Disclaimer: There is a lot of talk about God in this post. We believe we can ONLY give the credit to Him! Once you read this, you will see why. If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to speak to us privately about them. Otherwise, enjoy the story, and if you feel inspired, praise with us! :)
H: Wednesday we found out that moving into the house was no longer an option, without any real concrete explanation. Disappointed and frustrated didn't even begin to scratch the surface as to how we felt. I wrote in my journal for a long time, pouring out my frustrations and anger to God. Yes, I was angry. I don't like being angry, and I even apologized. There was no holding anything back. At one point I wrote, "I've learned in the journey of becoming a follower of Jesus is that we still have an obligation to show Your love, even if we don't feel like it." Quite frankly, I didn't feel like it. We had spent the last two months praying, putting our faith in people following through, only to be left empty-handed and disappointed. I went to bed unhappy that night, utterly defeated and spent. I'm surprised I got any sleep at all.
Kelly was due to come home from Ohio Thursday, so I shared with our house church members that we would not be there, so we could spend the evening catching up, relaxing, and discussing our next steps. But what I didn't mention was that Thursday morning, I heard that still small voice, something, in my gut say, "You shouldn't go to church tonight." I couldn't explain it. (That was the first God moment, although I didn't know it at the time)
We went out for Chinese and we'd barely been home five minutes when Kelly got a Facebook message from a co-worker of hers, saying she had spoken to somebody about a duplex available in Richmond (God moment #2). On the phone, she said that a couple was going to look at it the next day, and asked if we could look at it that evening. We dropped everything and drove up there. Yes, it was that split-second of a decision! We had no trouble finding the apartment and were immediately taken to the location and the quietness of the neighborhood, despite it being right off the interstate. Kelly's co-worker arrived a few minutes later and we asked how she knew the landlord. This was her response (another God moment):
"Oh, I just talked to her on the phone just now. I've never met her before. I was just driving through here and I saw the sign out front, and I thought 'This is for Kelly. I want her to be in a safe neighborhood.'"
We were like ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME.
Jennifer, the landlord, arrived a few minutes later. In addition to her infectious personality, she mentioned that a police officer lives down the street and that her niece works at the preschool nearby (Remember the talk about a safe neighborhood?) We helped ourselves to looking around, and, admittedly, it is a downgrade in terms of size and space, but we've learned over the last year that we've had too much space. The rent is more than $100 LESS than what we're paying now, and the place was near immaculate, there was new carpet, a small patio outside, plenty of parking, a washer and dryer hooked up (!!!), and, most importantly, Yoda and Wiley are welcome! :) Needless to say, it was not a difficult decision. By the end of the night, a key was given to us and we had signed the lease!
The drive home was a combination of a daze and utter exuberance. God had shown up! Big time. If we had gone to church, we would have missed the Facebook message and, ultimately, the phone call, the apartment would have been shown tonight and probably taken, and we would still be stuck waiting until the end of next month. But now, there is no more waiting, and we have a cute new duplex in Richmond waiting for us. All thanks to God!
K: While reading this, I thought of Holly. Gave up a UK, full-time benefited job for what she does now for the sake of being happier and less stressed out. I also think about getting my first job; that moment and time when I was just ready to give up was when I got the magic phone call. That's what happened here last night; God gave us what we needed, not what we wanted. I remember so many times praying "God just get us this house. Just get us this house." I'm not going to say it was as if my prayers were falling on deaf ears, because I don't believe that. Rather I just felt that this house we were seeking so hard for was just not going to happen. I always had this small notion in the back of my head that it was just going to not work out. Perhaps that was God's way of saying that He had something better for us. Because let's face it, the last thing we actually needed was MORE space and more money to be given for rent.
I truly believe that God talks and shows us what we need in a lot of mysterious yet awesome ways. I remember walking into that duplex and was like "this is it." That "aha!" moment. I don't believe in coincidence. I think coincidence is just one of the many ways God speaks to us. Though I can't hold claim to actually hearing His voice, I can hold to the fact that His fingerprints were ALL OVER THIS. There's really nothing more I need to add to this. It's all been said. We are excited to begin this new adventure and see where else He will take us. My ending is this; if you're waiting for something and feel like throwing in the towel, that's usually when a corner will turn. Sometimes it's not a good corner, but in our experience it usually is. Keep the faith, and remember that God is good.
Showing posts with label good people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label good people. Show all posts
Friday, July 24, 2015
Tuesday, June 23, 2015
ALEP Mid-Summer: A continued family reunion
H and K: Howdy! You get both of us again!
It's been a little while since our last post. Can't believe how June has just seemed to slip right through our grasp. Heck, next week is the 4th! We've been rather busy, traveling and going here and there. Unfortunately we still have not heard any word on our house-to-be, but we are keeping the faith and holding out that we will hear something soon.
But enough of that. Almost two weekends ago we went back to the Shire! Yes, that's right. You may remember how all of this ALEP craziness started back in September. This gathering was not official, not planned, just whoever was available to escape for a weekend of unplanned relaxation, conversation, and generalized merriment. And all of those it certainly was!
It's hard to capture the atmosphere we've come to love in this ALEP group. We all come from such vastly different walks of life, from vastly different parts of the country, even (a few traveled from as far as Virginia, Texas, and even Canada!). But what's so amazing about this time, these ALEP reunions, is that, for just a few days, there is no worry. No stress. No negativity, pessimism, or stress of any kind. It simply ceases to exist as soon as you see the signs welcoming you into the Shaker Village. The laughter, the cheerful conversations, the food (oh. my word!), the time we cherish and spend together...it's the best form of therapy that we can possibly imagine.
The next event is in April of 2016. While we won't be able to go for the entire weekend (these fun gatherings do cost money), we will definitely return for a day. Because even just one day is worth it!
Until next time! :)
It's been a little while since our last post. Can't believe how June has just seemed to slip right through our grasp. Heck, next week is the 4th! We've been rather busy, traveling and going here and there. Unfortunately we still have not heard any word on our house-to-be, but we are keeping the faith and holding out that we will hear something soon.
But enough of that. Almost two weekends ago we went back to the Shire! Yes, that's right. You may remember how all of this ALEP craziness started back in September. This gathering was not official, not planned, just whoever was available to escape for a weekend of unplanned relaxation, conversation, and generalized merriment. And all of those it certainly was!
It's hard to capture the atmosphere we've come to love in this ALEP group. We all come from such vastly different walks of life, from vastly different parts of the country, even (a few traveled from as far as Virginia, Texas, and even Canada!). But what's so amazing about this time, these ALEP reunions, is that, for just a few days, there is no worry. No stress. No negativity, pessimism, or stress of any kind. It simply ceases to exist as soon as you see the signs welcoming you into the Shaker Village. The laughter, the cheerful conversations, the food (oh. my word!), the time we cherish and spend together...it's the best form of therapy that we can possibly imagine.
The next event is in April of 2016. While we won't be able to go for the entire weekend (these fun gatherings do cost money), we will definitely return for a day. Because even just one day is worth it!
Until next time! :)
 |
| ROBERT!!!! <3 |
 |
| :) |
 |
| Sunset in the Kentucky Shire |
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
A Nurses Week post
Kelly: This was actually Holly's idea! Today begins Nurses week, a celebration of nurses past and present. It starts today and ends on the 12th, which is the birthday of none other than Florence Nightingale. It means I'll get a nice spiel at work about how appreciated I am and a lovely present (there is NO sarcasm in that previous statement whatsoever) :) It was Holly's idea to come up with our favorite nurses, real and fictitious. Since we share the same favorite fictitious ones, I figured I would share my favorite real ones! I honestly have too many to name; 4 come to mind, and I hope they know who they are. Due to privacy reasons I'm keeping their names anonymous. Unfortunately, because of my schedule change I no longer work with these awesome nurses anymore, but I am indebted forever to these individuals. They've taken me under their wings, mentored me, challenged me, and I have thoroughly enjoyed working with them. Some have become strictly colleagues, while some have become very close friends of mine. I've learned so much from them, and they've learned some from me too....I hope. Hahaha! So cheers to the four of you I have in mind; thank you for being there for me and helping me grow not only as a person but as a professional too!
Holly: We have two fictional nurses that we admire, one of which has been with us for a while, and one who has just recently entered our lives.
Our first shout-out goes to Carol Hathaway, from the show ER. I personally love Carol because although she is really good at what she does, she has a big heart for her patients and their families, which sometimes gets her into trouble. One of my favorite episodes, and the last one to feature her as a show regular, involves a woman with end stage cancer. Carol violates her DNR order, just so her two young daughters can say goodbye. This particular situation causes Carol to evaluate some of her own choices, and in what is quite possibly the most romantic notion ever, she gets on a plane to Seattle, just to find out if Doug still loves her (Guess what? He still does, and they live happily ever after!)
And secondly, we would like to honor none other than Abigail Morgan. We met Abigail, honestly, just a couple of weeks ago; she can be found in the show Forever. Abigail was the wife of Henry, the show's main protagonist, and she was an army nurse treating prisoners of concentration camps during WWII. Unfortunately, her story does not have a happy ending and, without revealing any major plot spoilers, we discovered that Abigail possesses a fierce and loyal love for her family, despite Henry's immortality. And bravery. Oh, was she brave.
So there you have it, folks! Remember to take some time this week (and every week!!) to thank the nurses in your lives! They do a lot :)
 |
| As for me, I'm pretty stinking proud of this "real" nurse on the right of me :) |
Thursday, November 14, 2013
Heroes among us
Holly: This past Sunday, the sermon at church was about heroes, not only how everyone has them but that we ought to be one as well. Something the whole "hero complex" thing tends to leave out, huh? Anyway, I posted a little diddy on Facebook, but didn't get much of a response (which is fine. Half the time I post stuff just for my own enjoyment. ha). So we decided to branch out on this and not only mention our heroes, but why, perhaps...
~Jesus. Now I'm not going to go all preachy on you all, because you have your beliefs and I have mine. But ever since I became a Christian, life has not been the same for me, and I'm trying not to sound horrendously cliche...but it's true. I look at the world differently, I don't stress about things, I have more joy in my life (REAL joy), I have hope for the future...I could go on and on. And I will just leave it at that. :)
~ My parents. Again, could go on and on about this. They have supported me and all my craziness/foolishness/broke-ness/silliness, etc, they love me and tell me often. I consider my mom one of my best friends. I hope to be half the parents mine are, if I cross that bridge someday.
~My grandpa. He passed away this year, on our birthday. He lived a life of what I like to call "quiet grace"; he loved the Lord, he loved his family, he loved his work, but was never "in your face", never outspoken. I think he was one of the first people to tell me about Jesus. He always encouraged me in my faith journey. I miss him still and think of him often, but I know he is at peace, reunited with my grandmother and his family.
~My advisor from my college days. I learned more about life, other people, and myself from hours and hours spent in his office talking than any Berea College course I took. I'm grateful that I was an advisee and student of his, because he has moved on from Berea College and is onto another chapter in his life, as I am with mine.
~Missionaries. Takes a lot of courage to travel to an unfamiliar place and share something so personal with complete strangers. Yet thousands do it, voluntarily, every single day.
~Single parents. I can't imagine raising a child with a strong support system. By yourself...seems nearly impossible. You have my immense respect, all you single moms (and dads!!) out there.
~My pastor and his wife. I met them at a challenging, scary, and change-filled time in my life, and they just welcomed Kelly and I with open arms and basically allowed us to become part of their family. Now five years, 2 Bachelor's degrees, a Master's degree, 2 kids, and a lot of lunch dates later, and I now consider them both dear friends. They really do walk the walk and talk the talk, and it's so rare these days.
~Bilbo Baggins. Yes, I know he isn't real. But you have this ordinary, small, well-meaning hobbit who enjoys his food and his quiet and his things, and he gets swept away on this incredible journey and ultimately becomes the hero of the story.
~Paul. Starts out persecuting Christians. Becomes one. Speaks for many and changes lives. You can't make that stuff up.
Kelly: I have an addendum or two to add to this list:
~My parents, but here's my view. They raised me to not only love other but to love myself as well. I never hit my siblings and did my best to obey them. Call me a goody-goody, a teacher's pet, whatever. Seems like its a lost art these days.
~My friends. I am so happy and blessed to have such a diverse group of individuals that I am close to. Some of my friends have gone through unimaginable junk in their lives but have not let that junk define them. We are all going through walks of life but are bonded by friendly love.
~Anyone who is going through a physical or mental illness and has decided to seek help and/or treatment in some way not because they are forced to but because they WANT to. They want to better themselves and they want to invest in a better life for themselves and for their family and friends.
~Veterans, past and present. You all know what you did and have done for our country. Words cannot express my sincere gratitude. I would not have what I have if it wasn't for you all. Thank you!
So there you have it. Who are your heroes? Whose hero are you?
~Jesus. Now I'm not going to go all preachy on you all, because you have your beliefs and I have mine. But ever since I became a Christian, life has not been the same for me, and I'm trying not to sound horrendously cliche...but it's true. I look at the world differently, I don't stress about things, I have more joy in my life (REAL joy), I have hope for the future...I could go on and on. And I will just leave it at that. :)
~ My parents. Again, could go on and on about this. They have supported me and all my craziness/foolishness/broke-ness/silliness, etc, they love me and tell me often. I consider my mom one of my best friends. I hope to be half the parents mine are, if I cross that bridge someday.
~My grandpa. He passed away this year, on our birthday. He lived a life of what I like to call "quiet grace"; he loved the Lord, he loved his family, he loved his work, but was never "in your face", never outspoken. I think he was one of the first people to tell me about Jesus. He always encouraged me in my faith journey. I miss him still and think of him often, but I know he is at peace, reunited with my grandmother and his family.
~My advisor from my college days. I learned more about life, other people, and myself from hours and hours spent in his office talking than any Berea College course I took. I'm grateful that I was an advisee and student of his, because he has moved on from Berea College and is onto another chapter in his life, as I am with mine.
~Missionaries. Takes a lot of courage to travel to an unfamiliar place and share something so personal with complete strangers. Yet thousands do it, voluntarily, every single day.
~Single parents. I can't imagine raising a child with a strong support system. By yourself...seems nearly impossible. You have my immense respect, all you single moms (and dads!!) out there.
~My pastor and his wife. I met them at a challenging, scary, and change-filled time in my life, and they just welcomed Kelly and I with open arms and basically allowed us to become part of their family. Now five years, 2 Bachelor's degrees, a Master's degree, 2 kids, and a lot of lunch dates later, and I now consider them both dear friends. They really do walk the walk and talk the talk, and it's so rare these days.
~Bilbo Baggins. Yes, I know he isn't real. But you have this ordinary, small, well-meaning hobbit who enjoys his food and his quiet and his things, and he gets swept away on this incredible journey and ultimately becomes the hero of the story.
~Paul. Starts out persecuting Christians. Becomes one. Speaks for many and changes lives. You can't make that stuff up.
Kelly: I have an addendum or two to add to this list:
~My parents, but here's my view. They raised me to not only love other but to love myself as well. I never hit my siblings and did my best to obey them. Call me a goody-goody, a teacher's pet, whatever. Seems like its a lost art these days.
~My friends. I am so happy and blessed to have such a diverse group of individuals that I am close to. Some of my friends have gone through unimaginable junk in their lives but have not let that junk define them. We are all going through walks of life but are bonded by friendly love.
~Anyone who is going through a physical or mental illness and has decided to seek help and/or treatment in some way not because they are forced to but because they WANT to. They want to better themselves and they want to invest in a better life for themselves and for their family and friends.
~Veterans, past and present. You all know what you did and have done for our country. Words cannot express my sincere gratitude. I would not have what I have if it wasn't for you all. Thank you!
So there you have it. Who are your heroes? Whose hero are you?
Monday, March 4, 2013
An Unexpected Adventure (18 months in the making...)
Holly: We have committed the date September 27, 2014 to our memory. No, we'll both be graduated by then. No, it's not our prospective wedding dates. It's not another failed-predicted apocalypse, the inauguration of a new president, the starting date of a new job, or even our 24th birthday.
It's this!
Yes, you are reading this correctly: an entire weekend full of Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, exhibits, frivolity, fun, food, laughter, relationship-building, autumn goodness...all literally a stone's throw away from our very home. Since we are a bit financially strapped to partake in the entire weekend party, we have simply opted for a day pass; regardless, it certainly isn't hampering our enthusiasm any less!
Our registration has already gone through and been received, planning is already under way, we have until the 1st of September (of 2014) to make our payments (at just $30, I mean helloooooooooo??!?! Are you kidding me??!), and we are beyond excited! BEYOND. Excited! We are on the cusp of something we can't even imagine. We are going to meet so many incredible, amazing, inspiring people, all from vastly different walks of life, heck, all from different parts of the country! All sharing in this one thing, this one magical, beautiful thing.
I think even Tolkien himself would be proud! :)
ikgfvuyh (Yoda agrees)
Kelly: It's funny that this happened. We were thinking of going to New York or another American city that is doing a premiere of the last movie. Not that we've completely ruled that out, but now we have something that is set in stone and definitely going to happen! I was so worried (and still am) that I was going to forget that this was happening. I'm thinking oh my gosh that's over a year away! I don't even know what kind of work I'm going to be doing, where I'll be living, whatever! So many unknowns. I did save my registration email though...just in case my big cracked brain lets it slip through.
I don't really know what to expect out of this. A jolly good time for sure. I hope that I meet a lot of awesome people who geek out on this too! My hope is though that even though this is very VERY exciting that I would not let it drive me. That I wouldn't be so obsessed and fixated on the fact that this is really happening that I lose focus. That I can concentrate on the now and what I need to do now, like GRADUATE...ahem. 2 months tomorrow!!!!!!! But once I get over that hump I can start to focus on those things. Taking it one day at a time...but I am really excited about this! And it'll be in the fall, the colors will be changing and the weather hopefully won't be too crazy. But yeah. It's coming! Super super excited!!!!
It's this!
Yes, you are reading this correctly: an entire weekend full of Lord of the Rings enthusiasts, exhibits, frivolity, fun, food, laughter, relationship-building, autumn goodness...all literally a stone's throw away from our very home. Since we are a bit financially strapped to partake in the entire weekend party, we have simply opted for a day pass; regardless, it certainly isn't hampering our enthusiasm any less!
Our registration has already gone through and been received, planning is already under way, we have until the 1st of September (of 2014) to make our payments (at just $30, I mean helloooooooooo??!?! Are you kidding me??!), and we are beyond excited! BEYOND. Excited! We are on the cusp of something we can't even imagine. We are going to meet so many incredible, amazing, inspiring people, all from vastly different walks of life, heck, all from different parts of the country! All sharing in this one thing, this one magical, beautiful thing.
I think even Tolkien himself would be proud! :)
ikgfvuyh (Yoda agrees)
Kelly: It's funny that this happened. We were thinking of going to New York or another American city that is doing a premiere of the last movie. Not that we've completely ruled that out, but now we have something that is set in stone and definitely going to happen! I was so worried (and still am) that I was going to forget that this was happening. I'm thinking oh my gosh that's over a year away! I don't even know what kind of work I'm going to be doing, where I'll be living, whatever! So many unknowns. I did save my registration email though...just in case my big cracked brain lets it slip through.
I don't really know what to expect out of this. A jolly good time for sure. I hope that I meet a lot of awesome people who geek out on this too! My hope is though that even though this is very VERY exciting that I would not let it drive me. That I wouldn't be so obsessed and fixated on the fact that this is really happening that I lose focus. That I can concentrate on the now and what I need to do now, like GRADUATE...ahem. 2 months tomorrow!!!!!!! But once I get over that hump I can start to focus on those things. Taking it one day at a time...but I am really excited about this! And it'll be in the fall, the colors will be changing and the weather hopefully won't be too crazy. But yeah. It's coming! Super super excited!!!!
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
Need: observations from a SNAP office
Kelly: There's a lot of it. I was an observer of this very sad but true fact. Today Holly and I ventured to Richmond to ask for help. Government help. In one week we will be the owners of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. AKA Food stamps. This was a decision we did not make lightly that took months of planning and careful deciding. I am not ashamed of it though...asking for help.
Holly made a comment on her facebook earlier this morning about waiting at the food stamps office. I'll go into that later. Anyway, we walked into the office and the waiting area was full. It was 8:20 in the morning and the office opened at 8:00. And the waiting area was already full. Was I surprised? No, not really. The Berea/Richmond area is notoriously low-income in some areas. What I was surprised about was that the waiting area was full after the office had been open for 20 minutes. Anyway, the process itself was rather painless, but this brings me to another point. I mentioned that Holly made a comment on her facebook. There were some comments on there that really upset me to be quite honest. The comments were attacking the church I had been attending for almost four years while as a student. Holly deleted the comment and the post, but I was just upset by this. How could a former member put blame on my church family that these needs of ours were not taken care of? First off, the blame should go to us; Holly nor myself never mentioned any of our needs. And even if we did, I would not have a doubt in my mind that they would be taken care of and then some.
I guess I was just a bit shocked at this person's opinion of my church's lack of support. For me, my church has never been anything BUT supportive. Enough about that...my point is simple; there are needs. The people in the waiting area, as my roommate said, did not look like they were cheating the system. They looked desperate. A family was willing to wait for an hour and a half. Hard times, my friends. Extend a helping hand; don't slap it away.
Holly: My interview with the case worker took a total of 10 minutes and she got a phone call from the front desk saying that her 10:30 appointment had showed up. It was 9 o clock. She had nowhere else to go, so she said she was going to wait. Tomorrow I have to take a paper from the office to work; essentially it's proof that I'm employed. Which led me to wonder, out of how many people I saw in the PACKED office this morning, how many were employed? I'm willing to bet not a lot. Because of my job I'm not even sure if I'll receive benefits (which is totally fine, by the way). Isn't that messed up? No. No...I guess it isn't.
As I just mentioned I won't be disappointed if I discover I'm ineligible, because, to me, it means that someone else needed the benefits more than me. Contrary to what I can imagine to be an overwhelming majority of the people in the PACKED office, I know where my next meal is coming from. I don't have to worry about supporting children. I have a reliable source of transportation, a comfortable living situation, and a job that fits me to a T. My roommate told me earlier this morning as we were leaving that she was a little wary about asking for government assistance, because there's always those out there that try to "cheat" the system. Which is awful, by the way. But as we left the office she said the people in there didn't look like they were trying to cheat anything: they looked desperate, like they didn't want to be there either, but they had no other choice.
It's just SAD!!! Really, really, really sad. It breaks my heart to see so much need in our community, but I'm grateful for the organizations and churches that do their best to try and minister to those needs. I'm grateful that the process was painless, because it needs to be. Yes, the comment about my church did upset me, but I'm not going to get into that because what I wanted to say was already said. I'm definitely going to bed counting my blessings tonight, and I hope all of you do the same.
Just be aware and be a good steward. Be grateful and thankful for what you have, even if it's "not a lot". There's always someone out there who has it worse off than you do.
Holly made a comment on her facebook earlier this morning about waiting at the food stamps office. I'll go into that later. Anyway, we walked into the office and the waiting area was full. It was 8:20 in the morning and the office opened at 8:00. And the waiting area was already full. Was I surprised? No, not really. The Berea/Richmond area is notoriously low-income in some areas. What I was surprised about was that the waiting area was full after the office had been open for 20 minutes. Anyway, the process itself was rather painless, but this brings me to another point. I mentioned that Holly made a comment on her facebook. There were some comments on there that really upset me to be quite honest. The comments were attacking the church I had been attending for almost four years while as a student. Holly deleted the comment and the post, but I was just upset by this. How could a former member put blame on my church family that these needs of ours were not taken care of? First off, the blame should go to us; Holly nor myself never mentioned any of our needs. And even if we did, I would not have a doubt in my mind that they would be taken care of and then some.
I guess I was just a bit shocked at this person's opinion of my church's lack of support. For me, my church has never been anything BUT supportive. Enough about that...my point is simple; there are needs. The people in the waiting area, as my roommate said, did not look like they were cheating the system. They looked desperate. A family was willing to wait for an hour and a half. Hard times, my friends. Extend a helping hand; don't slap it away.
Holly: My interview with the case worker took a total of 10 minutes and she got a phone call from the front desk saying that her 10:30 appointment had showed up. It was 9 o clock. She had nowhere else to go, so she said she was going to wait. Tomorrow I have to take a paper from the office to work; essentially it's proof that I'm employed. Which led me to wonder, out of how many people I saw in the PACKED office this morning, how many were employed? I'm willing to bet not a lot. Because of my job I'm not even sure if I'll receive benefits (which is totally fine, by the way). Isn't that messed up? No. No...I guess it isn't.
As I just mentioned I won't be disappointed if I discover I'm ineligible, because, to me, it means that someone else needed the benefits more than me. Contrary to what I can imagine to be an overwhelming majority of the people in the PACKED office, I know where my next meal is coming from. I don't have to worry about supporting children. I have a reliable source of transportation, a comfortable living situation, and a job that fits me to a T. My roommate told me earlier this morning as we were leaving that she was a little wary about asking for government assistance, because there's always those out there that try to "cheat" the system. Which is awful, by the way. But as we left the office she said the people in there didn't look like they were trying to cheat anything: they looked desperate, like they didn't want to be there either, but they had no other choice.
It's just SAD!!! Really, really, really sad. It breaks my heart to see so much need in our community, but I'm grateful for the organizations and churches that do their best to try and minister to those needs. I'm grateful that the process was painless, because it needs to be. Yes, the comment about my church did upset me, but I'm not going to get into that because what I wanted to say was already said. I'm definitely going to bed counting my blessings tonight, and I hope all of you do the same.
Just be aware and be a good steward. Be grateful and thankful for what you have, even if it's "not a lot". There's always someone out there who has it worse off than you do.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Gold Star!
Holly: Today I witnessed first-hand the sheer goodness of people; people who go above and beyond.
First off, my sister went through "the IKEA experience", she bought me a sick puppy; basically, a cuddly stuffed puppy that is...well, kind of sick-looking, to help me feel better (I've been battling an icky cold for almost a week now and I can't seem to shake it). Completely unexpected and it completely made my day! :)
Instant number 2: One of my professors opened the lab up for us biology students today so we could finish our slide projects. As if that isn't splendid enough, he actually came in for a bit to help us out. ON. A. SATURDAY. Ladies and gentlemen, this is why I love Berea! I mean, would you get that anywhere else? I think not!
Now that I have a sick puppy sprouting out of my lap, I will turn things over to my lovely sister! I hope all of you take the time to thank the people who make your day. If not, be that person to make someone's day! :)
Kelly: Ahh, I have officially gone through the IKEA experience!! If you have not been through the IKEA experience, do so. Anyway, speaking of my IKEA experience, I have a gold star to award for today. Today as we were about to leave, I wanted a bottle of water, but I was 2 quarters short (they were $1.25 for a bottle). I asked my group if anyone had 2 quarters. Out of nowhere, some random guy gave me 2 quarters! Dumfounded by his kindness, I smiled and said thank you, then proceeded to enjoy that bottle of water the whole 2-hour ride back to the Bereaness of it all.
Flash back to....last night. Me, along with several other BCASN folk (Berea College Association of Student Nurses) planned, organized, set up and tore down a haunted house for the campus community and the community at large! We started set up at 5:00, the show started at 7:00, and we stayed until 11:45...PM...to tear down. One of our instructors (who posed as a psychotic patient on the loose) even stayed for a while to help us out. Then today, we got an email from this same instructor as read..."Just wanted to tell you how proud and impressed I am of the efforts that were put forth last night to create a fantastic Haunted House." It really makes me feel good to know that our efforts were not in vain...even if it was just a haunted house.
Well, now that I have concluded this day in a fantastic mood, more homework calls me away unfortunately. I will post pics of the work we did later (when I remember...) and some of our IKEA experience! Have a great weekend and start to the week. Cheers!
First off, my sister went through "the IKEA experience", she bought me a sick puppy; basically, a cuddly stuffed puppy that is...well, kind of sick-looking, to help me feel better (I've been battling an icky cold for almost a week now and I can't seem to shake it). Completely unexpected and it completely made my day! :)
Instant number 2: One of my professors opened the lab up for us biology students today so we could finish our slide projects. As if that isn't splendid enough, he actually came in for a bit to help us out. ON. A. SATURDAY. Ladies and gentlemen, this is why I love Berea! I mean, would you get that anywhere else? I think not!
Now that I have a sick puppy sprouting out of my lap, I will turn things over to my lovely sister! I hope all of you take the time to thank the people who make your day. If not, be that person to make someone's day! :)
Kelly: Ahh, I have officially gone through the IKEA experience!! If you have not been through the IKEA experience, do so. Anyway, speaking of my IKEA experience, I have a gold star to award for today. Today as we were about to leave, I wanted a bottle of water, but I was 2 quarters short (they were $1.25 for a bottle). I asked my group if anyone had 2 quarters. Out of nowhere, some random guy gave me 2 quarters! Dumfounded by his kindness, I smiled and said thank you, then proceeded to enjoy that bottle of water the whole 2-hour ride back to the Bereaness of it all.
Flash back to....last night. Me, along with several other BCASN folk (Berea College Association of Student Nurses) planned, organized, set up and tore down a haunted house for the campus community and the community at large! We started set up at 5:00, the show started at 7:00, and we stayed until 11:45...PM...to tear down. One of our instructors (who posed as a psychotic patient on the loose) even stayed for a while to help us out. Then today, we got an email from this same instructor as read..."Just wanted to tell you how proud and impressed I am of the efforts that were put forth last night to create a fantastic Haunted House." It really makes me feel good to know that our efforts were not in vain...even if it was just a haunted house.
Well, now that I have concluded this day in a fantastic mood, more homework calls me away unfortunately. I will post pics of the work we did later (when I remember...) and some of our IKEA experience! Have a great weekend and start to the week. Cheers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)