Eleven months ago, my life was changed forever. Today I am not going to directly blog about abuse or forgiveness or anything directly related. I wanted to share something that I wrote about while in Bellilngham, Wa. For 10 days last year we frantically searched for one of my dear friends' missing son. This blog post isn't about me directly, isn't about Dwight directly, but it's about people.
It's about how people come together in good times and bad, It's about how God puts people in our lives for a reason, even if we never know what that reason is or if you ponder the reason over and over. I learned so much during those 10 days in and out of a hotel, tons of tears, hugging, speaking, miles of walking and searching. In such a surreal event I can't even put words to it. But the topic of today is "Caring People". The post I wrote back on 10-4-2010 a couple days before his body was found. People overwhelmed me during this time--more than I can ever express. From those I work with at my job, family friends, total strangers. Here it is:
10-4-2010, Pennie Saum, 11:57pm
Sitting in the hotel room this morning. I was really searching my heart for what was going on. Everything seems so surreal. A kid that is very close to our family is gone, without a trace, pretty much. It's like watching a movie, but you have a fill-in role...if that makes any sense? My one of my closest friends' hearts is being torn out of her chest. His friends have come and hugges us all asking what they can do. Locals from Bellingham have donated water, food, presents, baked goods, hotel rooms, and tons of other stuff; the out pouring from people we don't know is overwhelming -- people drove for hours to come and help on a search team, hand-out flyers and talk to people. Many have stayed up for 14-20 hrs straight helping us search.
I realized today that I was overwhelmed with what God was doing in this situation. Everyday we see so much of the "negative" side of what is going on in our world. Murder, rape, child abuse, drug deaths, arson, theft, and many other bad thing. But through Dwight's situation 18,000+ people have come together on Facebook, hundreds have come out to Bellingham, and many others via text message alerts and the internet news.
I am so overwhelmed that through this situation we, a collective group of people from so many places and faces, have proven to others that CARING PEOPLE still exist!!!
I can't thank you enough for this! It really has slapped me in the face. Have a great night....I will update you all tomorrow.
People need people and friends need friends And we all need love for a full life depends not on vast riches or great acclaim, Not on success or on worldly fame, But just in knowing that someone cares And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers- For only the knowledge that we're understood Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good, And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed The outstretched hand reaching to find A kindred spirit whose heart and mind Are lonely and longing to somehow share Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware That life's completeness and richness depends On the things we share with our loved ones and friends. -Helen Steiner Rice
Love to all.
It's about how people come together in good times and bad, It's about how God puts people in our lives for a reason, even if we never know what that reason is or if you ponder the reason over and over. I learned so much during those 10 days in and out of a hotel, tons of tears, hugging, speaking, miles of walking and searching. In such a surreal event I can't even put words to it. But the topic of today is "Caring People". The post I wrote back on 10-4-2010 a couple days before his body was found. People overwhelmed me during this time--more than I can ever express. From those I work with at my job, family friends, total strangers. Here it is:
10-4-2010, Pennie Saum, 11:57pm
Sitting in the hotel room this morning. I was really searching my heart for what was going on. Everything seems so surreal. A kid that is very close to our family is gone, without a trace, pretty much. It's like watching a movie, but you have a fill-in role...if that makes any sense? My one of my closest friends' hearts is being torn out of her chest. His friends have come and hugges us all asking what they can do. Locals from Bellingham have donated water, food, presents, baked goods, hotel rooms, and tons of other stuff; the out pouring from people we don't know is overwhelming -- people drove for hours to come and help on a search team, hand-out flyers and talk to people. Many have stayed up for 14-20 hrs straight helping us search.
I realized today that I was overwhelmed with what God was doing in this situation. Everyday we see so much of the "negative" side of what is going on in our world. Murder, rape, child abuse, drug deaths, arson, theft, and many other bad thing. But through Dwight's situation 18,000+ people have come together on Facebook, hundreds have come out to Bellingham, and many others via text message alerts and the internet news.
I am so overwhelmed that through this situation we, a collective group of people from so many places and faces, have proven to others that CARING PEOPLE still exist!!!
I can't thank you enough for this! It really has slapped me in the face. Have a great night....I will update you all tomorrow.
People need people and friends need friends And we all need love for a full life depends not on vast riches or great acclaim, Not on success or on worldly fame, But just in knowing that someone cares And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers- For only the knowledge that we're understood Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good, And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed The outstretched hand reaching to find A kindred spirit whose heart and mind Are lonely and longing to somehow share Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware That life's completeness and richness depends On the things we share with our loved ones and friends. -Helen Steiner Rice
Love to all.
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