Friday, January 27, 2012

Genuine concern...

Have you ever come upon a car accident and wondered if you should stop or help or anything even though you may be the 10th car offering help? I guess that's the "dolphin" nature in me as I learned from my Leadership St. Joseph class two weeks ago. I always want to offer help to others. Funny thing about personality is I think it is set in stone at an early age. I always wanted to help with our Christmas Bureau growing up and did several projects of community service in 4-H and was one of the first Big Sisters in the BB/BS in Brown County. I even received a pretty awesome quote card from our Theta president when I was initiated into the fraternity at K-State and it still sits in front of me each day at work. It says," After the verb to love, to help is the most beautiful verb in the world,".

On with the reason I am writing this post as I started talking about the car accident. I left work last Friday and was just pulling out of our parking lot and glanced out my back window to see two large vehicles crash right in behind me. One car completely missed stopping at a stop sign and T-boned the other car. They were both only going around 30 mph, the speed limit, but it was pretty horrible. The truck that missed the stop sign had a family of four in it, and the Durango that was hit had a husband, wife and 6-month old baby inside. The family was fine, but really shaken up. The man in the Durango was pinned in the driver's side and his wife I think was in such severe shock that she got out of the car and collapsed on the side of the road.

I didn't really k now what to do as they had already started calling the police. I went around to the Durango and noticed the young woman on the side of the road and was almost paralyzed for not knowing what to do, then I looked into the car and saw the baby in the car seat. The dad who was still pinned in the car was bleeding and asked if I could check the baby. That's when real fear set in. I didn't know if she was hurt or not, and I wasn't sure if I really should have taken her out of the car seat for fear of doing something far worse, but it was 20 degrees outside and the windows were blown out of the car. It was so cold for a baby to just wait there for who knows how long before an ambulance would have gotten there. When I had my car wreck almost a year ago this month, it took the police 45 minutes to get there. I wasn't chancing the baby being that cold so I asked if it was alright to take her out and hold her in my car. The baby appeared fine and wasn't crying.

The police did come within 15 minutes with an ambulance. They took mom, dad and baby to the hospital. I just went on with my day, but was shaken up a bit to think how in an instant all things can change, and it wasn't what you expected your day to go like. I wasn't really expecting to come upon an accident. I am thankful it wasn't any worse. I just knew I had to get out and at least make sure everyone was okay, and help if I needed to. I wanted to keep the baby safe and warm.

On Monday morning when I came back from an early meeting, I saw the mom and dad and baby outside of our work building. They had come inside our office to tell me "thank you", and I was so moved that they would do that. They didn't have to, but I am glad they did. I just said I was really glad they were all okay and it was just something I hope anyone would have done if they saw the accident happen.

It had me thinking over the weekend of how I like to help people, and I am glad I have a job where I feel I can do that each day but also when random things like the accident occur I feel I can also step in and help.

Have you all had a moment where you just knew no matter what the outcome you had to step in and help?

Monday, January 23, 2012

Have you ever had a real "raw" moment?

I am so thankful for Facebook. I feel like I am now closer to my family whom I rarely see. My great aunt Lois and her family live in Minnesota. I have only gone there once to visit them when I was in 5th grade, and I can still remember most of our vacation. It was wonderful, but one of my most favorite parts of the trip was visiting my cousins, Lori, Alan, Kendra and Kristin. We played soccer in their backyard and had a cookout. Lori is Lois and Maynard's daughter who married a professional soccer player, Alan. I remember thinking how cool is that, a professional athlete in our family?!

Fast forward a number of years, and the last time I saw all of them was at my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary in Nebraska. I was so so so happy to see them all in addition to their new addition, Sam. What I didn't know was how much they were all going through at that time.

Fast forward a couple more years until late 2011, and again insert Facebook, I knew Lori had written a book called the "Story of Glory". I am so glad Lois sent me a copy. I put it one my list of nine books to read as part of my 101 in 505 challenge. It was the first book I read. I just finished it last night. I could have easily read it in a day if it not had been for the tears flowing down my face from parts of the book and realizing how little I knew of what as going on within my own family.

I am saddened from all the heartache and hurt that filled their family a few years ago from infidelity. It was truly one of the few "raw" moments of shock and pure emotion for me. Lori and Alan have always been such a beautiful, loving, funny couple and I just broke when I read Lori's story. Thank God for her faith and unrelenting pursuit of understanding His will, purpose and mercy for her life. As I start my own marriage, I pray that Todd grows to know God, seek Him and we can grow together. Alan and Lori's story fills my heart with such joy that they have overcome what seemingly would be the end of any marriage and on the other side triumphed to walk together in Christ. I pray that Todd and I can also do some of the same things such as attend bible study together, pray together and not just attend church and wonder if he really believes in the power of God. This book came at a good time for us, and I cannot wait to share the story with him.

Oh, and if you get the book, wait for the "chill factor" at the very end! What an awesome and mysterious God we have!

The Story of Glory is an amazing read for anyone struggling with a relationship, marriage or a walk in faith. My cousin Lori wrote the book, and I am so glad she was willing to put it all out there to help others.