Hello all you generous donors and bidders!
Today is the last day to bid on items in the Emily Jones Memorial Fund Auction. Lets get the bids up as high as we can to help out Emily!
Today is the last day to bid on items in the Emily Jones Memorial Fund Auction. Lets get the bids up as high as we can to help out Emily!
Yesterday I got an email from Emily. With her permission I want to share it with all of you because I think it is really meant for all of us.
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Hey Stephanie,
I don't have a reason for writing this e-mail except to tell you that I think you are the most amazing girl I've (n)ever met. I've spent all day online trying to figure out what I want to do with my life...looking for possible careers and graduate programs and ultimately feeling so discouraged that I put my head down and started to cry. Photography was my "backup plan" for getting through medical school, but I'd never thought of a backup plan for being a single mom for the rest of my life. Anyway, it's been a hard day. To make a long story short, I gave up on my future and decided to spend some time looking at your blog instead.
I can't explain the overwhelming feeling of love and hope it gave me to see how many wonderful people there are in the world. Some of the people involved in your auction are my friends but most of them are people I've never met. I am deeply grateful for both. All of the items are adorable and things that I would bid on myself if I were in the position to do so. I was also amazed by how generous people are being with their bids.
How can I thank all these people? How can I let them know that this means more to me than just monetary relief? I don't know how to explain it. I have the hope that comes from faith, but there are times when I've felt so lonely and scared of facing a future without John. But feeling loved by so many people dissipates the fear and loneliness.
I can't explain the overwhelming feeling of love and hope it gave me to see how many wonderful people there are in the world. Some of the people involved in your auction are my friends but most of them are people I've never met. I am deeply grateful for both. All of the items are adorable and things that I would bid on myself if I were in the position to do so. I was also amazed by how generous people are being with their bids.
How can I thank all these people? How can I let them know that this means more to me than just monetary relief? I don't know how to explain it. I have the hope that comes from faith, but there are times when I've felt so lonely and scared of facing a future without John. But feeling loved by so many people dissipates the fear and loneliness.
I don't fully understand why you are doing all this for me, a perfect stranger, but I want you to know that you have changed my life. Someday I hope I can find ways to support others the way you have supported me. You're an amazing example.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for everything you're doing.
Love,
Emily
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To me THIS is really what Christmas is all about. Honestly, I was a bit worried about trying to find and feel the magic and joy and love of Christmas this year. The second Christmas after a death was proving harder than the first. But between this auction and a service project my husband headed, I think we have felt more of the true Christmas Spirit around here than any other Christmas.
There is something about giving to the point of true sacrifice that really fills your heart with the love of Christ. I hope all of you will keep opening up your wallets and hearts enough to feel that too.
Thank you to all of you for helping me and ESPECIALLY for helping Emily.
