i have been back on campus for a few weeks now and busy preparing for junior league to come and work at the school, then busy preparing for our teachers to return, and today we got busy preparing for our students return on monday!
a few days ago i did the ALS bucket challenge as a way to raise awareness of ALS/Lou Gehrig's Disease. if you haven't heard about that yet, you've been hiding under a rock or something! i also donated- if you don't really know anything about ALS, please go to http://www.jp2mri.org/capital-campaign.htm. to see how you can donate toward research using adult stem cells. Please consider donating.
although i donated, it seemed rather sterile because i knew the money was, in a sense, going into a big nebulous hole where some fuzzy face would eventually be able to do more testing and research. it wasn't personal.
i mentioned in my previous post that it made me think about my friends who suffer from chronic diseases that are little-known. i was going through my friend lists, and thinking about several of them even today because i cannot shake the thought. i have friends who are struggling with debilitating diseases. lyme disease-joint pain that travels between joints, swelling, meningitis, paralysis, numbness....you can read about one of my dear friend's struggles here-in her husband's words...MD-muscular dystrophy, which comes in many forms; making your body feel weak as if it is aging all-too-quickly....fibromyalgia- weak, sore, tender joints, muscles, tendons;fatigue, anxiety, depression... crohn's- affecting the digestive tract- constantly aware of what they eat and drink, crippling cramps, removal of portions of the small intestines..HIV..heart disease...not to mention friends and family who have gone through and beaten or been taken too soon by cancers....i could go on, but the truth is that for many, you wouldn't know it to look at them because it doesn't always show on the outside. some of my friends go to the doctor for answers, but the answers just aren't there. some of them go through procedures and treatments, but are offered little relief and even more questions arise.
not only do i hold these friends who suffer in high regards, but their families are also heroes. the husbands and wives, children, sisters and brothers...they are the ones who watch on and try to understand; they would do anything to help ease the pain of their loved ones. they are the ones who try not to complain, try to keep the brave face so that they can be the strong ones...
i am thankful for these friends because most of them have deep-seeded faith in God, and while he may or may not take away the physical aches and pains, he provides a certain relief for the soul. even at that though, i know that some of my dear friends go through some very dark times and i believe that God is okay with all of the questions and sometimes the anger that comes from difficult times. these friends are my heroes. they are the unsung heroes who strive to keep on the brave face while inside they are hurting and crying alone when no one else is watching. i LOVE these people.
the challenge made me acutely aware of how much i don't let them know that. it also made me think about the fact that while it is nice to join in and try to contribute to the great cause of finding cures, for me it is far more important to take it down to the personal level. although i cannot make much of a dent in their doctor bills, or pay for their expensive treatments or trial medications...i can still make a difference. i can do something small. a phone call. a letter. a gift card.
i could shout from the rooftops, but it wouldn't take the disease out of this world. so in the meantime, i want to be more aware, more intentional about making a difference in small ways-in very personal and relational ways.
i challenge you to scroll through your list of friends and take note of those you know are struggling in ways that nobody else really knows about, and do something out of the ordinary for them. then make an effort to make the 'out of the ordinary' ordinary. you may be the one who gives them the encouragement that they need to be someone's hero.
Lindsey, Chris and Eliana, Linda, Amy, David, Jewels, Kristin and Kyle, Chris and Robin, Jean and Seth, Jill, Brandy, Susan, Mindy,Thomas, Susie: YOU ARE MY HEROES! (i'm certain i have missed some, and i am guessing that there are some i am simply unaware of).
God is in control even when i don't understand or like the circumstances...and i will praise him because his plans...his ways are higher than mine and i trust in him!
julie
just a blog about a former teacher, turned PD trainer, her dogs and life...and our thoughts all along the way!
Friday, August 22, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
almost a challenge-free summer...
i was positive that i would get through the entire summer without being tagged for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. but no. my dear friend brandy tagged me. at first i thought, "not sure i would've done it for anyone else." i think a lot of these things that people do are silly for a moment of fame. that's why i chose not to do it in front of a bunch of our staff ...i didn't want it to be a spectacle. at first i was just going to do it because it was a challenge from brandy; then i thought about it a little more and here's what went through my head: i have or have had friends that are going through painful stuff- fibromyalgia, chrohn's. breast cancer, lung cancer, lymes, depression...in a HEARTBEAT i would do more than this for them. so, although i do not know anyone with Lou Gehrig's disease, after i saw this story, i know that the more people who are made aware of the disease, the better.
alright, i kinda had a moment and ran out of gas...and got busy before i was able to finish telling about my summer adventures. let's back on up to july 27th.
july 27th was a very bittersweet morning. i had to leave my cousin's house (sad face), but i was on my way to see brandy (yes, the afore-mentioned brandy, who felt the need to tag me in the challenge). brandy and i go way back. we were friends back when i lived in HONDURAS, and we've been back in touch over the last couple of years-which i have loved! so when the chance arose, it was so good to get the opportunity to visit with her!
we met for brunch with one of her dear friends, regyna, in d.c. i gave myself some extra time to find the place, and good thing i did because it was insane trying to find parking for sunday brunch! yikes. but i did...and when brandy and regyna arrived, we ordered the best brunch all you can eat/drink and then i got to sit back (only not literally as we were on stools and i would've fallen off), but i got to figuratively sit back and be entertained by some great stories! bad boyfriend stories, pink eye, and rude concert patrons...there was a lot of laughter! bummer that regyna had to go home, it was great to meet her because again, when you meet friends of friends, it adds a layer to who they are!
i followed brandy to her place, and it was an adorable apt. in a beautiful area. we took a long walk on the trail by her place, and it was beautiful! but more than a beautiful trail, conversation. oh how good it was to catch up-real.
and then we when we got back, we began a sherlock marathon! (really brandy, alien cat? i suppose i should see him in blonde and see if i agree). on monday we had sushi, and that evening we had dinner with another friend brandy knew through recruiting, who was in town with her family. they were so gracious to treat us to dinner and amazing company-so fun!
it was a late night and i felt terrible that brandy had to get up at 3:30am; although i thoroughly enjoyed the amazing cup-o-coffee she brewed up! kept me awake on the way to dulles!
there are so many things i love about brandy! amazing sense of humor, love for people, insightful, attention to detail, art-centric, adventurous, brave, strong...i could throw out a few more adjectives, but the point is i truly love having brandy as a friend, even if she did guilt me into the ALS bucket challenge!
then when i left, it was pretty much straight back to mom and dad's and then back to dallas to get started with my school year again. we'll get into that on another day!
julie
p.s. carrie, bmayes and jackie, hope to see you making people aware real soon!
alright, i kinda had a moment and ran out of gas...and got busy before i was able to finish telling about my summer adventures. let's back on up to july 27th.
july 27th was a very bittersweet morning. i had to leave my cousin's house (sad face), but i was on my way to see brandy (yes, the afore-mentioned brandy, who felt the need to tag me in the challenge). brandy and i go way back. we were friends back when i lived in HONDURAS, and we've been back in touch over the last couple of years-which i have loved! so when the chance arose, it was so good to get the opportunity to visit with her!
we met for brunch with one of her dear friends, regyna, in d.c. i gave myself some extra time to find the place, and good thing i did because it was insane trying to find parking for sunday brunch! yikes. but i did...and when brandy and regyna arrived, we ordered the best brunch all you can eat/drink and then i got to sit back (only not literally as we were on stools and i would've fallen off), but i got to figuratively sit back and be entertained by some great stories! bad boyfriend stories, pink eye, and rude concert patrons...there was a lot of laughter! bummer that regyna had to go home, it was great to meet her because again, when you meet friends of friends, it adds a layer to who they are!
i followed brandy to her place, and it was an adorable apt. in a beautiful area. we took a long walk on the trail by her place, and it was beautiful! but more than a beautiful trail, conversation. oh how good it was to catch up-real.
every once in awhile you just have to live! |
since when do you walk by the slides and keep walking?? |
we realized that we didn't have any pics, so we took a selfie |
and now that it has made it back to my place, whenever i use it, i say a little prayer for ya! |
then when i left, it was pretty much straight back to mom and dad's and then back to dallas to get started with my school year again. we'll get into that on another day!
julie
p.s. carrie, bmayes and jackie, hope to see you making people aware real soon!
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