Yesterday really sucked. Today sucks just as bad. I am on the internet and connected to social media all day everyday. I try and avoid any story associated with something bad happening to a child, I don’t handle it well at all and will let it affect me for days. Obviously, you can not ignore what happened yesterday, nor should you really. But personally, I don’t want details, I don’t need to hear that it is already bad enough.
As humans we don’t need guns or knifes to hurt each other. We are unfortunately capable of doing it with words and actions as well. We have a problem as a society that these things are happening. I have a guess as to why, but those are my personal feelings, and I am sure that we all feel differently about a lot of things.
What can we do?
This week, we are going to focus on serving as a family. Personally, Paul and I have adopted a few families for Christmas and we are going to pour our hearts even more into it. We have talked to our older kids, a lot in the past 24 hours. We asked them to find some things that they can do to feel positive and make a difference. We told them to ask for help if they needed it. I need to stay busy. This doesn’t mean forgetting what happened, but I will let it ruin the day for my family if I dwell on what has happened.
(Photo Credit – Paige Ivanovsky – 20 minutes ago!)
There is so much good in the world that goes unnoticed. Today I was blessed with seeing a series of 26 Moments that Restored our Faith in Humanity This Year 2012, I just sobbed all the way through. I silently added to the list the AMAZING things that I have personally been able to witness this year. Plus, I thought back to all the random acts of kindness that my family has been blessed with.
Five years ago in a Walmart parking lot a woman watched Paul and I load our kids in our car. She walked up to me and introduced herself, and handed me $20. She said, ” I don’t think you NEED this $20, I just want you to have it. Take your beautiful children out for ice cream on me. I have a very sick little granddaughter and your kids reminded me of her, she lives out of state.” I cried and she cried and we hugged. There isn’t a week that goes by in 5 years that I have not thought about her.
We have a good friend who every Christmas Eve dresses up as Santa and makes a drive by to some families they know. My kids HIGHLIGHT of Christmas Eve is hoping he comes by! He knows their names and hands them candy canes and reindeer food. I am sure his wife needs him home wrapping presents, he has little kids himself. But he does this as a service for other families. This might seem like a little thing, but it is such a blessing to others.
My husband is a great example to me of someone who gives and gives, not wanting anything in return. I bet more then 100 times he has purchased the groceries of someone in line in front of him, hoping to help them out some. He has bought gas for people at the pump who worried about paying for it. He has bought breakfast more then once for someone in military gear, or an older person alone. Paul once pulled our car over along a busy road, jumped out grabbed my stroller from the back, walked over and set it up for a woman struggling to carry a sleeping child and groceries as she was walking down the street.
This week we will remember all the times we have been blessed by our readers thoughtful emails and comments. By the notes home from our kids teachers telling us how good our kids had been that week. And all the other wonderful things that we see each day.
If you need something to keep you going today, I suggest taking a look at these 26 stories, and finding something you can do to make a difference in someones life, no matter small YOU think it might be.
Part comedian, part Dad, part athlete. He will boss around your children while they play ball.
Just as angelic as she looks, this girl could easily raise a Village by herself, and all the children would grow up to be President.
Self proclaimed, she would be a webkinz dog. Because, "they're cute, and puppies are too. And they're sweet and they always get along with other puppies."
This mini-Martha Stewart can handle ANY craft you send her way. She isn't all bows and rainbows, she's got karate kid moves!
Not "Pick-Me-Up" like caffeine, she wants you to pick her up! AND NOW!
Anything that can be destroyed WILL be destroyed!
Practically Perfect in Every Way for now! Nicknamed "The Panda" she is rolly polly and lives by the motto, "the little one, is KING!"
The resident Labradoodle, Miller got his name because Mom won and got to name the baby! Need something chewed up? He'll take care of it. Especially if it's expensive..
I haven’t even looked at the 26 stories yet and am already in tears. I wish that you all lived closer because it is hard to find people in this world whose main focus is their family and serving others. Please don’t forget that what you and Paul do daily to help all of us is another act of service!!
To add to the stories, I will tell you about my sister, Marcy (affectionately called Mouse). She and her friend, Wendy (a mother grieving over the loss of her adult son,) and our mom spent the day at the school where I teach yesterday. They brought huge wreaths, mini Christmas trees, stuffed animals, decorations, candy canes, etc. They helped about 25 students who come from very low income homes create beautiful Christmas masterpieces. The kids all enjoyed the activity, but one boy in particular, was greatly impacted. Firstly, I think that he dressed for the event because he wore a brand new, still creased, white t-shirt, (the undershirt type) and some new windpants with the folds still visible. He walked into my classroom in the morning and questioned, “When those people coming today?”
When it was finally his turn to create a wreath, after lunch, he did so with utmost care, being especially careful to pick ornaments that he thought would mean something to the receiver. When finished, he was asked what he planned to do with his decoration. He proudly stated that he was going to give it to his mother for Christmas. In his world, he has probably never been able to give a gift. This activity and act of kindness fed his heart and soul. It allowed him to show his mother how much he loved her.
For people like my sister, her friend, Wendy, my mother, you, Tiffany and Paul, I give thanks to God!! It is your service and love that makes this world a better place!!
Andrea, I am bawling again. What a day today is. That is a really beautiful story and thing that they did yesterday. Copy and paste what you wrote in your comment so that you have it years from now and don’t forget it.
I remember things like that as a kid. I loved so much to get my parents things and watch them open it. I know how he feels with something so beautiful and must be so excited to give it to his Mom.
Thank you for being a teacher. What a thankless job sometimes. As Mom I thank you, because I can see how much my kids teachers love them and really do care about them. I have seen my girls come home with even their hair back in a ponytail that I know they could have not done themselves. When I ask how they fixed it after PE, they said, “Oh my teacher pulled it back up.” Such a little thing, but it means so much to a mom to know that they would even take the time to pull their hair back from their face.
How cool for you Mom and Sister and Wendy to do that. I am sure they probably also paid for it all themselves as well. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment and for sharing your story!
Thank you!
thank you! I was not wanting to go on all my blogs today because I dont want to keep hearing about all of the horrible things that happened yesterday for us in America and in China, but I am so used to typing my blogs names right when I turn on the computer. The lady giving you money is so sweet, and You have a great husband, we could use more people like that in the world!
You and Paul are amazinggggggggggggggg people!! I agree it is very hard to keep hearing or seeing the events from yesterday everywhere! I don’t do well with things like this,death in general! As I commented on Paul’s blog last night too! It’s already been a rough year for my family! The thing that sticks out the most is that my niece and nephew lost their father in February & the closer we get to the holidays the more I cry & breakdown..Not because I miss him,but because I can feel their pain I too lost my mother too soon 6 years ago 2 weeks before I got married! *trying not to cry here* Anyhow I hurt for them not growing up having a father! I also like at their Grandma trying to get through the holidays without her only son! I never know what to say.never know what to do! All I can do is be there and try to share stories of the good times! My highlight of the year has been helping 4 different families in need of personal things,household things and what a blessing it has been to be able to do that for someone else! Really takes my mind off things!! Sorry so long!
Thank you SO much for sharing this–it is JUST what I needed to read after yesterday!! <3
My poor eyes are exhausted from all the tears lately these were amazing 26 stories. Thanyou for sharing you. God bless you and your beautiful family.
Thank you Tiffany for sharing. Sometimes we all need a little wake up call to bring us back down to earth and realize what this world is all about. You are good people and have a beautiful family. We are blessed with four little ones who I thank God for everyday. Let’s pray that we all can “pay it forward” to make a difference in someone’s life. May you and yours have a wonderful holiday season:)