Please note: If this is your first time visiting our blog, please click here to hear the premise of Pass It On, Baby! and how it all began.... Pass It On, Baby!
Pass It On, Baby! has met so many wonderful individuals along our journey as I know we have told you so many times before. We've connected with so many people that have resonated with our message, shared our message, been inspired to give and so much more! Back when we were first starting out a few months ago, we came across one wonderful woman named Kaye who felt so touched by the story of the family who lost their home in the fire. She contacted us via email about how she too had lost their home in a fire in 2005. She explained the indescribable feeling of loss and although she doesn't have young children with clothes to pass on, she wanted us to know that she would help in anyway she could - even if it was just lending an ear of support to this family. Her youngest step-daughter had even mentioned she would give almost anything to have blogged the journey of rebuilding and coping with the loss. Kaye miraculously had woken up just in time to get her husband out but unfortunately lost their 2 dogs and everything else. So needless to say - she has a huge part of her heart carved out for giving to others especially when the situation we were blogging about touched so close to home. She is a wonderful woman with a beautiful soul.
After getting to know a little more about Kaye, we learned that she has a business of personalizing engraved tiles called EngravedEuniqes. She has so many beautiful ones - tiles with poems, scriptures, family names, memorials, messages of hope and inspiration, wedding vows, sports, sororities - you name it! Anything you can think of. These tiles are absolutely gorgeous! She has been so gracious and generous to offer a giveaway to the readers and followers of Pass It On, Baby! What a perfect fit for us! We both are in the business of inspiring!
So, here is what PIOB would like to do. We would like each of you to comment about a moment or situation in your life where someone lent you a helping hand just as Pass It On, Baby! is doing for families who need it. What was going on in your life? How did this person lend you a hand? What was the impact on your life at that time? Please share with us your story. We will randomly pick a winner from those who comment. We ask that you comment by Wednesday 5pm CST and we will announce the winner on Thursday. If the story is too personal for you to feel comfortable sharing via our comments - please feel free to also email us. This is a safe place though for people to share. We want others to know they aren't the only one's that are accepting these lending hands and not to be embarrassed or shameful in utilizing the gift of Pass It On, Baby!
The winner will get to choose the tile size and the message they would like engraved on their tile. This is a complete "Winner's Choice!" You can check out the different tiles at www.engravedeuniques.com and see Kaye's blog at www.kkscreations.blogspot.com.
We invite you to share your story and the wisdom, strength, motivation and love you gained from allowing someone to help you when you needed it. And as always, we need your support in sharing our message with others so we can continue to help more moms who are stressed be matched up with moms who are blessed.
Thanks as always and GOOD LUCK!
In love & kindness,
I have one particular moment in my life where somewhere helped me out tremendously when we were going through a particularly difficult time. It was December of '07 and Christmas was just around the corner. I had a problem with my foot, which to this day is still a mystery, that caused me to lose my job and landed me on disability. I was not even able to walk for more than an hour a day without excruciating pain. I was stressed because my disability check was already 2 weeks late, I was very broke, and I was unable to buy presents for my kids. As luck would have it, to make matters worse my worn out washer decided to call it quits! I barely had enough money to buy laundry detergent, let alone pay at a laundromat to do laundy for 7 people!I had no other choice but to wash our clothes by hand in the bathtub, which not only hurt my foot, but my back as well. I decided to take a shot and called the local newspaper to place a message on the "openline". It is basically a free post in the paper where people can voice their opinions and such. I asked if anyone had a washer that I could have or buy on payments. My husband already knew that it was unfixable, so repairs were out of the question. The response was overwhelming. Some people had washers for $50, some offered to repair or look at it. However, I called one gentleman who left his number with the newspaper office. When I called him, he asked me several questions about the washer, and asked me about the dryer. I told him my dryer worked ok, even though it took a really long time to dry clothes and the door was held shut with a stick and it did not turn off by itself. I told him I only really needed a washer and I would be grateful for just that. In the end, this kind-hearted person told me that they had recently won a lot of money and their grandkids had everything they needed and wanted, so they were looking to help a needy family for Christmas. Approximately an hour later I had a brand spanking new washer AND dryer delivered to our mobile home!! I was so overwhelmed and speechless! He said the reason he helped me is because I said I would be willing to pay for it, rather than just asking for something for free. He said that he just knew in his heart that we would "pass it on" when the time came. I try to live everyday of my life "passing it on" and helping others when I can, and I am reminded of this message every time I gratefully do a load of laundry! Sharlene in Oroville
ReplyDeleteMy family stayed with Kaye and her husband in April when we were traveling through Texas. She is one of the most kind, generous, WONDERFUL people I know! And her tile workshop is AMAZING!
ReplyDeleteWe've been struggling financially lately, and last week, friends of ours took our daughters' school supply lists and bought everything on it for them! Even new backpacks! SUCH a HUGE blessing! Someone had helped them pay their kids' private school registration fees, and they wanted to pass on the blessing.
We have been blessed many times as a military family. One time in particular was last Chistmas. It was a very hard time for us. My husband was deployed in Iraq and I had giving birth to our Second child a month earlier. Are beautiful daughter did not meet her Daddy till she was 6 months old. We attended a Christmas dinner for military familys with deployed spouses. It was so wonderful, more then I could ever ask for. Santa was there handing out gifts to the children. There was food and laughter, and great people showing there support and trying to give us a holiday that would not only be spent missing are husbands but also with joy and love.
ReplyDeleteOnce when I was in college as a poor student trying to get through nursing school, I needed about $125 more to get my books for the quarter. I was fretting and fuming and attempting to figure out how to get extra hours at work (difficult as a work study student), trying to find babysitting jobs, etc. I hadn't told anyone I was getting desperate, but at my lowest point emotionally, I went to my mailbox. Along with the usual junk mail was an envelope. Postmark was blurred, no return address. Inside the envelope was a cashier's check for $140 made out to me. It was anonymous. To this day, I have no idea who sent it to me, but I was able to purchase my books *and* have dinner the next day (Sunday evenings we were on our own for food).
ReplyDeleteThank you anonymous giver!
My father was diagnosed with terminal cancer and passed away in April 2005. This was very difficult (I was daddy's girl - he was my hero) Since he lived in Ireland, I was doing a lot of travel back and forth while he was ill...and then after to take care of my mother. I had not been back one month in the US before my appendix burst. When it rains, it pours. I was in the hospital for four days - I had also a case of gangrene apparently. Through this all, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law took care of my one year old and two year old boys. My husband had to work during the day, and these ladies were a godsend to us. They helped while I was in the hospital and then also while I was recovering. Thanks again, Bert and Rosemarie. I love you.
ReplyDeleteuswood1@optonline.net
My husband was a Marine and sent to serve in Desert Storm. Our daughter was 4 month old when he left. We were called on Thanksgiving Day that he had to report on Monday to leave. He was sent to California from Alabama to join a unit there and go to Saudi Arabia. He called the week before Christmas and told me they would be getting the weekend of Christmas off and for me to borrow the money from his mom and come to California before they left. I bought a ticket and left my daughter on her first Christmas to go be with my husband before he deployed. Because the ticket was for Christmas time and in a weeks notice it was not cheap. Our Sunday school class took up a collection and gave us $600 to pay off what I owed. It was a true blessing and I did not have to leave my daughter to go to work to pay back my mother in law.
ReplyDeleteQuite a few yrs ago, my husband was laid off & did not have a job for one year. One of our sons was a great athlete and they had a tournament out of state, parents went on a bus, and stayed the weekend. When we went to check out of the hotel, we were told the bill had been taken care of. I burst into tears at the thoughtfulness of the parents to do that for us. Never did really know who paid for it. We have kept in touch over the yrs with some parents. One has had CA, another lost job. We have cooked numerous meals, paid for dinners & lunches to "pass it on". Not just w/ these people, but anyone we know who is in need. Truly believe that is the way it is supposed to be:)
ReplyDeleteLast year I broke my hip during a waterskiing accident (I was only 25 years old) and I was on bed-rest for 2 weeks. As someone who is typically active, I was in misery. I was so touched when all my friends set up different days to visit me, bring me books and games and loan me movies to keep me entertained. That's a true friend and it meant so much to me :)
ReplyDeleteJust last year, my husband was recovering from brain AND heart surgery and we were living day-to-day with no idea how to make ends meet or pay the bills. School was starting and the girls needed so many things we were unable to provide. The Lord provides (as I ALWAYS say!!) My wonderful and kind aunt decided to send us a package with a TON of clothing and school supplies for my girls. Beautiful things, hand-picked by them, with my girls in mind. They sent so many things that I remember crying as I looked through the boxes. New shoes, jeans, shirts, socks, paper, folders, crayons, pencils, you name it. It was everything they needed or wanted and it was such a relief for me. But even more than that, it was a fantastic and awesome feeling to know that we weren't struggling alone. We had someone willing to help us provide for our family when we weren't able to. Not long after, a remarkable woman who called herself "Aunt Deb" heard of our struggles and sent me a check. To be more specific, not just one check, but several. I never met her, or talked to her, but she was a kind christian woman who learned of our situation and wanted to help. We never knew when the money was coming, it just arrived in the mail at different times, but always at the right time. Always at a time when we really needed the help. I remember one Saturday, we woke up early and the house was freezing. Our heat had gone out over night and was broken beyond repair. I was crying because I didn't know how we were going to keep the kids warm or replace the heat. It seemed like all my hope was lost, but there, in the mail that Saturday morning, was a check from Aunt Deb. She was our own personal guardian angel. We bought a heater and the house was warm and my tears dried and we felt so very blessed to be cared for and loved by one of God's angels. Then, the floor in our bedroom fell through. Just like that, one day it was there, seemingly solid, and the next day, our bed was on the ground UNDER OUR HOUSE!!! It was horrible and it was scary, and once again, hope seemed lost. Do you know how much it costs to replace a floor? We don't. We have no idea how expensive it is to replace a floor because we didn't have to. I made a comment to a friend at the pharmacy I use and just like that-problem solved. I was just venting, lamenting my worries to a friend and she said, "Kaleena, don't worry, the Lord will provide!" And He did. A few days later, my friends at the pharmacy made arrangements to come in and fix the entire room. They got the materials donated and the labor donated and I got to help. The ladies from the pharmacy even came and helped me paint. The carpet people let me pick out my new carpet. It was awesome and it was way beyond my wildest dreams. To see these people, most of them strangers, come together to help my family, is something I will never forget. I have never felt so blessed. When it came time to dress Laney for the colder winter months, we were blessed again, with kindness from two lovely ladies who purchased brand new clothing. My Laney was the best dressed baby on the block!
ReplyDeleteI have been blessed in so many ways....as a single mother of two for seven years there were several times when I came across a need and did not have the funds to finance it. However, my children have never gone without..somehow some way the lord has always provided whatever it was...in return when life blessed us with an abundance I have always helped someone else in need!
ReplyDeleteI had recently divorced from my first husband and was working nights and had no money for child care. My kind neighbor helped me by watching my son and treated him as if he was her own child. I will be forever grateful to her for her selfless actions. I had no family and no friends at the time. She truly was a godsend and we are no longer neighbors, but I keep in touch with her and thank God for her friendship! We are so blessed to have had her in our life at that time. Love and miss you Robbin!
ReplyDeletelauraarual22@msn.com
We have been helped numerous times by numerous people. It is always such a blessing when people come together to help out someone else and so uplifting. When we lost our baby @ 18 weeks, so many people came to our aid by making us dinners, babysitting for our other children, grocery shopping, and praying for us and with us. Such a blessing!
ReplyDeletesalty333@hotmail.com
I have many times in my life that I can reflect on where someone has shown me lots of love and kindness and helped me a long the way...please know that even though I choose not to share them all here right now...I do reflect on them from time to time...and try hard to honor them by paying it forward. :)
ReplyDelete