Well, it is getting to be closer and closer to our first Christmas without Richie. Everyone keeps asking me what they can do to make it better. What would I like for Christmas? I really do not want anything for myself except prayers. But I have found something I want and wish for and need your help!
When my son passed away, a fund was started at the local bank to help us with funeral expenses and such. Well, this special young girl was the first one to show up and donate her very own money to our family. She is Richie’s classmate, friend and cousin. Her name is Lauren. Before any other adults gave, she did. Isn’t that something that someone 20 years old would just give so easily? Lauren is a very lovely young lady who works hard at everything she does and always, ALWAYS has a smile on her face. In the small town we live in, gossip travels fast about the kids. I have never heard one word about her other than how sweet, smart and extraordinary she is. She studies nursing at Middle Georgia State College during the week and works as a CNA during the weekend.
Now Lauren has the chance to study abroad in Scotland! How exciting! The trip however is very pricy. She has been working hard to raise the money on her own. Most would start a Fund Me account or whatever they are. Or ask everyone to help. No, Lauren has been asking about doughnut sales and bake sales. I sat down at my computer one morning a few weeks ago and pulled up Facebook and her smiling face was staring at me. Right then I knew to help her! I talked it over with Jeff, Mike and Angie and they agreed! We sent Lauren some money to help her go to Scotland.
So now I am asking each of you to help me fulfill a promise I made to this young lady. I told her that I would help send her to Scotland! She deserves this! When we were at the worst time in our lives, she was the first to help. She never asked for recognition or a thank you. She just did it out of the kindness and love in her heart. It says in the Bible- Luke 6:38 – Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
I ask each of you to dig in the couch cushions, get the change out of the cup holders in your cars and in the bottom of your pocketbooks! I have 803 friends on Facebook. If each one sent her $5 that would be $4,015. That is more than she needs and would even give her some extra money to bring her little sister a souvenir.
I believe that everything we do in life comes full circle. All the good you do, no matter how big or small, will give you greater blessings in return. Lauren blessed us and now I want to show her the same blessing. Now dig deep!
Luke 6:38
Giving To Heal The Hurt
Giving. Do you know what it means to you? Everyone translates that one word to mean what suits them best. Whether it be a selfish translation or one of utter selfishness. My translation may be one to surprise you all.
Giving to me is all about my survival right now. Yes, survival. I have always been one to help others or jump when needed. But now, I give even when I am not needed. I give when it is not going to be known to anyone but to me. I give to keep from crashing into the rigged rocks on the shore of grief.
There have times when I get so withdrawn into my grief and sorrow over losing Richie that I would go to dark places in my head. I would just shut down from all family and friends. Then one day, when I was at a low point, I really thought about the feelings. If I was feeling this then certainly some other Mom in grief was too. So I sat down and wrote a note of love to a Mom that I knew was grieving. This one note started a pattern. Now if I am sad, I send a note, email or text of cheer to someone. If I am lonely, I send a random text to a friend wishing them a great day. If I feel ugly, I send a text telling someone else they are beautiful. I will bake someone their favorite cake and take it to them if I simply need to keep myself busy.If I need a laugh, I just snap chat one of my nieces a picture being silly.
You see, this whole life we have been given is not about us as an individual. It is about each other. It is about what we put out n the universe. In Luke 6:38 Jesus says, “Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give to your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.” To me, this means that whatever I give out to the world, will surely be given back to me. What does this mean I will be given? Well, it can be something as simple as a smile I was needing when I drop that note in the mailbox. Or it could be the thought of knowing someone later in the day will enjoy a slice of that cake. Maybe I will receive nothing but the fact of knowing I did it. No matter what the reason I did it for or the return I get from it, I know I am being measured by God. He sees the things I do and he is building my rewards that are going to be greater than anything I can get here on Earth. I also like to think that the giving young man that went to heaven is watching what is being done here. I do not think he wants me crying in self-pity but rather wants me doing like he did for us.
So for me, giving is healing. And in healing, I am doing what is expected of me as a child of God. In all the crazy messed up ways the world is now, maybe it would be better if we all tried to heal the world by small acts of giving. Just think if we healed the whole world!!!!
Broken Mothers Club 