Monday, April 30, 2012

Welcome to OUR Workshop

Sometimes one little spark of kindness is all it takes to reignite the light of hope in a heart that's blinded by pain. -Barbara Johnson

You are cordially invited to our workshop.  Take a look at what has been happening here in recent days.  Thank you to each and every person that has been a part of this project to date and to those that are busy praying, shopping, baking, and preparing for a successful response in other creative ways. 




The donations are steadily streaming in and my hope is still to have enough bags for all of the Moms Children's Center in time for Mother's Day.  That being said there is still time for you to help!  I am still accepting donations of all kinds.  There is a lovely plum bin on my porch.  I am waiting a few more days to begin the mega stuffing process.  I am hoping to receive a few more of several items and I'm hoping that you can help me reach that goal.

I am appreciative of every single item that is generously donated.  I am often asked what do you need? I have listed the toiletries and comfort items before, but there are also some really creative ideas that come in each year.  Take a look...


I love these photo holders! :)

How cute are these cards?  There is a tea bag in the little basket on the front of the card and really sweet messages on the inside of the card!

These handwritten cards brought me and the team of ladies that were working with me today to tears.  They are so tender and will surely bless the hearts of those moms who receive them on Mother's Day.


I have been inspired by the stories that have been shared with me again this year. Stories of friends getting together to create bags and to bake homemade cookies.  Stories of kids wanting to be a part of this time with their mothers. Kids are making  things for the moms.  There have been offices that have pulled money and donations together to make a difference. There have been the small world -BIG GOD kind of stories. It has all been so very amazing and such a blessing. I have also been inspired by the outpouring of my faithful supporters who have helped me now all four years in a row, those that have come back for multiple years, and also for the new faces that have joined along this year!  I am so grateful.

If you are interested and wishing to help stuff bags this year, please be sure to email or comment here on this blog of your availability this week and in the earlier part of next week.  Please indicate your availability of  both dates and times.  I'll do my best to have multiple days where folks can help out and be a part of making a difference in the hearts of so many moms this year.

One more thing...I am also in need of a few more boxes...Can anyone help me get perhaps about five to six more?

Are you inspired?  What will you do with that inspiration?  Now is the time to act...
I'll be back with more updates later.

With a Grateful Heart,

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Mother's Day Project 2012 - An Update

The Mother's Day Project is well under way and from where I stand, things are coming together nicely.  I am eager to see the amazing things that will come together to make this project a success again this year.

Here are a few updates that you might be interested to know...

1. In my day to day travels, I have noticed that Target and Michael's both have a nice selection of appropriate bag items in their dollar bin areas.  Michaels has sadly raised their prices to $1.50 for most items but that is still a reasonable price.

2.  Target is carrying the Mother's Day bags this year in their dollar bin area. 
I grab every one that I can find when I happen by our local Targets.  If you see any more, would you grab them? Please leave a comment if you need reimbursement for these bags.

3.  I am looking for someone who might be able to contact Chick-Fil- A on behalf of our foundation.  It has come to my attention that they are giving away a book that a Mom and child can create together in their kid meals.  Klutz is the publisher of the book.  I need someone who might take on the task of seeing about getting some of these donated and/or purchased by Chick-Fil-A or Klutz.  They are really sweet.  Again, leave a comment if this task is of interest to you.

4.  I am also pursuing the possibility of having a volunteer staged here at my house for the BIG Stuffing Week.  I was hoping to have a person in charge of opening the door, greeting volunteers, and getting them started on the tasks that are needed to be done. 
If you have availability the week of April 30- May 4th during the day and are willing to camp out here at my house for a few hours at a time, please leave a comment or email me and let me know.

5.  Are you available that week to stuff bags?  Please leave a comment or email me the days and times that you are available to stuff.  I am putting together a schedule now.  I need to make good use of our time and I am hoping to get a few people together at the same dates/times. 

6.  Just a few tips if you are new to this project...

You really can donate just one item.  All items collectively work together for a greater purpose and accomplish amazing things.  Imagine the possibility of making a difference to just one human heart, it matters.  Yes, one roll of lifesavers will be appreciated and bless a mom in need.

You can make a bag in memory or in honor of a special person in your life.  You can fill the bag with items that remind you of that person.  This bag can be different from other bags because these are not conference bags. The moms will not take opportunities to compare the contents of their bags. 

You can donate a variety of objects or several of the same item.  For example, maybe you have a ten dollar budget. You can send along ten notebook/journals or you can send ten different items, maybe a journal, a pen, a word search book, etc. 
Trust me...this is one of the most amazing things to witness come together.  In the past three years, there has never been an overabundance of one item and a complete deficit of others.

The economy has been hard on a lot of families...we are in need of time, talent, and treasures.  I need help with stuffing, writing letters of encouragement, prayers, and also shopping, etc. In years past, I have received monetary donations and need shoppers to purchase items for the bags. There are plenty of ways to be involved.  Don't let a lack of funds stop you from being part of this project. 

The number one question that I am often asked is "What do you need? What should I donate?"  There are endless possibilities of contents to be placed in the bags.  Listen to your heart, follow your nudges, suggest items that are comforting to your own heart on a bad day, etc.

Do you turn to Starbucks on a bad day?  Maybe a small gift card to Starbucks would bless a fellow coffee lover.

Do you turn to a hot bath and the latest issue of a favorite magazine?  Bath salts, bubble bath, scented soaps, books, magazines, and lotions might bless someone.

Do you love to get lost in a good story?  Maybe pass along a copy of your favorite book. In general, books with small short encouraging stories, like the Chicken Soup series, are always useful.

How about a good movie?  Walmart often has good movies in the $5 bin

Are you like me and find comfort  and inspiration in music?  Cds and Itunes gift cards might be the answer that you land upon.

There is a subway restaurant within the hospital.  Gift cards for the mom to grab a sandwich would also be a blessing.

There were days that I did not have the opportunity to shower.  I felt disgusting...How did I cope?
I was gifted travel sized toiletries like deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, and smelly lotion.  An added bonus was mascara, lip gloss, gum, and breath mints.  There were so many people in the hospital  to talk with on a daily basis but who wants to have an intelligent conversation while sporting fuzzy teeth and stinky breath?  I think overall, the doctors understood my place in the world but I did feel better about myself when these items were available for me to use.  I was blessed to be in my own community where my family and friends could be an amazing support to me.  Others come from all over our country and the world to receive medical treatment.  These moms have NO ONE to love on them while they are here with their child.

I have long hair.  On the second or third day of no shower or without the time to dry and style my hair, I often turned to clips and hair bands for a stylish updo or ponytail.

If you know me, you know I cry.  Soft tissues were an absolute essential.

I spent hours on word searches.  They were mindless and could be done even with the many interruptions throughout my time at Jeremy's bedside. Did I mention, that I could never find a pen?  Those are always welcomed additions to the bags.

How about notepaper or journals for the moms to record important information or to even journal through their thoughts.

Prayer shawls, other homemade items, and handwritten notes of love and encouragement meant the world to me.  I saved every one and they covered the walls of Jeremy's inpatient room. Don't ever underestimate the power that our human hearts have to love on one another, even strangers.  Are you crafty? What might you be able to make that would be a blessing to someone else?  Some of my favorites were scarves, blankets, bookmarks, note cards, cd's of inspirational music for me and for Jeremy to listen to...

I thank you for the interest in this year's project-together we will make a difference in the hearts of many moms who are in need of our love.  Please feel to leave comments or contact me if you have any further questions.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Ready, Set, Go!

For weeks now there have been Mother's Day bag items delivered to our doorstep or to me personally while out and about! I can't even begin to describe how elated I am to see that there are those, like me, that hold this project close at heart and are already preparing for this year's project, even without my formal announcement.

To cut to the chase...Ready, Set, Go! The Mother's Day Bag Project 2012 is here!
I am thinking we need a catchier name? Any ideas???

This year is unique. A new Children's Center has been built and will open this month. How does this change our project? There are more patient beds in the new Children's Center. As in previous year's, I will leave the final number of bags delivered up to God. He has a plan and I will serve merely as His vessel to accomplish this mission for Him, that is of course alongside of all of you! That's because this has become a HUGE effort, ONLY made possible by the collective effort of so many folks out there!

So, let's rise up together and make this project happen again this year! Here are a few details to get us started...

1. 205 is the new total number of patient beds in the new Children's Center. Yes, you read that correctly, there could potentially be 205 mothers in just one of the hospitals in our very own community spending Mother's Day in the hospital with their child. Sadly, there are more...

2. A girl can dream... I am aiming to donate bags to the respite homes within our area that feed into that hospital as well. That number is an additional 58.

3. NEW GOAL = 268 bags!!!! Can we do it? Yes, WE CAN!!! LET'S DO IT!!!

4. This is not a conference gift bag. What does that mean? The bags do not need to be alike and their contents will not be compared to one another. This is an individual and personal gesture to a Mom who is spending Mother's Day in the hospital with her child. Donate whatever and anything that speaks to your heart. Any donation however small or large will work and collectively be a part of something so AMAZING! Monetary donations are also always appreciated in any amount as well. We have shoppers who are ready and willing to serve. Checks can be made payable to The Rays of Sunshine Foundation, LLC.
and can be mailed to this address:
Rays of Sunshine Foundation
9 Newburg Avenue
Suite 201
Catonsville, MD. 21228

What does serving in a project like this look like?
Serving here means giving of your time, talents, and treasures. Just like every recipient of the bag is unique and is in the midst of their own journey, that means every giver is unique too. It will mean something different to each and every person that chooses to particpate this year! I am hopeful to get the support of those faithful supporters that I have had in the past as well as some new help too! I can't help but to wonder of the nudgings of your heart that are whispered from above...where those nudges will lead us, who they will impact, and in what ways? My golly, I get goosebumps of these wonderings tonight. Any doubt that this is real? Ask me and I'll tell you some amazing stories of the many ways that so many others became the hands and feet of our Lord, angels on earth, that loved us through the most horrific time in our lives...
Need more details?
Are you gifted with prayer? Could you please keep this project in your prayers that we might fulfill the desires of our Lord and meet the needs of those individual Moms that receive these bags this year?
Are you interested in serving as my assistant to this project this year? I could really use some help in this leadership role this year...Contact me with questions or your interest in serving in this role.
Do you work at an office or have access to paper boxes?
We need lots of those! You can leave them on my porch or contact me for further information.
Would you be willing to purchase or donate funds to purchase the actual gift bags used for this year's project?
Do you have hours of your day that you could serve as a shopper or to help stuff the bags?
We will need both jobs filled by multiple individuals the week of April 30th -May 4th. Yes, I am a bit ahead of the game but there is glory in planning ahead of the game!
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Are you gifted at writing notes of encouragement? Have you considered writing a note of encouragement to one of the moms or more? Do you make cards that could be used by others to write these notes of encouragement?
Can you donate an item? Any item? Could you donate two or more of that same item? Ideas to follow in subsequent post...
I have seen with years of doing this project that the items placed within the bags, seem to round themselves out all on their own. For example, there are NEVER a overabundance of granola bars and an absence of something else. What does that mean? Follow the whisperings to your soul. What would bless you in a time of need? What are your favorite go to items on a hard day? Chances are that very same thing that came to your mind would bless someone else. Trust me, just go with it...Now act on that nudging!
Are there folks out there that you could share this project with? Do you know of any areas of business that might donate something to help with this project? Any creative ideas would be most appreciated.
A box will be on my porch to receive any gifts that you generously offer at this time.
Gifts of any kind can also be mailed to the above mentioned address. Any other questions? Please contact me or leave a comment.
I thank you and am grateful from the very bottom of my heart...
From one broken hearted Mom, on behalf of so many this year... let me assure you of this, it will matter, it will make a difference, no matter how you choose to participate this year, it will bring comfort to someone in need, and you will be a part of changing a human heart. Just do it!
Wanna know something else? You will be blessed in return...I promise!