The Importance of Giving Back....

  As I mentioned in a previous post areas very near to our town were destroyed by the April 27th  record breaking F4 tornado. This storm is now considered the second deadliest our nation has ever endured. The previous storm system that took only a few more lives then this was back in 1932. The death toll from this years storm was a heart breaking 329 lives, across 7 states, with Alabama enduring the most loss of life. We lost 238 people in this state. It hit all around us..  It's really quite unbelievable that we were missed. I feel so fortunate and grateful for this fact. I wanted to help out in some way and thank God there were so many who felt the same way. The out pour has been truly amazing. I wish I was able to do so much more. My efforts were minimal compared to some. I'm 8 months pregnant with a toddler so most physical volunteer work was out of the question for me. I have very low blood with this pregnancy so I couldn't not donate blood to the many, including children, who were badly hurt and currently spread out across our hospitals. So, I wanted to do the one thing I could do...donate items to be carried to the relief areas. I ended up having to go buy some things because unfortunately we didn't have very many extra clothes, baby items etc. I told Chris that I wished I was a millionaire for the first time in my life. Money has never meant a lot to me, never been impressed by it or the shallow people that flaunt it. However, I realized that what I had to spend on these people who lost EVERYTHING, including loved ones, bought much less than I had hoped it would. I was still happy I was able to give something. Thats why I wanted to write this post. Since I do this blog for my children I want them to understand the importance of giving back. We are not put on this earth to be self serving but to serve and help others. I've always considered myself to be a "thinker" and an "old soul" and I know one thing for certain. Of all of the highly educational philosophies and theories on what "life is about" there is nothing that outweighs helping others. It's one of the few things, such as having children, that makes this sometimes unbearably painful life worth living. It's so rewarding that in and of itself it sometimes feels selfish simly due to the fact that..yes, these people have needs, but at the same time they are fulfilling an even greater need in us. The one that causes us to grow spiritually, gain perspective and develop character by helping. These are things you can go out and buy in a store. They are in fact the givers and I want to THANK them for giving US the opportunity to help them. We are just as indebted. They are just as much a charity to us as we are to them.
    Yesterday Lea gave me a ring and wanted to know if Chris and I would like to go with her and Zach to donate some items. She said they had lots of clothes to give. I was so excited to hear this bc thats an area where I wanted to give more but didn't really have anything extra and I knew people would really need clothing. I also thought it was an awesome memory to share in together since we literally weathered the storm together...we could give back together as well. We made a day of it and ate lunch together then headed over to the donation site. When we got there we were turned away because the first place we visited was already overflowing with donations. We ended up making 3 trips to get rid of all of our items. While it may of seemed frustrating at first once we reflected a little it was the best news ever. People are really making an effort to help and giving what they can. I hope these efforts will continue in the upcoming weeks because the needs of these people, who just as easily could of been you or I, will still need to be met. I will continue to pray for them everyday. I know that even with all the hard work of mankind only God can give them the kind of peace and strength they will need to pull through this horrendous situation. So happy we could help in a small way.

"Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love."
— Mother Teresa

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway."
— Mother Teresa

The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches but to reveal to him his own.  ~Benjamin Disraeli