We are ALL Overwhelmed

Something that I have realized lately is that everyone has something hard they are going through.

What seems hard to me, may not seem hard to you. What seems hard to you, may not seem hard to me.

But it is enough to take our thoughts away from reality and bring that overwhelming feeling. Some people find it easy to hide their pain. Some wear their pain on their shoulders. But either way, every person that you come in contact with, or just pass by in the hallway at work, church, or in the aisle at WalMart, have something that they are dealing with that just might make them not see you when you pass by. Or they might be short with you when they are waiting on your table.

Maybe you don't hear from someone for a while. Maybe they are just going through a hard time and don't want to share their pain with anyone else. Maybe someone lashes out at you for seemingly no reason at all. Maybe they are just going through some pain that you know nothing about.

I say all this to say, maybe you need to give someone the benefit of the doubt next time they say or do something that offends you. Maybe they just need prayer for their circumstances. Maybe that is their cry for help. Maybe they need that soft answer just to show them that someone cares. Just think of the help you can do if you give a soft answer and are able to pray with them or just for them. Think of the blessings we can all be a part of if we would just think of the other person when we are offended instead of ourselves.

Smile of the Day

I received a letter today.
It was from a guy that Mike met in R&E. Mike sent me a letter to send to him and I decided to add him to the list for the Card Swap that I do through Prison Talk, Elsa's Inmate Card Project:

a support group for individuals who have loved ones incarcerated called Prison Talk. One of the programs some are involved in is entitled Elsa’s Inmate Card Project. How it works: The members of our group will swap names of our friends and family for holidays, birthdays, etc. We will then send out greeting cards to the men and women who’s info we received in the swap.

Anyway, I was so taken back by his letter. Well, I'll just tell you some of what he said...

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy life to write me. Yours and Mike's letter meant the world to me. Y'all are really the only ones that have wrote me other than a few of my family members. Thank you once again. Now I want to tell you thank you for getting me on this card list. (Elsa's Inmate Card Project) Your the first and only person I have ever met other than Jesus Christ that has ever went the extra mile with me. There are no words to explain the feeling I have right now!! ... If I do have a envelope to spare I will write to tell them how thankful I am of them for putting a smile of my face and heart. It does make you feel like your loved, cared about and not forgotten about.

He went on for a few pages telling me about his family and talking about his time with Mike.

The reason I was so taken back my his letter was just the fact that I had only told him about the card project and let him know that he was added. He only has received 1 card so far, but to see the thankfulness in his letter for going out of my way to do something that I am enjoying so much, it just made me feel like I actually matter and that I really can make a difference.

Now on to trying to show my husband that same feeling...