I've always been a person who didn't like to ask for help-for myself that is. It's a difficult thing to be vulnerable to others, to accept generosity in all its forms. I have been thinking about this for months. Jeff and I have talked about how much in awe we are of the kindness of so many. You would expect your family and friends to shoulder a burden or two on occasion but strangers from all over is quite another thing. Its perplexing and yet humbling the sheer beauty in humanity.
A couple of years ago we turned off the TV in our house and turned on conversation and reading. The nice thing about doing that was 1. To cut the TV addiction of my family, 2. To tune out the garbage on TV and 3. To read online or watch video highlights of the most important news we wanted to know. We no longer wanted to be the receptacle of so much filth pouring into our home, our minds and our attitudes. After all, we do have a choice, right? Much of what we saw was horrible, negative, and sometimes disgusting "news". Well, what I think is news worthy are all the hundreds of people who have shown such amazing acts of kindness to our family. It's not just kindness or goodness it's godliness- the light of Christ that has been blanketed over our family. Matthew 25:35-36, 40 "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in. Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison: and ye came unto me. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." We were hungry and thirsty, without clean clothes or basic needs all of which was brought to us at will at the hospitals we stayed. We were sick with grief and in a prison so to speak of the most immense pain and anxiety over what life would hold for our daughter, our family, not to mention whether or not she would even survive the first week. Church family came to mow our lawn and clean our house. Friends took care of our pets and wrote us letters. They and those we didn't know sent cards and gifts, food and money. Friends and strangers alike have come together to organize one fundraiser after another. Donations, whether of clothes for the garage sale or monetary came from all over. The garage sale alone did not just bless our family it blessed the families of those who participated and those who with little money cried because they needed inexpensive furnishings for their kids as they were starting life over. The goodness of God was seen and felt everywhere at every turn. We truly were a stranger to thousands who prayed for our family, who prayed for Jaimee to survive-we were a stranger and taken in by your hearts and minds wrapping your love around our fragile family. Your strength made us strong: Your faith buoyed our own: Your encouragement helped us put one foot in front of the other. What would this world be like if we didn't have one another? Our Father in Heaven is such a loving God to give each of us so much purpose and meaning in each others lives. How grateful we are for the knowledge that we are all brothers and sisters in a much larger plan.
At Northridge hospital there was a little boy from Palmdale who was next door to Jaimee's room, his name was Matthew. I never met him but he impacted our lives nevertheless. His family arrived a couple days before ours. He drowned in the backyard of his grandparents pool and lay there severely injured. We came to know the family really well as families do in these situations while minutes and hours go by day in day out all waiting for some kind of hope. In the process of waiting they found out we were Mormon and asked for a Priesthood blessing for Matthew. I think it was the third day we were there and still in all our grief and not knowing what would happen to Jaimee we found ourselves praying for Matthew, comforting his family, having opportunity to serve their family with a blessing, it was ironic and wonderful at the same time; strangers brought together under the most difficult of circumstances supporting each other and hoping for the best outcome. Sadly, Matthew died and yet in all their grief while Jaimee was for the first time showing improvement, they reached out to us with a loving embrace and encouraged us and said they would keep praying for Jaimee-such kindness and unselfishness after having loss little Matty. Nothing can describe what that was like except that our families will always share that experience. Thank you Matty for letting us be there for your family and for them being there for us.
What are the lessons in life we are suppose to learn? I often ponder this question. What is it that God wants me to learn? How can I make His purposes manifest in my life? I am still working on it, hoping for the clarity to come when its needed and that I honor my Heavenly Father in the process by being grateful for the experiences along the way. I'll let you know how it goes...
Mardee
