Seeing the Compassion of Others

Hurricane Sandy was a doozy! I live in Eastern PA and the wind gusts were up to 81 miles per hour and we got between 2 - 4 inches of rain. Although our lights flickered a bit during the high winds, we never lost power. We did lose our cable and phone for two days, but we made it through the storm virtually unscathed.

What really has moved me the most through the last week is how people are working together to get through this. There were homes and businesses without power for five days; food had spoiled; homes without hot water; schools were closed and there were long lines at convenience stores that sell coffee and gas.

Through phone calls, emails and social media, I've seen offers for people to come to homes to charge their phones and computers, get a warm shower and a place to sleep. I met some men from South Carolina that drove all the way up here with their trucks so they could help restore the power in our area... staying in tractor trailers outfitted with bunk beds.

In times like this I see God working in peoples lives. The love and compassion that people have for one another is truly touching. I know that for some people, they don't even realize that God is at work... they may be motivated by money or a sense of obligation, not realizing they are a tool for God's handiwork. Perhaps the person on the receiving end has lost hope or faith, but these little (and  sometimes big) gestures help to restore what is lost.  We don't need a devastating storm to bring the best out in people... all we have to do is look around and see what it is we can do for someone else. Perhaps it's returning a shopping cart from an elderly person, or pay for someone's coffee at a convenience store. When I see the compassion of others I know God is at work and I am hopeful.

Our Journey to Parks

My kids love to go to the park. My daughter is obsessed with swings and they both enjoy climbing and sliding on the equipment.  Last year I took them to the park maybe three times a month and this year I am trying to go more often. In the past week we've been to five different parks and they are so excited about going to new parks!

Here are my thoughts about each of the recent parks.

1. Bethlehem Twp Community Park http://www.bethlehemtwp.com/btcc/ This park is equipped with swings, a young child play area and a large child play area. It is always bustling with families playing and enjoying the space. The drawbacks are if you are alone with more than one child, it's kind of difficult to keep your eyes on both kids due to the large number of children playing. The other drawback, which my kids see as a plus, is it has a nice pool. My kids always beg to go swimming when we are there, and I don't always have time for that.
2. Commer Park, Bethlehem Twp http://www.bethlehemtwp.com/btcc/  This is a perfect park if you have multiple children. It has plenty of playground equipment and a large fenced yard. Benches are located under trees so moms can relax while the children play. This park is also not too busy, so it's easy to see everything going on.
3. Louise Moore Park, Nazareth http://www.recreationparks.net/PA/northampton/louise-w-moore-park-nazareth This is one of my favorites. There are two full playgrounds about 400 feet apart with plenty of slides, swings and interactive play areas.  The kids run between them and throughout the large grassy areas. There's even a volleyball court nearby, where the kids can play in the sand. The park even has a little picnic table next to the regular table, for the kids to sit and have their lunch.  This park is not very busy and most of the time we have the space to ourselves.
4. I don't recall the name of the park off of Route 512 on Crawford Drive in Hanover Township. This park was not too crowded, has two sets of playground equipment and a very large yard to play in. The kids loved that there was a water fountain nearby and the slide was 'super fast' according to my son.
5. Some of the best playgrounds are at elementary schools. We went to the Governor Wolf School http://www-gw.beth.k12.pa.us/Governor_Wolf_Elementary_School/Welcome.html and they have a terrific park! Two large play areas with lots of equipment and three ball fields nearby gave the kids lots to do. There have some balance equipment, lots of climbers and slides. The one slide was very fast, so the kids loved it. They have a sign, "No trespassing between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.", so there's plenty of time to play there before dark.

We are having fun on our parks adventure and I look forward to seeing how many we can visit this summer... and I know the kids are too!

Until next time,
Sue

Seeing the Blessings

Lately I have had this overwhelming feeling that I am blessed.  I don't have a job, and yet I feel a sense of abundance. My heart is filled with gratitude and hope for the future.  I was sitting with a bunch of friends last night and one of them is older with cancer that has spread to his organs and brain. He was sharing about how grateful he was that he had a chance to go through each and every experience in his life- both good and bad. He talked about how he saw children fighting this battle with cancer, and some of them would never make it to college, or get a job, or know how to be a lover, or get married and have a family. He has 5 children, 14 grandchildren and a loving wife of many years and he is blessed. 

He may be sick and leave this earth, but he is blessed.  He is surrounded by God's light and love; he is surrounded by the love of his family and friends; He has lived a life filled with work, golf, friendship and service.  He is blessed... and I am blessed to be able to call him my friend, but that is not where my blessings stop.

I am blessed that I don't have a job (check back with me to see if I still feel this way in a couple months ;o). This is a time for me to reflect on my past and move into the future. It's a time to look at what's in my heart and move forward.  I want to work for myself- and create a business that will allow me to earn a decent living, yet be there for my children as they move into grade school.  I don't know what to do, how to do it or where the money will come from, but I want to try. I would rather take the risk and give this a try, than get old and regret what if...

I'm learning there are many resources out there. Places I can go to learn, people I can talk to that can direct me to where I need to go.  Believe me I am scared to start my own business, to leave the security of a guaranteed paycheck... (but then again, what paycheck is really guaranteed)?

I am blessed with faith in God, knowing that this is all part of a greater plan. I am blessed with a family that I love so very deeply, and that love me too. I am blessed with an abundance of friends who have been there for me over the years, through the good times and bad.  I am blessed with a roof over my head and warm clothes to wear and I am blessed that you are reading my blog.

Self-Worth and Self-Discovery

It seems like every few days I feel emotional. Today is one of those days. I know that part of change is letting go of the past and sometimes I find myself holding onto things that aren't good for my mental well being.  I think what bothers me the most is when I see something change that I had a part of. I don't know if it's because I've gotten myself wrapped up in what I believe in so much that I can't see an alternate view, or if it's just grieving the loss of something I loved so much.

Perhaps I found too much of my self-worth through my work and not enough through my faith.  I'm one of those people that as a child, I had a lot of negative messages going through my head, and although I am older and have worked through most of the messages, some are still there.  I remember when I was in my 20's I posted little notes around my apartment to change the way I thought of myself.  After a couple years I began to believe in my abilities and really started to grow in my position at work. I gained more and more experience, and was promoted a few times into new roles that I found challenging and rewarding. I invested a lot of time and emotions into my job.

Where do I get my self-worth from now that I don't have a job?  As I mentioned above, I can turn to God for help with this but what else? My children, my husband, my home, my family... a little bit of everything? Perhaps there is more than one reason I find myself without a job and going through this change. Maybe I will learn more about myself than I ever dreamed of.  I know this too shall pass in regards to how I feel today and I must have faith that things are going to be okay.  Self-discovery is a wonderful thing, and I am grateful I have this opportunity.

Until next time.
Sue