Caring for Others

Caring for Others

by Sue Graber

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wow, it's been a really eventful week in our family.   Midweek we were informed that our nephew's cancer in his leg had returned and it was going to be necessary to amputate that leg right away; this was a life and death matter.  My husband and I were able to make the 2 hour trip over to the hospital to be with his family.  I was supposed to work that day but I couldn't get anyone to switch hours with me so I made the decision that I was going anyway.  It's important to have a support system and to be one when a "crisis" occurs.

 What do you do when adversity strikes?  One of my very first reactions is to simply pray… asking for God to give me the wisdom to know what to do and the words to say to the person who needs encouragement.  I also share prayer concerns on our church's prayer chain, knowing that as it says in Matthew 18:20: " For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” This is a promise and a great sense of encouragement knowing how much God cares for us, and puts people in our lives to pray.

Staying in touch has never been easier!

If you're like me, you'll probably agree that  it's much easier to stay in touch with people these days.  The hospital where my nephew is has a system where we can directly send emails to him.   It's a great way to let him know that others are thinking about him.   So much of our healing has to do with our attitude and knowing that others genuinely care for what we are going through creates a peace for us and enables us to get better faster.

I've placed my nephew's name on a list in one of my Facebook group — these are "professional card senders" with hearts of gold.  It's my hope that others will reach out to him as well and help him through this difficult time.   You can become a professional card sender too!

Sending out a note of encouragement is a small thing but a very powerful act of love.

That's really what it's all about - taking a few minutes to make a difference in someone's life every day… especially when the tough times come, and they do for everyone at some point or another. It might be someone you know well, or it might be someone you've read about that you feel connected to their story of what they are going through.

As I was researching information on the computer to find out a little more about this cancer our nephew is dealing with, I was led to a website (and I know not by accident) of a little boy who also had cancer.  He passed away today, August 5, and he was only 4 years old.  I don't know about you, but that breaks my heart.   On the website, was the information about his struggle with cancer, a picture of him with his mom and dad, and an address to send donations or cards to.

This is the type of caring that I believe can change the world.  We must every day be thankful for the things that we so easily take for granted.   And we CAN so easily reach out to those, even those we may not have personally met, but who are undergoing something in their life that is in need of comfort, even coming from a "stranger."

Today I was talking to my sister-in-law and she told me how much the cards mean that Alex receives.  She purposely saves some of them back so that he has one every day to open.  Alex is an amazing kid and I am so inspired by him and want him to know that others care.

I believe so emphatically that we can make a difference in so many people's lives if we will walk away from our busy world and maybe even our "comfort zone" and simply reach out to someone who is going through a challenge in their life.

It's an awesome feeling to know that one little card is going to cause someone's day to be better in some small way.       

Is there someone in your life who is going through a really challenging time?   Maybe someone who simply needs to hear the words "I care."     

Come on over to Facebook and let me know if there's someone in your life who needs some extra lovin'.  

Even if you don't personally know them, if they're on your heart, it's a great way to start out your day. And then  PASS IT ON   ….  Let's make  the world a little brighter for someone!

Sue Graber has been happily married for 35 years, raising 3 daughters while working creatively from home as an administrative assistant and a fund-raising specialist. She loves reaching out to others in kindness and is on a mission. She has an amazing ability to teach others how to build and nurture relationships, spend quality time with their families while generating income from home with a greeting card and gifting business. Sue is passionate about showing others how they, too, can make a difference every single day!

Tagged as: adversity, cancer, change a life, crisis, encourging, prayer, send a card, sue graber