Hope In The Time of Crisis

People around the world are trying to come to grips with the loss that took place in Oklahoma on May 20^th. No one would have ever dreamed this type of devastation was looming. And of course if you have children in your family it’s always heart-wrenching to hear about the loss of a child. As a parent you can feel the families’ pain.

So what do we do in times of tragedy such as this, how do we heal? The best remedy for dealing with our own pain and emotions is to reach out and help someone else. If there is an upside to such emotional devastation it is that our humanity is revealed during these times of trial and tribulation.

Is there some way you can lend a hand to the people of Oklahoma? Now more than ever they need to know that the world is watching and bearing their pain with them. So what are some things we can do to help? Here are some suggestions.

·         Pray – even if we aren’t physically able to be with the families and communities in Oklahoma City we can pray for them. Yes God is there with them during this time, but we can also be there for them in spirit through God’s love and healing power. They need our strength and prayers as they try to pull their lives back together

 

·         Give – many organizations will be offering assistance to the victims during the days , weeks and months to come. Contact some of the reputable organizations in your area to find out how you offer assistance such as your local Red Cross or your local church. These families will have to rebuild from ground zero, so no matter how small find something that you can give them to help them on their journey back to wholeness

 

·         Start a love circle – get others on social media to send positive energy to the folks in Oklahoma. Text, tweet, use Facebook to encourage others to send love and positive energy to Oklahoma. They need our strength

 

·         Tell someone you love them – often when tragedy occurs so quickly many people can have regrets.  Maybe they didn’t have a chance to tell a loved one how they feel about them, or maybe they didn’t have time to reconcile a strained relationship. The injured are actually lucky in this situation, they escaped with their lives and an opportunity to live another day. Anyone could find themselves in the situation of the people who lost loved ones. Be sure the people that are dearest to you know how you feel about them always

 

In your own way, offer help to the people in Oklahoma. They need all our support right now.

What Are You Doing To Help A Child?

I'm sure we were all amazed by the headlines this week, women rescued after being abducted in 2003. According to neighbors, in hindsight there were 'questionable' activities going on in the Castro house. Could the neighbors have done more to rescue these individuals sooner? We'll never know the answer to that question. All we can say is thank God they were rescued and are now reuniting with their families.

But I think this situation highlights something greater. That is, we all need to be vigilant and look out for one another, especially the most vulnerable in our society. No, we may not all be living next to a kidnapper, but we need to be more observant of those around us.

So you say, how can I do more to help a child? For those out there who may be a teacher, a volunteer our community activist, look for signs in the children around you. Do they seem withdrawn or under distress? If they've built a relationship with you, find an opportunity to talk to them. Find out if something is wrong and if you can help or advise the necessary authorities.

Teachers if a child is constantly absent from school or are withdrawn; you need to check on them. It could be a sign that something is going on in the home. There may not be a situation, but what if there is?

If you know of a family with children that are experiencing a difficult time lend your support to them. Maybe you can host a backyard picnic and invite the family over. Or maybe as you do your weekly grocery shopping you can pick up an extra bag of groceries for that family. If you don't know anyone directly in distress, contact a local family shelter and find out how you can donate.

As kids prepare for the summer holidays, offer to have these kids join your kids at their summer program. If you can, help a family prepare their kids for back to school.

Always look for opportunities to help someone else. You may think its a small act but it could make a world of difference in the life of a child and their family.

In closing, I leave you with this. Let's take care of each other. Some wise words once recorded are "God has no hands but our hands. He has no feet but our feet". Let's allow God to work through us!

Summer is just around the corner and that means your kids will have alot of free time on their hands. Have you made plans for them? One of the big problems is they get bored around the second week of vacation. Despite plans for your long awaited vacation, that's only a couple weeks. What do you have planned for your kids for the rest of summer?

Here are some suggestions:

• Summer school (I know, the kids are tired of school but find one that's loads of fun!)
• Summer camp (there are so many to choose from)
• Local library activities (many local libraries offer programs to kids of various ages)
• Church summer programs (churches often host summer programs, find out about the church near you)
• Community programs (many communities host their own programs for kids)
• Start your own program (if you have the time and the resources, start your own summer program)

Summer doesn't have to be a drag for you or your kids. Start planning now and make this the best summer ever. And while you're planning, think about back-to-school. That's right around the corner as well. Start looking for deals that will help you save time and money.