedding, including $47 dress
Kiara Brokenbrough didn’t want to go into debt starting her marriage with her husband, Joel.
Monday, April 18, 2022 11:58PM

MORE VIDEOS
Kiara Brokenbrough didn’t want to go into debt starting her marriage with her husband, Joel, and managed to spend $500 on their wedding.

LOS ANGELES — The average American wedding costs $30,000, but two California newlyweds managed to tie the knot on a $500 budget — with the dress, venue and reception included.

Kiara Brokenbrough didn’t want to go into debt starting her marriage with her husband, Joel, and focused on keeping things affordable for her wedding.

“Our goal was to just be as minimal as possible. And to spend the least amount of money as possible,” she told “Good Morning America.”

Kiara started small in spending for her big day with a dress from Shein that cost just $47.

“I didn’t want to spend a lot of money on a dress because I had the mindset [that] I’m gonna wear this one time for a few hours,” she said.

The couple held their ceremony off the Angeles Crest Highway with Southern California’s San Gabriel and Sierra Pelona Mountains as a beautiful backdrop. Because they did not apply for a public permit, they only invited about 30 to 40 relatives and close friends, Kiara said on TikTok. They only needed to pay for chairs and an arch.

They also relied on support from loved ones for expenses: Kiara’s godmother gifted the couple flowers, and her godsister and aunt chipped in with a cake.

The wedding party then headed to the nearby Misty’s Lounge for the reception. They did not have a reservation but arrived right when the venue opened. This also meant that guests paid for food and drinks themselves.

“The people we have there, they understood the assignment. They understood the things that we were trying to do, and they really supported us,” Kiara said.

The Brokenbroughs hope that their wedding on a budget serves as inspiration to other couples thinking of taking the leap themselves. Kiara added that the most important thing to remember while planning a wedding is the couple’s number one goal: their marriage and life together.

When a single father found himself homeless after moving to a new city, a random encounter with a kind stranger helped him get his life back on track.

James Moss had just moved to Denver from New York with his 2-year-old son in hopes of making a better life for the two of them. James had lined up a job and a place to live, but his living arrangements had fallen through, and he found himself staying on the streets and in a homeless shelter.

A British writer and TV host, Leon Logothetis, had just come to Denver while on a tour where he sought to promote random acts of kindness. He traveled and spoke with random people he encountered while walking around with the hope of encouraging them to be kind to others. After one of these chance encounters, Leon met James. He learned a little about James’ situation, and was impressed with how he was able to maintain a positive attitude in the midst of such a struggle of recently becoming homeless.

“I guarantee in a month’s time, I’ll make anything that I need to happen, happen,” James said. “You have to be brought down to your humblest point, so you can appreciate other things that are waiting for you.”

James shared that his son helps motivate him to keep a positive mindset, and that he maintains a sense of joy and peace through prayer and meditation.

After their friendly chat, Leon told James that he wanted to give him $1,000 to help him and his son. James was moved to tears.

On the spur of the moment, Leon also decided that he wanted to put James and his son in a hotel for the next seven days to make sure that they had a nice place to stay.

“Man you gotta be freakin kidding me man…. thank you so much man… I appreciate it man…” James told Leon as he hugged him.

Many hearts online appreciated Leon’s kindness for James and his son, and they also wanted to help. Kayla Heskett started a GoFundMe for James with the following note:

“James is an extraordinary father and man. Let’s make this [happen] for him and his son and show him some love and that there are still good people left in this world.”

With the help of kind hearts from around the globe, they were able to raise $56,560 to help James and his son get back on their feet and begin a new, peaceful life.

James was connected with a host family that let him stay with them after his hotel, and he was able to purchase a car. James said he plans to pay it forward by helping continue this blessing of kindness in his community.

“Just thought I’d post a quick update,” Kayla shared. “Thank you everyone for your donations and interest in James. He and his son are doing great, they have gotten a vehicle and are doing great things for the community by giving back. Thank you to the host family that they are staying with until they find what they need.”

James was deeply grateful to everyone who had helped and shown love to him and his son.

“I love you all, you’re like family to me now,” he shared in a video thank you note. “I never thought that an act of kindness like that would spark a huge chain reaction. I am so thankful, so grateful.”

Watch this video of Leon meeting James for the first time:

After spending years living on the streets, one kind man decided to use his restaurant to help show the homeless that they are loved and that they matter.

Derrick Walton lived on the streets of Detroit for years after having a difficult childhood, and at times he felt like he was completely alone, and that no one cared about him.

“To be homeless, you feel all alone. You feel no one cares, and you have something on the inside of you that says, well, this is my fault. I’m here, so why should they care. But, I grew to learn that, that’s not necessarily true. We still should care for other people, even if they make poor choices and decisions because, they matter. I mattered at the time. Just because I was in a bad situation in my life, it doesn’t mean I didn’t matter. But we tend to think that we don’t matter… Well I’m here to say, we do matter.”

Derrick recognizes that he had made some poor decisions in the past, as many homeless and troubled youth coming from poverty have. From using drugs, to stealing, to working as a stripper, which after a run in with police now requires him to register as a sex offender, Derrick has not had an easy life, but he believes that those choices are not the sum of all who he is. His renewed faith, as well as kind people from his church, have taught him that everyone deserves another chance, and that he is still a lovable person doing his best.

Derrick recalled one of the first people who helped change his life for the better: a restaurant manager who believed in him while he was homeless and gave him an opportunity with a job. Derrick was tired of being homeless, and though he was unable to shower and only had one pair of dirty clothes which he wore every day, he tried applying for jobs in his area.

“I went place to place for employment, and I got tons of, ‘No, no, no,’ doors closed, ‘we’ll call you,’ knowing that I don’t have a number for you to call me,” Derrick said.

Just before he was about to give up, on his 10th day of searching, he went to a Greek restaurant and met a man who would change his life forever.

“Just before I was going to give up, on that 10th day, and I’ll never forget it, I went to a Greek restaurant in downtown Detroit. I met with a gentleman, I told him, ‘Look I’ve made a lot of poor choices and decisions in my life.’ I said, ‘I’m not looking for a handout,’ I said, ‘but if you give me an opportunity or a chance, I won’t let you down. I’m a great cook.’”

The kind man quietly looked at Derrick for several minutes; clothes ragged, unshaven, having slept on the streets the night before, and after several minutes, he told Derrick that he believed in him and would give him a job. Derrick shared that he will never forget the feeling he felt in that moment; when someone believed in him.

“Well he looked at me, and it seemed like, three days, but he looked at me for like three minutes, and that gentleman told me yes, right away, and he said, ‘I believe in you,’ and he threw me an apron. And when he threw me that apron, to this day I still can’t describe the feeling that I felt, because I’ve never felt it before in my life. And umm, overwhelmed with all the emotions and all these things that one person can believe in me, when tons of people did not believe in me.”

Derrick worked hard as a cook and went on to open up his own pizza shop, Rock Power Pizza in Des Moines, Iowa. His restaurant serves delicious food, has inspirational quotes on the walls, and every Monday, he closes the shop to the public and opens it to the homeless living on the streets and in homeless shelters across Des Moines.

Derrick and volunteers organize vans and buses which transport the homeless from around Des Moines to his restaurant and back. They serve the homeless a variety of home cooked healthy meals: sandwiches, pastas, vegetables, fruit, and other various delicious meals.

Kind people from Des Moines help donate food and funds as well to the homeless for their Monday meals, and Derrick pays for the rest. He knows how important it is to, at least once a week, provide a safe space for the homeless where they can have a night out, eat a warm meal, and celebrate life together.

“Monday nights are very, very special to me,” Derrick said. “Before this place is a restaurant, it’s a ministry.”

“Monday night stands out apart because, it gives the people, that’s less fortunate in their lives right now, an opportunity to have a night out.”

“We get to go over here, fellowship, watch TV, be served, and treated like the amazing people they are.”

The homeless who come to Derrick’s restaurant on Mondays are deeply grateful.

“I’d like to thank all the people who have donated to Chef D’s for the homeless. The lord sees your good works. We can beat this thing,” one grateful guest shared.

He cares. He actually loves everybody… It’s not only the free food, but you get to meet other people,” shared another homeless guest.

For Derrick, seeing his homeless brothers and sisters realize that they aren’t alone, and that someone cares for them, brings meaning to his life.

“It takes me back every single time. When I see them coming in here, they forget about all of their circumstances and situations for the most part, and they get the fellowship here. It shows them what it showed me. People do care. I still matter. So it’s truly amazing and means a lot to me… a lot to me… Monday nights,” Derrick said.

Derrick’s truly beautiful heart has helped hundreds of homeless people realize that someone loves them, and has made sure that they never feel as alone as he once felt, when he was homeless.

Watch this interview with Derrick of him serving the homeless:

Update: Derrick did have some further issues, with being in possession of a prescription pill which he did not have a prescription for, and also for not registering in the 45 day timeframe after he had moved to a new apartment for his two decade old sex offense charges related to stripping when he was previously homeless. Our systems and institutions should offer more rehabilitation and support for kind souls, such as Derrick, rather than more punishment. Derrick’s kind heart has done so much to help hundreds upon hundreds of homeless people feel loved, feel they matter, and share a warm meal, and his story of kindness deserves to be shared, flaws and all.

After seeing a homeless man on their way to school each morning, several kind young men decided to lend him a hand.

They went up to the homeless man after school and asked him if he would like to go and get something to eat with them. He was surprised, and gratefully agreed.

“We’re taking him out to eat” one of the smiling young men shared, who was excited to be able to help the homeless man he walked by every day.

They took him out for a warm meal, and ordered him an extra meal to go.

“He’s a happy guy… Beautiful man” they shared.

After eating, the students wanted to take him shopping as well, so together they went to Walmart and bought him a basket full of clothes and daily necessities.

The homeless man tried a few of his new clothes on, and he looks great!

“Fresh dressed like a million bucks!”

Going out of our way to help a homeless person can mean more to them than we will ever know.

Many hearts online have appreciated the kindness these young men showed to a homeless man.

“So many of America’s homeless are U.S. veterans, people with job instability or persons with undertreated mental illness. Kindness goes such a long way,” shared B.C.

“It makes me so happy to see young men showing kindness to an elder, especially an elder in need,” wrote Jessica T.

“It’s the little things we take for granted that go a long way for someone else. Well done guys!” wrote S.B.W.

“You guys are amazing! Thanks to people like you, I don’t lose hope in humanity :)” commented Barbara V.

“Very kind young men. Very grateful man. It’s more than the money, food, and clothes. It’s the time and effort invested in him,” shared B. L.

The day before her adopted daughter began her first day of middle school, a kind mom taught her a profound lesson on the power of her words, using a tube of toothpaste, and a plate.

The night before Amy Beth Gardner’s daughter, Breonna, began middle school, she asked her to squeeze an entire tube of toothpaste onto a plate.

“My daughter starts middle school tomorrow,” Amy shared in a post online. “We’ve decorated her locker, bought new uniforms, even surprised her with a new backpack. But tonight just before bed, we did another pre-middle school task that is far more important than the others. I gave her a tube of toothpaste and asked her to squirt it out onto a plate. When she finished, I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back in the tube. She began exclaiming things like “But I can’t!” and “It won’t be like it was before!” I quietly waited for her to finish and then said the following:”

At a time when Breonna was just about to enter middle school, a place filled with a mix of children learning who they are while trying to fit in, Amy told her daughter just how important it is to choose her words wisely, and to always use them for compassion and kindness.

“You will remember this plate of toothpaste for the rest of your life. Your words have the power of life or death. As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry. You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to hurt, demean, slander and wound others. You are also going to have the opportunity to use your words to heal, encourage, inspire and love others. You will occasionally make the wrong choice; I can think of three times this week I have used my own words carelessly and caused harm. Just like this toothpaste, once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back. Use your words carefully, Breonna. When others are misusing their words, guard your words. Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth. Decide tonight that you are going to be a life-giver in middle school. Be known for your gentleness and compassion. Use your life to give life to a world that so desperately needs it. You will never, ever regret choosing kindness.”

Amy’s words of wisdom for her daughter have been shared online more than two million times.

“As a parent, I want Breonna to draw from my strengths and learn from my weaknesses,” Amy said.

Amy and her husband adopted Breonna and her younger sister two years earlier after having been their foster parents. Because of her girls’ difficult start in life before they met, Amy said she is careful to pay extra attention to their emotional development, and is constantly encouraging them and helping them to have and understand a great sense of self worth.

“Each morning when I go to wake Breonna up, I take a few minutes before we get busy with breakfast and rushing out the door to school to tell her how much I believe in her, how important she is to me, how valuable her life is,” Amy said. “I know that, as she becomes a pre-teen and teenager, the world is going to tell her what to believe about herself. I want her to hear my voice first each morning telling her what I see in her and how proud I am of her.”

 

Vezi această postare pe Instagram

 

O postare distribuită de Understanding Compassion (@understanding_compassion)

When a high school graduate found out that his girlfriend’s 14-month-old baby brother did not have a bed, he decided to build him a beautiful handmade crib.

The young man’s mom, Stacey Henderson, shared that she saw her son building a handmade crib, and that she was so proud of her son.

“My 18-year-old recently graduated from high school and is building his girlfriend‘s 14-month-old half brother a toddler bed,” Stacey wrote.

It was out of the family’s budget to buy a bed, so he had been sleeping in a pack and play, which is a temporary foldable crib.

“Her father and the baby’s mother don’t have enough money for one, so he sleeps in a pack and play.”

Stacey’s son works at a store and builds furniture, so he thought that rather than just buying a crib for the young toddler, that he would build and paint one for him himself.

“My son could have just went out and bought one, but he works all day building furniture and comes home in the evening and has been building this. The last step is painting and decorating.”

Stacey was deeply proud of her thoughtful son, and for good reason.

“I am so proud of this young man for his thoughtfulness and caring,” she said.

Thousands of hearts online have appreciated this young man’s kindness.

“Great job young man. We need more like you,” wrote Lorraine G.

“I want to see the finished piece! This is beautiful and such a sacrifice for him to make – thankful for his giving heart!” commented Sundy G.

“What a special young man. God Bless him,” wrote Lucy L.

“Speaks volumes about what a brilliant man he is, you must be proud of him, so talented,” wrote Danielle A.

“Your son is a good, kindhearted man. Thank you for raising him to be conscious of other’s struggles,” shared Jackie B.

You are Loved.

When a tired young mother was considering leaving a store to take her two crying children home, a kind woman came and helped comfort her 2-year-old, allowing her to continue shopping.

Rebecca Paterson was shopping at a target in Pearland, Texas, when her 2-year-old and 2-month-old both began crying at the same time. After noticing Rebecca preparing to leave due to her children being upset, a kind woman named Tiffany came over to help.

“Shout out to this wonderful, kind woman named Tiffany,” Rebecca shared in a ‘Moms of Pearland’ group online. “My 2 year old and 2 month old were both having a meltdown at the same time in Target. I started putting things away on the shelf and was about to leave when she came over to help.”

Tiffany helped comfort Rebecca’s 2-year-old while she cared for her 2-month-old, and she was able to continue shopping for the daily essentials she needed.

“She walked with me while I got essentials needed for the day and kept hold of my toddler while he calmed down. She saved me today moms!!! I am so sleep deprived and was running on empty. A little kindness and understanding goes a long way.”

Rebecca plans to honor Tiffany’s kindness by paying it forward and helping the next mom she sees in need of assistance.

“I’ll definitely be paying it forward if I see a poor mom in need of help. Thanks Tiffany, you’re an angel 😇” Rebecca shared.

Many hearts online have praised Tiffany’s kindness.

“So heartwarming. I love this so much ❤️” wrote Erin C.

“It takes a village. A loving, caring village,” commented Maureen L.

“Actually, you both are amazing. She for offering to help and you for accepting. Understanding that the needs of your children come first and that you needed a hand in doing it. I always hesitate to ask nowadays as everyone is so afraid… but, I always do… even if it’s to watch the empty stroller as they take their child to the stall. If they say no it won’t hurt my feelings, as I did what felt right,” shared Daryce H.

“I needed this specific reminder desperately in this very moment— good people ARE everywhere. Thank you for that ❤️” wrote Danielle M.

“Just last week at HEB a kind stranger offered to help load my groceries when he saw me and the baby in the heat. There is always someone good in the crowd. Another time a man held an umbrella over us to get into the car in the heavy rain. Neighbors come over to check if the garage door was left open or collect packages. Be the change you want to see in the world ❤️ Offer someone a little help,” wrote Jessica M.

You are Loved.

 

Vezi această postare pe Instagram

 

O postare distribuită de Understanding Compassion (@understanding_compassion)