We're all in this together

This is a hard post to write. My friends are hurting and I can’t do anything to stop that. I feel frustrated, angry and sad at different times. Mthc and David are two of the nicest people I know. I have talked to them or at least Mthc daily for the past 2 years probably – and when I say daily I mean dozens of times a day. One sentence at a time, sometimes one word, but she, Eva and I have kept each other sane in this manor. It works for us.

Mthc and David, while special to me, are very ordinary folks. We met on the blogs because of their love of spanking. They were both avid commenters with great insight. They were active in our little community even thought they didn’t have a blog of their own.

But months ago they got hit hard. David had a stroke. It’s left him unable to work. He is home but he is still having serious medical issues. David was the one who worked outside the home. When he couldn’t work any more – well, like a lot of us they had been living pay check to pay check. Now there is no pay check. They bought a house several years ago when things were stable for them but when prices were high. We all know how much home values have changed. They are losing the house and will have to find somewhere else later this month.

They have an older son who is not well and needs to live at home. They have a younger son who needs stability to complete high school. To say Mthc has her hands full is a gross understatement. Like many folks that are having financial problems for the first time all this is complete foreign to them. They have always, in the past, been the neighbor others went to for help. They haven’t been the ones needing it and it’s all confusing just knowing where to turn.

I know many are praying for Mthc and David and while I know that they appreciate it I know that they have to be wondering if God is listening and if he cares. It’s easy to say ‘Of course He’s listening, and of course He cares’ but when you don’t know where you can live and how you can keep your family together these are just words.

So I guess right now I’m feeling frustrated. I want to help my friends but I’m not able to fix thing for them. I have great belief in the power of prayer but I’m starting to realize that prayer needs to come with actions. If I look out in the afternoon and see my neighbor’s house on fire I’m not going to say to myself “Well bless their hearts. I’m going to be sure to pray for them tonight when I go to bed.” No, when I see that I am going to be praying frantically as I call 911 and run over to beat on the door and try to get everyone out! Prayer and action need to go together.

I guess I am just asking everyone to look around them and try to be the answer to someone’s prayer. Maybe you have access to a house or apartment you could let someone use for a few months while they got back on their feet. Most of us can’t do that much but could you fill up someone gas tank? Provide a Wal- mart card for food or other necessities? Pick up a bucket of chicken for a family? Offer to baby sit for someone while they go on a job interview? Maybe just offer to baby sit because you know the mom is stressed and overwhelmed. There are sooooo many things we could do. If you don’t know anyone who needs help ask at your church, your child’s school, ask your friends. There are people that need help folks – they need it now and you might be the one God has designated to help them. Maybe they will be the ones who will be answering your prayers sometime in the future. We just never know.

So how does this help my friends, Mthc and David? I don’t know. But I know that in the past they have been the answer to the prayers of other, I know that they will be again in the future. I am just hoping that the answer to their prayers is barreling toward them right at this moment. And who knows it may be someone who is reading here.