Holidays, Busy Days

Wow, I'd almost forgotten how busy we could be during a holiday. People are calling for information and my email is up - fortunately, no bad calls.

I hope everyone has a good SAFE holiday.

See you online,

Gayle

A holiday this way comes!

This weekend is Memorial Day Weekend. Filled with barbeques, sun (we hope) and fun. But it can also be filled with stress, drinking and short tempers. Holidays mean calls. I can only hope that this weekend will be easier than some. You never know. We'll have the phone on forwarding and hope for the best. The best is that no one needs us. But, we'll be here if you do.

Have a good, safe, Memorial Day Weekend.

The computer is down.

Hi all,

The computer is going to be down indefinitely. Comp USA wants almost $200 plus parts. That's not in the budget. This will impact what I can do from home. We're having some health issues with my daughter. So, if you need me, call me.

Speaking of calls, I just got one of those. Every so often you get a reminder as to exactly why we are here. We talked about options, safety planning and I gave her some general information. She said that just knowing that someone is on the other end of the phone is a comfort to her.

I feel priviledged to be there for her.

Sat. - Computer issues: Note to All

This is a note to everyone who's emailed me. The laptop is definitely having issues. I'm borrowing one for the next little bit to try to get to everyone. I may have to return the computer before getting it all done. Please bear with me on this. I'm doing the best I can.

Many thanks to our group and forum moderators! It's times like this that you folks really shine. I don't know what I'd do without you!!

Grantwriters anyone?

We're having some computer problems so I hope this message posts - or at least saves.

Oh and, cross your fingers! We may have found someone to help us find grants. That would be a relief.

Office staff would be really nice. :)

Late for class. -- Ooops!

Maybe I shouldn't have checked my email after posting last night but I think I did the right thing. Someone emailed asking for a membership packet to go to a friend "ASAP". After reading the message I couldn't say no. Even though it meant being late for class the packet was mailed.

The person needed help for her daughter and encouragement for herself. The kid is a teenager. There's no crisis center where the live. And would we please, get it to her ASAP.

How do you say "No" to that?

Fortunately, the people at the class understood when I called. I want to thank them for that.

Prayer Journaling Made Easy

Class time tonight! Yea!!! I'm off to Strawberry Plains UMC with Prayer Journals, notes and folders in hand. :)

See you tomorrow.

Wow! We've been busy...

We're out of brochures already. Wow! That means that since ordering in March we distributed over 500 of the Work We Do - not counting what we printed ourselves. We've been busy. I'd better go print some more, get ready for tomorrow's class and get on this email - there's always the email. And, I still have to get the eBay advertising program checked into, hope our eBay person shows up and get on the money trail...

No money,no money.

Rats! Rats! Rats! I called for information on a grant just found out that Target is also out of funds for this grant cycle. This is getting to be like finding a needle in a haystack. Wish me luck!!

Sunday: A a day of rest right??

Not! But I'm tickled. The eBay person didn't show but a volunteer is helping me assemble prayer journals for Wednesday. I can't wait for the class! :)

Saturday, in again...

I've talked to no less than 2 board members by phone already today and have found myself back in the office. Who had plans for a rainy Saturday anyway?

Good news! With luck, we have a volunteer coming to help with the eBay store. Yes, you can cross your fingers for us!

I'm also checking out an advertising program someone told me about, trying to upload a press release to the website about Wednesday night's Prayer Journal Class & finishing last week's To-Do List.

C-ya online,

Gayle

What is a regular routine?

Ok, now the volunteer who was going to help with the eBay store for the first time today has called in. Her son is sick.

Forget what I said yesterday about a routine. What is a regular routine? I just took a call from someone who asked if Hope for Healing.org had any materials we could donate to a ladies conference. We used to have notepads but we're out. We're also broke. It would be a good idea if we had the funds.

Speaking of which, I forgot to order the brochures...
And, I have a letter to write which one of the board members has asked me for...

Regular routine.

I'm just in from attending a ladies meeting this morning. Lori has already phoned in sick again today. She's our part time staffer who helps with the eBay store. There are a couple of phone messages to return. I need to order brochures and answer the email.

Is anyone short on email? If you don't feel like you have enough to answer please let me know. We need volunteers for that too you know? Then, there's the phone. Then, there are the boxes from Scently Divine. I can't wait to go through them and see what we can list. eBay is slow right now. Who wants to be online when Summer is finally arriving?

Speaking of summer, that means our annual meeting has to be planned. It also means we need to get going on our Summer newsletter, preparing a display for the Holston Annual Conference AND it means getting ready to receive more phone calls.

Domestic violence is higher in the summer months. The weather is hotter, days longer and tempers shorter. Paying for a hotline means selling more on eBay, hoping the grant from Target comes through and praying that we have volunteers to work on the hotline and volunteers to help sell on eBay.

Speaking of volunteering, does anyone have extra time on thier hands?

Right place, right time.

Today's theme is RUN. Stop. Run some more. Next time I make a to-do list please remind me to keep it less than a mile long! My How To Use Your Bible Class is scheduled for 6:30 pm at Strawberry Plains United Methodist Church. Still on the list is a quick run to Morristown, a stop in Jefferson City and then on to Strawberry Plains.

Absolutely NO time for the unexpected. None!

But, the Morristown appointment was incredibly short. The lady I was supposed to see in Jefferson City wasn't there and my hair was bugging me. It was Two and a half hours before I needed to be at the church. That should be plenty of time. A phone-ahead call was made and I turned my car to the style shop.

The thing is, when you work for an agency like Hope for Healing.org no matter where you are, no matter what you do, you are always "On". People know this. They count on it. There is no "down" time. Inevitably, IT always comes up.

My haircut took 20 minutes - about the same as it always does.
I was there almost 2 hours.

Why?

Someone needed to talk.

She wasn't in a crisis but she needed someone. She wasn't in crisis. Her life wasn't turned upside down. Memories of what happened a long time ago had been bothering her.

And for the next while, she talked. I listened. I saw a thin woman revisit a horrifying event from her teenage years. She trembled. Her voice waivered. She told me what happened. She told me about her life now and her years in-between. How she'd been devastated at first and then she told me how over the years she'd reclaimed her life and found security in her family and job.

And in the end, she said she'd like to make a difference for others. Did I think that she could? Did I think she could be a help to someone?

How do you tell someone that you are completely in awe? Do you come right out and say "You're my hero"? Or do you worry they'll think you aren't as serious as you really are?

I told her that she is already making a difference.
I also told her something else -
that it wasn't her fault.

She said she knew that logically.

Now, she knows that emotionally too.

After that, the How to Use Your Bible Class went well. The people who came seemed to learn and have a good time. We did get started a few minutes late but no one seemed to mind.

If I seemed distracted tonight please forgive me. Part of me was still in the style shop talking to a young woman watching her transform from a victim to a survivor.

Thanks,

Gayle

Whoops!!

I just went to upload a few weeks worth of blogs and lost them in the transfer! Technology is great - when it works and when the user hits the right keys instead of the wrong ones. To those who typically read my blog, sorry about that!! I'll be sure to upload calendar highlights in the next day or two. That will catch you up on all the "Hope Happenings" going on around here.

We've been Busy! I can't wait to share.

C-ya online,

Gayle

Donations on Sunday Afternoons

Tammy is the big-hearted owner of Scently Divine, a wholesale candle company, in Morristown, TN but she is also an angel to us.

On Mother's Day Sunday, in memory of her mother, Tammy's generosity shined brightly. We became the grateful recipients of a pick-up truck load of clothing and 1/2 a mini-van full of items donated to Hope for Healing.org.

We appreciate this! So does the shelter we contacted. While some of the items will be listed in our eBay store some (especially clothing) will be freely given to area victims.

By helping us stay online and serve others directly through our office Tammy will never know the amount of good she did. Chances are she'll never meet a good many of the people she will have helped. But we will and we are grateful.

Tammy, thank you for this act of kindness you've shown.

Simply,

Gayle

PS Thanks to, for the volunteers who helped us load and unload at the office. Where would we be without folks like you?

Did you see us at the Crafts & Collectibles Mall?

We were in the booth on the end under the big sign that said "Boat Storage". If you missed it, be sure to come in the fall! All the visitors had a great time!!

Everyone at Hope for Healing.Org wants to give a heartfelt "thank you" to Amy for donating space to us and to Shinn for coordinating everything. The weather was perfect and we couldn't have asked for nicer neighbors. :-)

The Hope Quilt was displayed in all its glory! We handed out flyers, brochures and talked to people.

We also want to thank those who left a donation or bought a bottle of water. We covered our expenses with a sixty dollars to spare. Those funds will go into the general budget of Hope for Healing.Org. It'll pay for brochures or a few months worth of internet access so we can reach others. Please pat yourselves on the back!

To the woman who's friend died because of domestic violence I want to say thank you for creating a quilt square in her memory. Both you and her family will be in my prayers as will the lady who stopped by to say thanks for the encouragement - That's what we are here for.

Thank you to the gentleman who gave me the opportunity to talk to your son. Because of attitudes like yours there will be one less abuser in the world. Maybe one day, my job won't be needed.

To all who gave pause to look at the quilt or stop by our booth, may God bless you.

C-ya online,

Gayle