Thanks

 

Good Morning

I just want to say thank you to everyone for their kind words and encouragement during my grief. I do appreciate everyone of you. I am slowly recovering from Hollye's death. I still cry but not as many times a day as before. I think of her many times during my day. Her death made me reevaluate my own life. I had become comfortable in my zone. God reminded me of a promise I made to him several years ago about the children I meet. I promised to make a difference and present them with the opportunity to either accept Him or reject Him. In the last couple of weeks we have had two 19 year old you men die. One from and overdose of pills, the other shot himself in the head. The young people in our community are crying out for help, but we have failed to answer that call. It seems that every spring we lose at least one young person in some sort of tragic way. Each time I am angered an upset because yet another child is gone before they really get started. Some of them will have missed graduating from high school or college, finding a mate, getting married, starting a family, earning a paycheck. Who knows one of these young people could have possessed the knowledge for a cure for cancer, or HIV, or some other catastrophic disease. We will never know. The time has come for me Mama Peaches to get back to the one thing I enjoy the most, reaching out to the young people in the community. God made a way for my WLS and the weight has come off. Last year this time I weighed 280 lbs, today I weigh 163 lbs, not at my goal but I'm so close I can smell it. I feel better and have more energy than ever. I even have an appointment with the plastic surgeon this month. We have ten days left of school and this summer I will begin a program that will provide lunch for the kids, some tutoring, and Sidewalk Sunday School. I am so excited! Life is precious, time is short, stop and smell the roses in your life. Tell them how sweet they smell and just how much you love them. Again thank you my WLS family. You guys are the greatest!

I am really sorry to hear of all of the tragedy you have had to deal with of late.   It has to be very difficult when so many things happen all at once.   You are so right about getting comfortable in our zones.  I think we all do that, but it's great to hear that you are getting back to your mission.  Just try to remember that your responsibility is to give the encouragement and truth these young people need to hear, not to produce the right results.  The results are always good to enjoy, but we don't always know when what we say really does impact someone in a positive way.  We ususally know when they don't get it, but often never learn about what tragedies may have been avoided because of our influence. 
Your outreach to young folks is an inspiration and lesson for all of us to do what we can to meet the needs of others and to not get too comfortable in our zones. Someday, you will learn about all of those positive results that you don't know about today.  That will be a great day.   Keep up the good work.   I'll pray for wisdom and strength for you as you continue.
Steve

Hi Peaches,

I'm so glad to hear you're doing better and moving on after the loss of your friend. Our dearest friend was killed by a drunk driver 20 years ago, and like losing a parent, it gets easier as time goes by. Something we will see or do will remind us of Michael and we'll get quiet for a minute and remember him. He's never far as long as we keep his memory alive.

Take care my friend, you're doing wonderful things!

You know Mama, my motto has always been if God brings us to it, HE will bring us thru it.  You have had quite a burden to carry, but God chooses HIS strongest to carry his load.

Know that we are here for you, we love you and will wrap our arms of prayer and love around you any time you need it.  Good for you for getting your mind on the youngsters.  They need love and POSITIVE direction more than any other group I know.  Thats why my house is very seldom w/o a teenage nephew.

Much love and hugs for you!!!

Rhonda D.

It is scary how kids get into drugs, etc and it's such a waste.  Someone at my kid's school got caught with pot today.  My 12 year old daughter came home and told me about it.  Scary.