Wonderful news about the non-profit! We have several counselors interested in donating their services to our organization. We hope to continue planning the kick-off event at the end of the summer. The website has been launched, although nothing new to add to it...it is an outlet to get us started. Things are moving slow, although partly due to my extememly busy schedule with the summer. I am looking for logo ideas and will begin a media blitz soon with local hospitals, funeral homes and churches. Please continue to keep us in your prayers. God has opened doors for us and I pray that He will guide us to make this grow.
"There shall be eternal summer in the grateful heart." -Celia Thaxter
It's been a busy summer so far for the Ledbetter's! School is out for Starling and Ginny Grace. They have both been home for the past 3 weeks. The spring semester is over for me as well, but I started teaching a summer course 4 weeks ago. I've got 2 weeks left. It's been a nice change of pace, but I am ready for a summer vacation too!
We've been on the go since June 1st. I'm afraid by the look of our schedule, we'll be moving along until the end of July. It will be a busy summer! There are events almost every weekend for the entire month of June and July. With Ginny Grace's birthday, both Miss & Teen Arkansas, softball, Jaime's graduation, along with baby showers, fundraisers and family get-togethers....we are swamped!
Friday, June 12, 2009
Monday, April 20, 2009
A Guest Speaker
We had a guest speaker at church on Sunday. Dr. Gary Oliver, Ph.D. spoke about how to have sovereign joy in our lives. This man's story is just incredible. It makes mine seem so minuscule. To learn more about his ministry and if you're needing a little relationship counseling, he's your man! www.liferelationships.com
"People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness. They point each other to flashes of light here and there, and remind each other that they reveal the hidden but real presence of God. " -Henri Nouwen
"People who have come to know the joy of God do not deny the darkness, but they choose not to live in it. They claim that the light that shines in the darkness can be trusted more than the darkness itself and that a little bit of light can dispel a lot of darkness. They point each other to flashes of light here and there, and remind each other that they reveal the hidden but real presence of God. " -Henri Nouwen
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Remembering
As part of the planning process for this non-profit, I thought it'd be a good idea to connect with other bloggers who are dealing with the loss of a loved one. I find the most compelling are those that are fresh off of the loss and are blogging to demonstrate release. The two most heart breaking are of those who have lost their spouse. The links are listed under favorites on this page.
Here's my perspective. I've felt and seen this too. I've seen it happen to my mother, twice. She's a very private person and probably won't ever blog, although she's talked about writing a book for a long time now, but she can now talk about her loss. My dad's been gone for 22 years and Wes has been gone for 6. (Wes is another chapter in our lives.) I never understood her side of it, until I got married and found that kind of love. But let's not demean the loss of my father either, mine is from a different perspective. It's the most life-altering occurrence that's ever happened to me.
My loss was horrific. I was only 8 when daddy died, but I remember the day vividly. I can tell you who was there and how I felt -- like it was today. I saw him in the casket in the church after the funeral was over, we walked up to it, I saw him and then walked out. To this day, I do not view bodies in caskets and do not join the procession during a funeral for the viewing. I see him each and every time I see a casket. I still feel the deep pain when I was told he died. I feel it every time I hear of a child loosing a parent or someone who looses someone they love. My entire family is reminded of it at every holiday, birthday and event. It's numbed as I've grown older, but reading all of these blogs about people dealing with death, the pain comes back. But this reaffirms why this organization is so important and the mission stands.
There has always been one constant friend in my life, who has been beside me since I was born. Can (the nickname I gave her in high school) is one of the people who accepts all of my faults. She's my first cousin, her mother is my father's sister. We are only 3 months a part. Goodness knows if she weren't as heaven-sent as she is, she wouldn't speak to me today, because I was so stinking mean to her growing up. All of my anger and spite from loosing dad, unfortunately some of it was taken out on her.
She's become a big part of this new organization. She's participating in every step and has generated some great ideas. Thank you Can for being a constant in my life.
Now for some hopeful news! We've got great ideas in the works. Let's pray God leads us to make them happen.
Here's what we're working on so far:
Free bereavement counseling
Social Security benefits and education
Fundraising
Hospice, funeral homes and hospital connections
The Mission Statement:
The Mike Starling Foundation was founded to help young families who have lost a parent or child unexpectedly to death. Our goal is to alleviate the immediate financial burdens encountered when such tragedy strikes and to help with the emotional loss by providing counseling, if the family would like it.
Here's my perspective. I've felt and seen this too. I've seen it happen to my mother, twice. She's a very private person and probably won't ever blog, although she's talked about writing a book for a long time now, but she can now talk about her loss. My dad's been gone for 22 years and Wes has been gone for 6. (Wes is another chapter in our lives.) I never understood her side of it, until I got married and found that kind of love. But let's not demean the loss of my father either, mine is from a different perspective. It's the most life-altering occurrence that's ever happened to me.
My loss was horrific. I was only 8 when daddy died, but I remember the day vividly. I can tell you who was there and how I felt -- like it was today. I saw him in the casket in the church after the funeral was over, we walked up to it, I saw him and then walked out. To this day, I do not view bodies in caskets and do not join the procession during a funeral for the viewing. I see him each and every time I see a casket. I still feel the deep pain when I was told he died. I feel it every time I hear of a child loosing a parent or someone who looses someone they love. My entire family is reminded of it at every holiday, birthday and event. It's numbed as I've grown older, but reading all of these blogs about people dealing with death, the pain comes back. But this reaffirms why this organization is so important and the mission stands.
There has always been one constant friend in my life, who has been beside me since I was born. Can (the nickname I gave her in high school) is one of the people who accepts all of my faults. She's my first cousin, her mother is my father's sister. We are only 3 months a part. Goodness knows if she weren't as heaven-sent as she is, she wouldn't speak to me today, because I was so stinking mean to her growing up. All of my anger and spite from loosing dad, unfortunately some of it was taken out on her.
She's become a big part of this new organization. She's participating in every step and has generated some great ideas. Thank you Can for being a constant in my life.
Now for some hopeful news! We've got great ideas in the works. Let's pray God leads us to make them happen.
Here's what we're working on so far:
Free bereavement counseling
Social Security benefits and education
Fundraising
Hospice, funeral homes and hospital connections
The Mission Statement:
The Mike Starling Foundation was founded to help young families who have lost a parent or child unexpectedly to death. Our goal is to alleviate the immediate financial burdens encountered when such tragedy strikes and to help with the emotional loss by providing counseling, if the family would like it.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
It's just me
I'm finally doing it. I'm a journalist and an educator and I keep telling myself I need to jump on the multi-media bandwagon and start blogging. I'm doing it for a number of reasons...all probably very silly. Here we go!
First it's for my family. I have two precious daughters. A friend of mine started blogging and telling about her kid's doctors appointments, milestones, etc and it was a neat way for her family to follow along the joys of motherhood. I'd like to do the same, but I'm not quite as nice as Erin. I tend to get a little moody and frankly I'm afraid I'll post something I'd later regret. So this may be a trial and error thing. I do want to share the joys of raising my girls. They are both incredible! I am just in love, love, love with them.
Starling is almost 7 and she is changing every day. She's gone from this high-strung little girl to a very mature and high maintenance first grader. It's been an interesting change this year. More on her later....
Ginny Grace is almost 3 and she is a whirl wind of fun. She's talking a lot now and we've become consumed with potty training and independence. Our days are mandated by her wants and behavior. It's fun!
I have the most patient man on Earth as a husband. He's not so sure about this blog thing, but we'll see how it goes. He's a sports nut at heart and hates writing, so I seriously doubt you'll see his penmanship here. Bless his heart, he deals with a household full of girls every day. There's the wife (me), 2 daughters, a precious lab named Miss Leddie and the newest edition...a quite cat named Clara. He doesn't stand a chance. He's learned all about the color pink, hair bows, Hannah Montana and can tell you the name of every Disney Princess. Ryano is a good guy.
Second it's for my hobby. I'm trying to get a non-profit off of the ground and I'm struggling with a number of things. It's a bereavement organization dedicated to my father, who died when I was 8 years old. I'll talk about the challenges and goals of getting that started. It's in the early stages, but I am thrilled at what we're trying to do. More to come about the Mike Starling Foundation.
Third it's just for me. As a journalist, I am constantly writing and grading...sometimes I feel like I'm consumed by it. I love my job. I am a teacher at the U of A and it's been by the grace of God I'm in a classroom I love. I enjoy writing, but I am a terrible editor. I am afraid I'll look back at this in embarrassment and see the mistakes I'll make in grammar and punctuation. Just don't tell my co-workers.
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