Wednesday, June 19, 2013

social media and praying for comfort

With social media it is easy for the entire world to know your problems before you've even had a chance to think about them.  People pass on personal information in the form of prayer requests or just are so shocked they automatically share it with others.

But that can lead to strangers putting their two cents in where it doesn't belong or extened family feeling like they are the last to know something important.

The internet has become a release for people, it is a place they can share what they think, feel, or wish.  But my personal reaction to someone else's problems and pain doesn't need pushed out on to the internet.

So instead I put it on a blog they won't see, and hardly anyone reads.  I'm able to cry for them, pray for them and not worry that some unknown stranger may post something "thoughtful" which could hurt.

I pray for my friends, for comfort while they grieve, for strength while they raise their daughter, for courage as they hear all the questions, for grace while they make arrangements, for love while they feel lost, for hope as they look to eternity. 

I pray for their families who are grieving with them while also comforting them.  I pray that they too might find strength and comfort.

The world is a sadder place tonight, hearts are heavy and eyes tearful. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

miracle balloons

It is summer time, for me that means more free time, since we don't school year round, and miracle balloons at Dairy Queen.

Dairy Queen has been selling the paper balloons for as long as I remember.  They didn't really mean much to me when I first worked there.  Sure giving a dollar to a good cause and getting coupons was nice and all, but it didn't really impact me.  When James died that changed.

The donations collected in our area go directly to the place he past away.  For me buying a balloon is now a way of saying thank-you to the hospital staff who struggled to keep him alive and, when they failed, the staff who were the first to offer comfort while I grieved.

So when Miracle balloon sales began three years ago the balloons had new meaning and importance to me.  I wanted to give more, to do more.  I decided to encourage to local store, where I worked, to promote the balloons more and we began a raffle.  Ticket were earned when ballon sales were good and names were drawn at the end of the selling season.

I didn't realize how draining caring would be, how emotional I would be.  In the end it was good and gave me an outlet for both my grief and my energy.

This year I'm not working, I'm home being a mom to my other kids.  But I still want to be a part of something bigger than me and Miracle balloons are what I know.  So I am sponsoring the raffle again and feeling the drain on my emotions.  How is it that caring can feel so good and so bad.