Thankful Thursday: RAK Kickoff

Faithful Fridays will be temporarily on hold for the month of November, in order to bring you something timely for the Thanksgiving season.

November is a bittersweet month for us, a time of remembering what a special gift we had in Austin, but also in reliving the horror of losing him.  As the first anniversary of his death rolled around, something difficult to celebrate even knowing where he was, our family decided to do random acts of kindness in his memory.

The next year it grew as friends and family jumped in to remember our son.  Every RAK done for Austin is a hug for our souls!

I've pondered this year on how to roll out Random Acts for Austin and been in prayer for needs in the area.  Between last night's scene and an inspiring story on tv this morning, Thankful Thursday was born.

Each week, I'll bring ideas for our area of things your family could join in on in memory of Austin.  Now, I realize many of my readers are across this earth, so just use them as a springboard of inspiration.  There are always needs all around us, we just have to use God's eyes sometimes to see them.

A new activity our family plans to do this month is to fill a backpack for a foster child.  We happened upon this beautiful idea on social media and it instantly spoke to me.  You see, for those who are new to this blog, our niece unexpectedly landed on our doorstep 3 1/2 years ago, with only the clothes on her back.  Even though she was family, it was a difficult adjustment period and just stocking her with clothes and basics was quite an undertaking.  Thankfully God, friends and family helped us through.  Now, she has so much "stuff" we periodically have to purge and donate!

But I remember the look on her face, the shock and loneliness, even though she came to family she knew and loved.  I can only imagine the feelings foster children go through, as they are planted in a new place with unfamiliar faces and surroundings.  Most have nothing of their own to go with them.  These backpacks are a wonderful idea and I can't wait to go shopping with our kids to build some hope and love for two teens.  The link is above for Katie's project.  If you aren't in the area, you can donate to her cause.
**(when I went to copy her link, 123 shares was the first thing I saw.  Austin wink!)

Last night, on my way home from work, I passed a location that I drive by multiple times a day.  With the time change, it was already very dark but the lights from this building shone on the line of people waiting to get inside.  It was our local food bank.  My heart broke in that moment and I found myself praying for the people in line the rest of my drive home.

We've never gone without food in our life.  Growing up, I remember "tough times" and we poke fun of my mom for the month of dumplins we ate one year, but looking back I'm tearful and grateful for her dedication to ensure that no matter how tight finances were, she always had a hot meal on the table as we came home from school.

My children have never known hunger and for that I'm ever-thankful.  Yes, there have been rough moments, due to job losses and tragedies, but God has always provided.  Some meals the kids might not have listed as their favorite, but their bellies were full when they fell asleep.

Groceries are expensive!  Our own household has recently had a tightening, a readjusting of meal planning, in an effort to trim the budget.  But I cannot imagine knowing I didn't have anything to feed my family.

Below is the contact info for our local pantry.  I have a message in for what needs they currently have and will update this post when they call.  Search out your local pantry this month and consider donating to help those in need.

If you donate or do a RAK this week, post a comment and let me know. I have no doubt Austin is smiling down on all that will be done!  Thank you for giving of your resources!

Ohio County Food Pantry 

boxed, canned, perishable goods to the low income citizens 
1220 S. Main Street, Hartford, KY 42347
Telephone - (270) 775-5913

**Post Update:

The Food Pantry serves over 600 families a month in Ohio County!

So they are ALWAYS in need of food or money to purchase it.

If you're interested in donating, Pat (number above) will arrange for pick-up or delivery.

Thank you!!

Purpose Driven Acts

This is our week to make a difference.  To remember our son. 

Austin's purpose in this world, without a doubt, was to make a difference to anyone he met.  He'll always be remembered for his kindness to others.  It is because of his caring spirit our Random Acts of Kindness project was born.

November 29 wasn't ever a date I expected to have such significance.  Shortly after Thanksgiving, it was normally such a happy time for our family.  Now, it is a day laced with painful memories of losing our 14 year old son, Austin.  In fact, the entire month seems somewhat like a countdown to that horrible night.

It's almost been five years and what we've learned along the way is to focus on the positive.  Remembering what we're thankful for and how much we're blessed, despite this great loss, is how we've survived. 

For us, it is now more than just a day to honor him...It is a month of Thanksgiving.  In gratitude for the 14 years we had with him, we give back every single day of November.  In some ways small, in some ways big.  They may be "random" but each is done with a very special purpose.

A previous year's post explains it more for those of you who are new.  And here's a recap of the beautiful acts done for Austin one year.  And one of my favorite activities we've made an annual tradition.  So many wonderful stories of how this simple act of helping others helped us heal.... 
(you can search "acts of kindness" on this blog to read even more).

If you'd like to join us in RAK this week, or on November 29, please send us a quick note with your random act.  You can message me below, or even post on his Facebook page here.  Prayers of thanks and blessings in advance for remembering Austin in this way!

Today I am thankful for...

It's November 1st, a month I normally dread (for obvious reasons), but I actually looked forward to today.  On my drive to work, I realized what month it was and found myself actually giddy in anticipation.  You see, today starts my month long "TRAK" project - or "Thankfulness + Random Acts of Kindness" I am doing in memory of Austin. 

If you didn't catch last week's post, explaining my reasons, you can read it here.  Extending what I did one week last year, to an entire month, I will focus on the many things I have to be thankful for every day.  As well, I am opening myself up to search for opportunities to do "random acts of kindness" - each act in memory of my sweet boy.  Simple, every day acts of kindness is what Austin is known and remembered for so I can't think of a better way to honor his legacy.

I won't post everything that is done, mostly because I want them to remain anonymous, but I promise to write about some.  What I will write about every day though is my thankful moment.  Today, I am thankful for my Mom.  Specifically, I am thankful for talks with her.  Nearly every morning, and sometimes in the evenings, I call my mom during my commute.  Most of the time, it's about nothing.  I just like talking with her and look forward to those drives.  We'll talk about our days, events, gossip, what frustrates or worries us, and everything in between.

My Mom is one of my best friends, certainly one of my best "girl friends" as I really don't have a lot of girlfriends outside my family.  She is someone I know is always there to talk, but mostly to listen.  There may be nothing at all she can do to help (whatever I'm going through at the time), but just knowing I can vent to her helps more than she knows.  And, when there's good new to share, she's among my first to call. 

Knowing what it's like to wish you could call and talk to someone you love, perhaps makes me realize how special our relationship is.  I'm so very thankful to have her in my life and treasure our time together.  Though her texts may be random, and she's sometimes hard to reach because she can't find or hear her phone, I sure am glad to know she's on the other end of the line when I need her most - and on just ordinary, average days - because she's my Mom.

Thankful Thursday

November is days away. Because it holds the anniversary of our son's death, it is a difficult month. Each day on the calendar, as well as the holiday, is a constant reminder of our loss. It's a bittersweet time, as we waiver between favorite memories with Austin, and the horror of those last moments. While a month that is full of sadness for us, it is also a time of Thanksgiving.

One of my favorite traditions from my Grandma Coons was to gather as a family on that holiday and share at least one thing for which we were thankful. Last year, focusing on "Thanksgiving" is how I chose to face each day. Knowing the day would be brimmed in tears, I needed to start my mornings reflecting on what I still had to be thankful for. No matter the heartache, there are still so many blessings in our lives.

Each morning, I began with an affirmation, a statement of what I was thankful for. It carried me through my day, reminding me of a positive during such a negative time. This year, I plan to take it a step further. For the month of November, my blog (and life) will be focused on "Thankfulness" and I'm challenging myself to write a post every day.

Since losing Austin, we've also started the tradition of "Random Acts of Kindness" on his angel-versary. You see, that's what Austin was all about. I have so many cards and letters from those who knew and loved him, sharing small and simple, but powerful, moments they remember and treasure him for. Austin's legacy will always be his warm smile, loving hugs, and helping hands. Because November 29th is such a tragic reminder for us, it is how we've chosen to get through it. Helping strangers has lifted our broken spirits.

Last year, I asked others to join in his memory and I plan to do the same closer to the date. So many messages of support and sharing their acts came through via email and on his Facebook page, Remembering Austin. Each time a wave of grief would overcome me, a message of hope would arrive and hold me. It was such a wonderful way to remember such a beautiful soul.

With each random act, it was as if Austin's spirit carried on and it blessed our family. Because of that, I've decided to dedicate this entire month to my precious boy and will be striving to perform random acts of kindness every single day. It's the only way I know to get through a seemingly impossible time. Each day, each thankful moment, every act of kindness, will be a tribute to Austin, the life he led, and the inspiration of hoping to be a fraction of who he was. I hope you'll join me...

"Never let loyalty and kindness leave you! Tie them around your neck as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart." - Proverbs 3:3

Random Acts of Kindness

I guess in some way I've been preparing for this post since I started this blog, and in doing so, preparing for this day.  Our first angel-versary for Austin was spent with family and we remembered him by spending the day playing board games.  The date fell on the weekend so it made it easy for all of us to be together.  This year, I knew from the beginning that it would fall on a Monday.  I requested a vacation day at the first of the year, knowing I would not be in the frame of mind to work; however, I knew most of our family, including Tim, wouldn't have that luxury.  Aside from wearing our shirts, I needed a way for all us to remember Austin together, while apart.  And that's when a little whisper nudged me with "acts of kindness."

What better way to remember our loving child, than to live by his example!  Austin will always be remembered for his giving spirit, having the heart of a volunteer, for lending a helping hand, and for giving amazing hugs to everyone he met.   Last night, I sent the challenge out to our family, as well as all of the supporters on Austin's memorial facebook page.  Today, to keep Austin's spirit alive, I asked everyone to do a random act of kindness. 

I suggested simple ideas such as....Smile at a stranger. Buy someone a cup of coffee. Volunteer. Make a donation to his scholarship fund, or your favorite charity. Buy lunch for the person behind you in line. Visit a friend. Send a card to a soldier. Adopt a family for Christmas. Hug somebody. Pay it forward.

Within minutes, and throughout the day today, I received so many messages and calls from loved ones letting me know they accepted the challenge.  And although I only ventured out a brief while today, I gave back too.  Whether it was letting someone in front of me at the checkout line, or the easy action of a smile, everything I did reminded me of Austin.  I proudly wore my bright green shirt for him and felt his presence everywhere. 

One of my final stops was to swing into McDonalds and buy a sweet tea.  I asked to pay for the lady behind me.  As she pulled up to the window, I could see her expression from my rear view mirror; she was both shocked and pleasantly surprised.  She questioned the boy at drive-thru and kept looking ahead to my truck, probably trying to figure out if she knew me.  I just smiled and drove on, hoping she'd pay the gift forward someday to a stranger, or someone in need.

I have no idea how many acts of kindness were given today in memory of Austin, or what a difference each of them may have made.  However, just the knowledge that those who love and remember Austin took the time to keep his spirit alive, has made what I expected to be a painful day a little easier to bear.  Many of the tears I've cried today have been in recalling sweet memories of our precious time with him, but they've also been in hearing stories of how he touched someone's life and continues to inspire and make this world a better place.

We will never forget you, Austin.  Your love continues to shine down on us. 

I will live my days to honor and keep your memory alive.