Easter Buddies
There are times in our lives when we feel relatively certain, confident even. You know - those times when you're making a familiar recipe and you feel like you could do it with almost no notice and it would just turn out right. But then there are those times in our lives when we aren't as sure when we have to tread much more lightly simply because of the unknowns. We keep checking the recipe card, so to speak, did that say Tablespoon with a capital "T" or teaspoon with a lowercase "t"? Uh oh, I only have butter, but it calls for margarine, will that work, or should I go to the store. You get the idea. Easter Buddies has been both of these things for me over these 16 years. It very much began as the unknown. The 'what can we do?' kind of thing, followed by the 'well if we're going to do this, 'how on earth are we going to do this?' Then eventually to the 'we've got this!' level of comfort; knowing it was all going to work out; maybe not exactly as planned, but exactly as it was meant to.
This year our group assembled 101 bags full of Easter goodies and delivered those to the local children's hospital. But I want to back up from there and tell you more of what went into this, at least from my perspective this year. The week before assembly day each of the ladies lets me know when they have finished their shopping. We all work for the same company so we meet up at lunch or after work and transfer the goodies to my car. I take them to my house, just so I can get them organized before the actual assembly day. You might think by now a bunny or bottle of bubbles would just be that, almost like an ingredient of a favorite recipe, but it is not. This week leading up to Easter Buddies was so emotional for me, I literally teared up with each trip unloading my car. You see, God has blessed me with such incredibly generous friends! I see that and don't take it for granted! ...
Easter
Buddies 2016 (Picture - taken by Joe B (Tina B's husband)
Tina B, Cindy W, Sheri L, Cindy L,
Liberty M (Lauren's Friend), Lauren B (Tina B's daughter), Laurie M
The 2 Cindys and Sheri getting started putting grass in the bags while Liberty and Lauren start in on selecting the items.
Each time I take this picture after setting out the 'stuff' I get emotional. I think in part because I know each of these items will go to a hurting family. I think also in part because I see the generosity of my friends and am humbled.
We always enjoy getting some girl-time while we work. So much to catch up on!
This year pretty much everyone got
a coloring, activity or journal book.
Someone even found one titled "Tina's Toy Clinic" - how funny is that! Off to the hospital it will go!
Once all the bags are stuffed - we attach a poem and a label to each bag. This is our "secret" way to communicate the age range and gender for the staff.
More ribbon tying.
Then the day of assembly comes and yes by now we ladies kind of have this process down pretty well - truly amazingly considering how unknown it once was. We literally just made it up, what the heck? But it has worked. We assemble each bag on purpose, with a specific type of child in mind - thinking of a preschool girl, or elementary boy, or baby girl etc. It can be both joy filled and heart-wrenching. When it is all done we count everything up, we label, and organize. We see and we take less for granted.
I am struck again by how Easter Buddies began with the tragic death of
Jerry Lefeld and a group of ladies who knew they had been blessed to be
a blessing to hurting families. I am struck by the hurting families at
the hospital who they themselves are facing things which they likely
feel very unseen and would love to have some of the things we have taken
for granted back. I am struck again by just what Easter itself means -
the ultimate sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who died and
rose again that we might live eternally! That every tear will be dried
(Here is a link
to a song that speaks of this promise)! Each are things that we want
to remember to see and remember not to take for granted!
.