I Wanted To Post About My Service Birthday

I knew months before my birthday that there was going to be a Service Project Bed Build for the area. I thought what a wonderful opportunity to be able to build beds for children for my birthday! 

I have been involved with this group for less than a year, but we have already done three build days, and given away many beds. We make around 12 to 20 beds depending on the day and products we have available.

This build was set up by a neighbor of mine. It was very well organized and they scheduled their employees ahead of time in a few hour blocks. Almost all had registered online a head of time so I didn't have much to do. 

It was really funny as one of the women who invited me to work for this organization said, "These people are so efficient, we finished so quickly." I told her, "They were engineers, so of course they finished quickly. Our last build was at a bar! Many had a drink before they started the build." She replied, "Yes, and they were much more fun to talk with!" 

I love that there are people to volunteer their time, service, and money no matter where they signed up for the opportunity to serve. We are blessed to live in a community of good people! 

Have a blessed day!

A Cool Charity that is New To Me

I wanted to share about cool charity a city is trying to use to clean up the beggar / panhandling in the down town area. 

Many years back, I went dancing to a club with a friend. When we came out, there was a woman sitting on the ground begging at 2 a.m. I gave her my change from getting in the club which was between $5 and $10. My friend asked why I would give her money. I told her that if she is begging at 2 a.m. then she is worse off than me as she must really need money to sit in the cold night air.

Several years later, I saw the same woman outside the central square of the city one afternoon when visiting. She was still sitting on the ground begging. I thought to myself that she is clearly making more money begging than she could make working. It was then that I decided to not promote that by giving her more money. 

I usually give money to those I feel drawn toward, but I know that many cities are trying to cut down on beggars and are coming up with many different programs to help them in different ways, but to keep them from begging on the streets. 

They have these red parking meter looking machines all over the downtown area with signs stating how to help other than giving beggars money directly as many times they use it on drugs and alcohol. I LOVED this so much. That way you can give and know that it is going to help them with housing etc.

There are many other charities that I donate to that help homeless, and I am all about donating in ways that help, rather than directly in that type of case. It amazes me how many charities and ideas people come up with to help others! It is such a blessing to help others and a blessing to those who are being helped! 

Have a blessed day!

Sleep In Heavenly Peace - Worthwhile Charity

I posted a few months back about the day I sent my resignation from the Food Bank Board, I was contacted by a friend of mine who asked if I would be on the core team for a charity they were now involved in as she knows I am into doing service. 

I though God had his hand in that situation as it was hard to walk away from the food bank after so many years. So, I looked into the new charity and thought it was what looked to be a great charity. 

A few years ago, I saw a news clip on this charity and how the couple that started it didn't want children to have to sleep on the floor, share beds, or sleep on a mattress with no beds.  

I wasn't able to attend the training meeting for new volunteers as I was at my grand-daughters baptism, so this past weekend was the first time I was able to attend a build. 

They were able to get some of the wood donated by a local wood production company that had large pieces of seconds that they allowed the group to cut up to save some money on wood. They were able to get a few men to cut up the wood before the event to save time at the build. 

I was at the log in table to get everyone logged in and sign the paperwork. They had some cute hand outs for the volunteers. After the first hour, it was boring at the front table but they had more volunteers than they had positions, so I wiped out the inside of my car while I watched to see if new volunteers came. 

I dressed cute thinking I would be away from the build. However, they had me downwind from the sanding table and started coughing and choking on the dust. The table was covered. So, after many of the volunteers left, I started sanding the boards and got dust in my eyes and all over my clothes. I was wearing suede black boots and I am sure they are probably ruined now. 

You can check out the videos on their website called SHPbeds.org. There is more information on how to get involved as well. 

They have stations set up and the set up is really smooth with how they have it organized, but I did get a bit frustrated with a few things and made some suggestions on how they could overlap the volunteers so the ones from the first session could teach the second group how to do it and not leave the leadership finishing so much at the end and have so many at the beginning that they weren't able to do much. 

I didn't think that some of the set up is the most efficient, but others explained to me that part of the process is that they want to offer people the opportunity to serve so that they will feel a connection to the beds and donated to the fund to pay for the items needed to build the beds. 

I think they may get more donations having the volunteers make the beds in the homes of the children, but I am sure they have figured out the best way to do things. I know that as we continue to get things more organized with more builds, it will run more smoothly and become a quicker process. 

We were able to make 15 bunk beds in half a day. I am grateful that I have a new charity to serve for and met quite a few new friends during the day! 

Have a blessed day!

A Day of Delivery - Gratitude Baskets

I have been having a busy week so far. 

I can't seem to get much done, but am working non-stop. I really want my house to be clean for the holidays, so I have been listing things and trying to get them out of the house. 

I had a table full of gratitude baskets and needed to get them delivered so I spent most of my day visiting businesses and people delivering them with thank you notes. I also called a friend who was having a sad day and visited with her. 

I also visited some women in my church congregation who I have visited almost every month for many years. I will be changing over to visit some other people. I just wanted to visit with them one last time in their homes.

Without fail when leaving after dropping off a gift basket, I could hear the people commenting to each other about how nice it was to get a basket. 

I do have a few more to drop off tomorrow and a few other errands, but then I hope I can get working on getting my home ready for the holidays. I also hope I can get some sleep as I am still soooo Tired. 

Have a Blessed Day!

Working with Missionaries on My Neighbors Yard

Last week when I was cleaning up my yard sale, a coupe I haven't seen in a long time pulled up and were wearing missionary tags on their chest.

I asked them what they were doing, and they told me that the husband took an early retirement, and decided to go on a service mission.  They were asking how I was doing and about my neighbors and how they were doing. 

I shared with them how I am taking care of my widowed neighbor and how she hasn't been able to hire anyone to work in her yard since covid. She hasn't been able to get anyone to do any weeding or spraying. She has called over and over trying to get people to weed. 

I keep seeing people asking online for people to weed for them for $10 to $20 an hour because they can't get people to work. Every store I go into has "help wanted" signs.

This couple said they would get some other service missionaries and go to my neighbors and do some weeding for her. The plan was worked out for today. I went down and they were all working hard weeding! 

My goal was to get her roses done and hoped they could get her field cleaned. When I cleaned it this spring, (click here for that post) I suggested spraying the weeds with poison and she said she had someone coming who said they would do it but it never happened. So, the weeds had gotten very tall and strong in the stalk and a weed whacker can't cut through them. 

It started to sprinkle and the one set of missionaries needed to go as they had another commitment. I went and helped load everything on the truck and it was VERY full. I visited with my neighbor and said they would be back another day with more help and hopefully be able to finish it. 

My neighbor was grateful getting her yard cleaned up and her roses are still in bloom and I wish I had taken a "before" picture as there was a bush growing taller than the roses that we didn't recognize, but I was able to cut it out. You can see the tree in one of the photos above.

I am so grateful for people who are willing to give up their time to help others! Have a blessed day!

Service Always Seems to Benifit Me More Than Those I Serve

I called my sister about some things this morning and she sounded sick. She told me that she got a head cold and wasn't feeling great. I asked if I could do something for her as she said her daughter that is living with her was going into labor. 

I hung up and was feeling like I need to help her. I said a little prayer and had the thought that I should take over my ozone machine for my sister along with some iodine for her. 

I had the thought to take over some essential oils and to rub my nieces feet to help her labor along, and to take some other oils to rub my sisters feet. I also felt like they both could use some healthy food so I cut up fresh watermelon, cantaloupe, pineapple, bananas, and mandarins.

I went over and rubbed both of their feet for about 2 hours combined. I was glad I could do that for them as my sister is always so willing to help me out when needed. She seemed to be feeling better after so that was nice. 

My niece was having contractions but they weren't regular, but she said that my rubbing her feet was helping. She has had some preterm labor and some blood pressure problems recently so we are so grateful she has made it to a point where she can be safe having the baby. She is very ready to have her baby! It was fun seeing her daughter play today. She is the cutest thing and reminds me of her as a baby. It is wonderful to see my nephews and nieces having families of their own. 

While I was rubbing their feet, her twins were making french fries in her Electric Fryer. I have heard of electric fryers but have never seen one used or tasted anything made in them. They let me taste a fry and I LOVED IT! I can't eat fried food due to my fatty liver / no gallbladder symptoms. So, for me, it was a revelation! 

I told them I needed to look at buying one, and my niece said her mom had a smaller one she saved to give her, but they ended up getting one so she thought that maybe I could have the one her mom saved for her that was a bit smaller. 

It is perfect as I only need a small one and so I brought it home and put some fries in it. The first batch I made I just it the "fries" picture on the preset, but they were almost burned. I remembered at that point that my sister said she doesn't leave them in the entire time as they over cook. I put in another batch and did them for 15 minutes and they were just barely overcooked so I think next time I will put them in for about 13 minutes. It is like new and was easy to figure out! I am very happy about having this!

It has been about six years since I was able to eat fries and I used to LOVE eating shakes with fries. I had some ice cream I purchased when the girls were home this last weekend and I ate the ice cream using the fries as a scoop and was almost giddy with the flavor / texture / salty mix. I LOVED it. It took me back to the summer I graduated high school when we would get shakes and fries all the time. 

It always seems to happen that when I go somewhere thinking I am doing service, I end up getting more than I give! I appreciate that God always does this for me. I feel very blessed! \

I am glad I had the time and felt well enough to help them both today. I am excited to meet my nieces son and pray he arrives safely. I also hope my sister feels better soon so she can enjoy her new grandson! 

Have a Blessed day!

Helping My Neighbor Plant Her Flowers - Becoming an Annual Event

I am feeling a bit better but am still struggling with stamina. Last night I was so tired. I couldn’t get to sleep until early morning and flipped and flopped when I did fall asleep. 

I kept having pin point pricks of pain in my body in different spots and it felt like the worms burrowing out. I had a "tens" until on in two spots on my back as I have shoulder and back issues and am seeing a chiropractor and the "tens" unit is helping loosen between my shoulders. 

I kept waking with night sweats and then cold and then hot. I also have been having some collar bone / shoulder pain and then numb arms and fingers. It was terrible. I was so tired, I set my alarm and it went off at 4 p.m. so I could get up and go help my neighbor plant some flowers as she asked me on Monday and I told her I was still weak and having a hard time breathing, so we decided I would help her at 5 on Wednesday. 

I was so tired that I felt like crying. I kept hitting snooze and I just kept falling back to sleep. It was 5 p.m. and I sent her a few texts asking if she was home from her nail apt. and she didn’t get back to me. I dragged myself out of bed so exhausted but really wanted to help her. I finally just called her about 5:30 and she said that another neighbor was helping her and she just saw my texts. I went down and we both helped her for a few minutes. We helped plant the rest of the flowers and then we talked about other things that need to be done in her yard. 

Last year Princess Five and I went down and pulled weeds and planted her flowers. I am glad that she will allow us to help her and am glad in some small way we can pay back all the good deeds her husband did for us over the years!

I am glad that I was able to get out of the house today and was able to get more done today (actually all night) as I have visitors coming tomorrow. I need to get my house in order before they come but I have been so tired I haven't gotten much done in weeks. 

I am going to go to bed now and pray I an get some decent sleep. There are just so many things that need to be done! 

Have a blessed day!

Whopper of a Day - Migraine and Service

My day started early with a call to get boxes of food to distribute, but I was fighting a migraine and it was rough most of the day!

 I distributed boxes of food in the morning and then filled my car with cases of items the food bank has overages of and was distributing those most of the day. 

Yesterday, I also distributed most of the day. Usually when I distribute, it is perishable items that we can't fit in the freezer or fridges. However, I had 2 cases of about 12 different items in my car and would just have people get a box or bags and "shop" around my car. 

At lunchtime today, we went to the senior center who opened their doors for lunches after a year of drive through lunches due to Covid. One of the workers from the food bank was sharing information about how they can apply for a federal program if they make under $1300 a month for a few box of food a month. She also shared how a single person can make just under $2000 and still get help from our food bank giving them another box per month. 

Once they finished lunch, they "shopped" around my car and then I distributed from my car at different spots around town to bring awareness to the food bank and was able to help a father who had just gotten custody of his daughter was put into foster care after she was taken from her mother a year ago. I helped a woman whose husband is in jail and she is working a few jobs trying to support her family. I helped a woman who thought she didn't qualify by making more money that allowed but I was able to show her that she qualified. 

I met a Hispanic mother of 2 who has friends that are undocumented and I gave her directions to the food bank and the hours we are open and asked her to share with them where and when they can come get food without prejudice as we recently heard that some children were going hungry due to fear of deportation. We are looking for ways to reach out to them. I was grateful I was led to meeting her. 

It is amazing how many people I got to meet or talk to just because I had a car of food to give away! 

I was grateful at days end that I started feeling better in the afternoon and hope that I can sleep in as I am exhausted! It has been two very busy days! 

Have a blessed day!

Neighborhood Service Project - Lot Clean up

A few weeks back, I felt like I should contact my neighbor whose husband passed away a few years back to see if I could help her in her yard. 

My neighbor had a huge garden and gave me produce all summer long every year. Since he passed away, and the year before his death, he didn't garden and his plot has been sitting empty and his tools are rotting in the shed. 

I asked another family in the neighborhood if they would help me clean off the garden lot and they said they would. I wish I would have taken "before" photos of the lot, but as usual, I didn't think about taking pictures until we were almost finished. 

I felt very sad when my helping neighbor hit his head on the swing set and got a small cut on the top of his head that alarmed his children as head cuts bleed lots. We got it cleaned up and sanitized and then finished off the lot and it looked great! 

The owner of the lot appreciated the help as that area has been in shambles for years. My favorite part of the night was when their four year old threw a fit at home saying she wanted to come help me! She kept saying, "I want to help!" so I would show her how to rake, carry bricks, drag sticks, put stuff in the garbage, etc. I loved when I looked over and she had the rake upside-down and she was dragging it around. It was so funny! 

I loved that they got all seven children out there at some point to help! I have great neighbors!

Have a blessed day!  

Helping My Friend Clean Her Basement - Retry

I spent 10 hours plus yesterday helping my girlfriend to clean her basement for an inspection. I haven't helped her for a month or two but she really needed my help. 

I helped her straighten up her pantry which I organized a few months back. I helped her get all the VHS tapes out of the house from different areas and stack them in the garage which her daughter listed for sale with some other items I thought should be sold verse donated. 

I helped her sort all her DVD's and put them in cases from her car and reloaded the cases with new DVD's as she travels several times a month out of state with her kids. 

It was a long day of hauling boxes and cleaning and I am glad she decided she didn't want my help today as I was sore and tired. I am glad I am in a position to help others. Today I did some work for the food bank and I know if I had a full time job I wouldn't be able to do the service I am able to do. 

I am blessed. I hope you have a blessed day!

Another Day of Service and a Rainbow From My Mom

I got up early to a call saying that there was a truck full of boxes full of food that needed to be distributed. The local church brought in thousands of boxes of food to our town and each church unit took loads of boxes to distribute to family in need.

They did this two weeks ago and through miscommunication, there were four full pallets left and they didn't all get distributed and were put into the fridge at the food bank. They weren't able to distribute that many and some items had to be thrown away. That made everyone make sure that all the boxes got distributed this time. 

I spent the entire morning delivering boxes. When I had one box left, I said a prayer to know what family might be go to share the box with and a family I don't know very well came into my mind. I thought that maybe it would be offensive to offer them food since I didn't know them well but decided to follow that inspiration I felt. 

It started to snow during my last few deliveries and when I took up that last box to the door, I was really glad it was my last. When I got to the door, I saw a rainbow sign that was really bright and the worlds were "Over The Rainbow" and if you read this blog, you know that "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is the song that my mother sang to us each night. Here is my first post about that. Since she has passed, I get little messages from her and see rainbows in my life, usually when I have some stresses.   

I ran back to my car to get my phone so I could take a photo of the sign. I guess there is a woman who they pay to make a new sign every holiday and she comes to their home and changes out the words part. I thought that was a  creative business for a high school student. 

I felt like my mother was guiding my life from beyond and I appreciated that note on such a dark day!

I hope you have a blessed day!
                                                                                                              

Long Day At The Food Bank

I had a board meeting at the food bank today. I have been on the board or volunteering there for coming up on 20 years. 

Our food bank is going through some changes and the board has quite a few new members as we are trying to increase the members of the board and get people with different abilities on the board. We are so grateful that they are willing to serve.

We have new members that have connections with grant writing, some with policies and organization business, some in newspapers and advertising, another with the city, another is one of the most wealthy in our community so he knows almost everyone through his business, one has experience in fund raising, another well known business person, and some from interfaith councils. 

We have never had a board with such diverse people in it, or as many people on the board. I am really excited to have a strong board for the first time in those 20 years. When I first got involved, we had a good board and then we lost the director with family issues, we moved into a new building, and things started going downhill with the economy / grant issues. 

Recently, grants are up now again with COVID and we finally have more in the accounts. Things are starting to move. There is a big food drive coming up and the satellite offices we have in the outer smaller towns are all starting to get bigger. We are looking at ways to bring in more donations and inform community members about the programs and who can qualify. 

Things have gotten really cluttered as they have been storing diapers in places other than the warehouse as they get taken regularly as they are a high cost item so they give one package out as needed, but it is getting a bit crazy as they have to lock them in offices and closets so they don't disappear and / or run out. 

I spoke to several workers, and we came up with a plan on how to rearrange some of the storage rooms where we can put shelving to store those items and to stop having so much clutter in the office space. 

I am excited for things to start getting organized and more professional as it has been a bit crazy with lots of volunteer turnover and I look forward to maybe getting stable workers / volunteers in and getting it running as I know it can. 

I am grateful that there are so many people who care about the success of the food bank and who are willing to volunteer and donate. 

One of these good workers took his stimulus check and purchased a tool box and tools that can be locked as the tools keep disappearing. 

We get volunteers that have court ordered service hours, and sometimes things go missing while they are doing service. It is a hazard of the situation as we are one of the only service hour options in the area. He has limited income, and I thought that was so sweet of him to use his "widows mite" to do something for the food bank when so many others take and never pay it forward. 

He is a good example to me. I am headed back in the next few days to help organize those rooms and hopefully, having the offices cleaned and not being used for storage will help the workers feel more at peace while working. 

Have a blessed day!

Helping My Friend Again - In God We Trust Moment

I told my friend yesterday that I would come and help her husband finish up emptying out that room to get the drywall and carpet done next week. 

I didn't feel comfortable working with her husband alone in the house being single for propriety, so I told her to call me when she got home after teaching. She said it would be about 11:30 but after 2, I texted asking if they needed help. 

She said she had just gotten home and they were going to eat lunch and I should come in about 15 minutes. I went over and her husband and I hauled out the heavy long shelving and then ripped out and cut phone lines and pulled the old phone off the wall. 

I pulled up the carpet and rolled it up and unscrewed the sliding doors to get the carpet out of the closet. It was so hot in the house that I was dripping sweat. They laughed when I came up dripping. I guess the big basement room gets really hot, and the upstairs fringe rooms are cold with smaller vents. 

As I was heading to get into my car to leave, there was a penny on the ground just in front of my car. I had to take a photo of it. I smiled as I had been talking with my friend the night before when I left and we were talking about how I wish I felt good enough to get a job where I could work 12 hour shifts but just don't feel like I am in good enough health to work 12 nursing shifts. My sweet friend said to me, "I think when you get to heaven, money isn't going to matter, you will be blessed for all the service you do." 

I know she is right, that there is more to life than making money. I found a sign last month that is a quote from Albert Einstein stating " A life lived for others is a life worthwhile" I got a call from a woman in our church leadership over the women tonight asking about some women I have been helping and without giving details, I was able to let her know which may be in need of help. After that call, I realized that my sweet friend was right, and I realized once again that money really isn't what it is all about even though more money would be helpful. People are what matters. I just need to be reminded sometimes.

Have a blessed day!