A Minnesota Thank You

My boss started my 8:00 am one-on-one meeting this morning differently than any other one prior. Before launching into our abundant tasks and to-dos, he stopped and asked, “Liz, are you ok? Really? ” My first business reply was “Sure, I’m fine” while I internally thought “It shows that much?!?”

I have been feeling quite discouraged these last few weeks.

And now 13 hours later with a mysterious story and a box of so many wonderful things unwrapped and sitting before us, my spirit and my families’ spirit(s) have been rejuvenated. Thank you. You are not ordinary women. You are earth angels.

Our little beleaguered family has been on a nine year journey of somewhat unending health care crisis after crisis; starting first with my son being diagnosed with a bone disintegrating disease (all gratefully under control now) to my husband battling disease and infection of the colon culminating with the removal of the organ over a year ago. His recovery has not been easy and it is no where yet complete. We thought this last month was going to be the conclusion to his suffering but instead, somehow, he has ended back at the beginning - battling disease and infection in the digestive tract.

We have faith. Truly we do. But this last twist of story has been extremely disheartening and discouraging. And amongst other strange and disturbing life events these last couple of weeks, one of my son’s best friends has been in a horrible accident and now sits in a coma in a hospital. While praying for restored faith and health, our hearts have been broken.

I didn’t know how to get the zip and zing back again and so I’ve been praying…”God, help. We need it. I don’t know how. I don’t know what. But my family’s spirits need to be uplifted and restored.”

And then our doorbell rang this morning! Nothing like a mysterious beautiful box being delivered by two mysterious beautiful women to peak our interest and distract us from our discouragement. We followed instructions and opened it all together tonight. It was so deliciously difficult to wait for the children to get home! We opened the box (and boxes and boxes) together, one-by-one and smiled more and more. From each beautifully wrapped box to each (beautifully chosen and written) verse to each gift you hit a familial “Bingo. WoW. And growing sense of awe.” Who? Why? How wonderful! How incredible!

We don’t know who you are (which is…I have to admit part of the fun… that will continue to give. We will forever be looking into everyone’s eyes “are you one?”) but you must know us because you ‘hit it out of the park’ on every single gift - giving us the gift of restored hope on so many different levels. Thank you for answering prayer so quickly and so perfectly. We are all sending each of you the biggest celestial hug possible. With gratitude and love, L S, Minnetonka, MN

Thank you from Evansville, IN

I just want to thank you for the generous gift to the Fuller Center for Housing! It is a wonderful organization helping so many people. They refurbish homes in desperate need in the US and build from scratch internationally. The donations are used to fund their efforts. Interest free loans are made to the homeowners to be repaid over time. As the principle is repaid it is used toward another home. Thus your gift will continue to give again and again. Thank you for supporting my efforts to rsise awareness of and help end poverty housing.

Angels among us!

What a blessing you all are! My husband is almost through with his stem cell transplant phase of treatment. We have been cared for by friends and family for this whole journey, but now we can say that we have angels among us as well! Thank you for this gift! I have used some of it to spruce up the house for when he returns. I want our home to be a healing place and I feel like having it clean, tidy and maybe a little prettier will help him feel better faster. Maybe it's just for me more than for him. Either way, I feel grateful that a need has been met by strangers. I look forward to the day when I can do the same for someone in need. This is a testimony that God Does supply all of our needs!

Thank you in Nashville TN

Today I cried tears of joy for the first time in a very long time. I was at work when our receptionist told me that two women were waiting for me at the front desk. Very confused, I came to meet them and realized that they were complete strangers. They asked my name, handed me an envelope, and ran off before I could ask who they were or who the letter was from. I opened the envelope. Inside was a sweet note saying that I was being prayed for, cared for, and supported by a group of women. There was no signature or names listed. The envelope also contained a lot of cash. I am completely floored as I have no idea who sent this to me.

This card could not have come at a better time for me. Last summer my boyfriend of 3 years passed away in a car accident and I felt like my life was over. He was my best friend. The one person I could always count on. I’ve spent the last 9 months being angry at God for taking such a wonderful person too soon. I’ve questioned by own beliefs, blaming myself and agonizing over his absence. I’ve had good days and bad days…trying to remind myself that there’s a reason I’m still here and that good still exists in the world. The past few weeks have been pretty bad and I keep my pain to myself because I know how uncomfortable it makes other people, and most of my friends are young and have no idea was it’s like to lose someone or what to say. Today, this little gift I received gave me something I thought I had lost…hope. You always hear stories about random acts of kindness and “paying it forward” but actually experiencing it is completely different. I feel humbled, grateful, and awe-struck. Thank you thank you thank you to whomever sent this to me. You have given me so much more than a card and money. You have given me hope and reassurance that in spite of all the pain and darkness, there is still good in the world. I am blessed. Thank you.
~S

Thank you 12 EXTRAordinary women

On Wednesday I received a call from Grace advising she was with a group called 12 ordinary women and asked if she could stop by my office to drop off a gift. I was a little confused at first since I did not know Grace and had never heard of 12 ordinary women, but she briefly explained that she had been told my story of the struggles I had recently been having of my 5 year old daughter going through her 3rd open heart surgery the day after Christmas, all while dealing with just finding out my husband of 7 years had left me, while pregnant, for another woman, I had also suffered a miscarriage, and was blindsided by it all.
Although our stories were not exactly the same, Grace said she wanted to meet me and give me a hug because she had been through something similar. These days I welcome any and all hugs I can get, but I advised I was not at work on Wednesday because my daughter and I had been diagnosed with strep throat on Tuesday and we were both home on medication recovering for that. She planned to stop by my office on Thursday a little after lunch.
Grace called me on Thursday and I met her down stairs in the lobby of my building. She is such a beautiful lady! She introduced herself, gave me a hug, and we briefly talked about my daughter and what the future holds for her. She then handed me an envelope and said this was for me, and that the only stipulation is that I must use it on myself. I thanked her for coming by, gave her another hug and went back to work. At my desk, I opened the envelope to find a beautiful card, and shockingly $300 inside!!! I am still in a bit of shock. I still don't know much about 12 Ordinary Women, how they learned of me, and why I am the person they choose to bless.
What I do know, if that I am eternally thankful and want to express my gratitude to Grace and the 12 EXTRAordinary Women!!!
I promise, I will do something small for myself, but as I said before, I had missed 2 days of work this week due to my daughter and I having strep throat, and I wasn't sure what I was going to do about the missing pay because of that, and I believe God once again sent all of you into my life and just the perfect time. Once again, Thank YOU from the bottom of my heart!!!

AP

A thank you from Matthews, NC

Just a few minutes ago, our family received a knock at the door and to my surprise, two extremely cheerful and smiling ladies asked me if I was Gary Henry. They explained that they had a "gift" for me, and handed me a greeting card. Before I could even view it's contents, they had already gone. Inside was a substantial amount of cash, which absolutely floored me & my wife.

What have I done to deserve this? Was I even worthy? I had just gotten home from a week-long stay at the hospital and knew that the incoming medical bills for all the blood tests, medications, EKGs, ultrasounds, MRIs, an endoscopy procedure, CAT scans, X-rays and emergency care were soon going to be rolling in, and I had prayed for good health and the ability to weather what lay ahead financially.... but I never dreamed that two special women would answer my prayers. God works in such mysterious ways!

I am speechless that such kindness still exists in the world today. I feel extremely BLESSED to have survived the medical problems which caused my ER visit, and though I still face an uncertain future with Stage 4 kidney failure, I will live each day to it's fullest knowing that there are still kind-hearted people in this world WHO CARE! A simple card would have sufficed in cheering me up, and I will most likely PAY THIS GIFT FORWARD to someone even more in need.

God Bless the 12OrdinaryWomen organization.GH

I am blessed!

I wanted to thank you for the wonderful gift you left at my door today. I am blessed to have people in this world who know me and know my faith has helped me through some very difficult times of late. I am doing well and know that God is with me every step. He has given me grace and strength to continue to see His plans for me. I give thanks every day for His mercy and guidance. I continue to strive to be the kind of person that He would want me to be and become that person every day through prayer. God is good. Thank you so for your kindness shown to me today! : )

Thank you for the gorgeous flowers

I don't know who you are, but I guess you know who I am and I want to say "THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE GORGEOUS FLOWERS" that I received today, Wednesday, March 12th. WOW is an understatement of How Your Beautiful Flowers and the Note attached touched My Heart!!!

"I Sing Because I'm Happy, I Sing Because I'm Free, His Eye is on the Sparrow and I know that He Watches Me!

May God Bless you and your 12 Ordinary Women Group!!

Again, Thank You.
Love and Blessings,
G M

Underwear and shoes...

On my drive home from work I was asking myself who needed underwear the most in the family. Then I asked myself how can cut corners here and there to make sure we have enough gas to get to therapy, get the kids haircuts, get my husband some much needed shoes and pay for car maintenance...

...I came home and my husband handed me your card and your gift.

I went in my area and wept. I'm humbled and am so thankful for your gift.

Thank God and thank you all so much.
AW