Sarah and Sheila--Day 2

Sarah Day 2--

December 2nd is always a bit of a tough day for me. Today marks 6 years since my friend, Corey Rystad, was killed in Iraq. One of the most difficult things I have experienced, and one of the most tragic things I have watched a family go through.

I still remember that Sunday morning phone call. Mom had just 

finished up with a church service, and I was roaming around the church while I waited for her to head home. I went in to her office to grab my coat when I heard her phone ring. When I saw that it was my dad on the caller ID, I didn't think twice about answering the call. "Hey dad!" I answered excitedly.  Dad replied, "Why isn't your mom answering the phone?" "She just finished up the service so I'm grabbing our things." He paused for a second and said "who was that friend of yours that's fighting in Iraq?" At that moment, my heart sank. "Corey Rystad" I said, "why what happened?" The words that came out of his mouth are words that no one would ever want to hear. "He was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq." The next thing I know I was at the front of the church sobbing on my knees to my mom, as she tried to come up with the right words to say. She did what any mom would do, and she held me.

I spent many days with the Rystad's, and did everything I could to ease the pain, just a little. I grew close to the family, and I enjoyed spending time with them. They were so strong. How anyone can get through the loss of a child is beyond me. Corey died a fighter though, and he died a hero. I feel proud, honored and privileged to have known him for the short while that I did.

Today my "something nice" is something little. I sent a card to the Rystad's. It is often hard to know if after 6 years, something like a card saying you're thinking of them will help or hurt. If it is painful for me to think of those memories, I can only imagine how painful theirs must be. I hope that after the years passed, they often think of all of the great memories they made with Corey. I hope that they remember how great of a man he was, and all of the good things he did for our country. He truly did die for our freedom. What an honor. 

If you know someone fighting for our country, thank them. Thank them every day. If you see a man or woman in uniform, shake their hand. We are so blessed to have these people fight for us, this is the least we can do.

Sarah

Sheila Day 2--

I laid awake last night thinking about the things that I could do that might really be a gift to others as we move forward into the Holiday Season.  I love to give!  That is the best part of Christmas for me!!!  However, now I need to think a little bit about those things that can be done to give a little Christmas Spirit to those around me.  I came up with a few ideas to get things rolling and then will just have to trust the spirit to blow me wherever I can to share a little Christmas hope.

I am a pretty good writer, but I am a terrible sender of cards.  I think about folks often, pray for them when their name pops into my heart, but I hate to admit that is typically about as far as it gets.  I "think" about sending cards.  I "think"about it, but unfortunately that is really it.  Today, I got up and opted to write cards to the first 5 people that popped into my mind.  Some have touched my life in a special way this year, some are facing struggles of their own, and all have left fingerprints on my heart.  Each card is written, addressed, stamped, and placed in the mailbox.  One is for a family who is going for their own tough times.  I added a lil something into that one that might help through the holidays.  It is nothing much, but sometimes what seems like nothing is really a lot to someone else.

It is hard as folks get older to do the things that they used to do for the Christmas decorating.  This evening I went and helped bring up decorations and do a little decorating for someone who needed some help from a younger body more able to deal with the hauling and the steps.  This is something that is relatively easy as it also affords the opportunity to just visit and to learn a little history about life in general.  These times grow me in ways I never imagined.  It also makes me think about how precious my own grandmother is to me.  She is an incredible woman who raised my mom to be an AMAZING mom and I am truly blessed to have such wonderfully strong women of faith in my life.

Tonight I sit reflecting on my day and thinking about tomorrow.  I teach on the reservation in White Earth and there are so many opportunities to grow me through giving there.  I think that I will just wait for the Christmas Spirit to blow through me and sprinkle a little hope on someone there. 

Blessings of Hope,
Sheila