To The Rescue!

Have you ever been in a desperate situation where you thought, “If only someone could lend a hand”?

I share a lot on this blog about things our family goes through, but often don’t pull the curtain back so far that it’s concerning to you, as this is meant to be uplifting as much as possible…

But of recent, we have been in the kind of bind that only those who know serious desperation can relate to, and my sharing is intended to ignite inspiration for how we all can live The Promise at the highest level of connection in our relationships with others.

January was a beast for us. 

We got hit hard with sickness for the entire month and are so grateful it has passed.

The few people we told would get groceries, make dinners, unexpected deliveries, and offered to do whatever they could as we shut ourselves in the house and did all we could to mend our immune systems.

And then my best friend, Coach Tony Ingle, passed away from COVID, we had the beautiful funeral, and my heart has been broken for his family and our loss of his precious life.

And then things really took a turn with my wife’s Mother, Diane Staley’s, health.

She was doing fairly well at Christmas time and then over the course of 2021 has gone downhill with pre-existing health challenges.

My wife has spent every waking moment that she can at the home of her parents, and then we had to take Mom to the hospital, as Tami cared for her Mom and grieving Father from dawn til dusk.

This has been a great trial, not of our faith but of our only ability to stay present with the harsh reality of the future, while living completely in the present and keeping our heads up.

It also has taken our Mommy from the home and children, and I have done my best to hold the fort down.

Why all the backstory?

Because our friends and extended family have come to the rescue. 

I am really good at performing, switched to virtual last year, kept the business afloat, and am completely committed to being a great Dad…

But prepping meals, getting kids places in between my gigs and meetings, handling all that our Mom does, and now can’t, has been almost too much for me to cover.

To the rescue come our friends! 

I wrote last week about Awareness – seeing what needs to be done, noticing and thinking through the needs of others, and then actually doing something, is an essential virtue of the Promise culture.  It was a nod to what we are experiencing in real time.

Imagine my shock and gratitude when my wife’s friends texted and said, “We have a spreadsheet with dinners lined up for 2 weeks, they will be delivered at 6 PM every night, we hope this takes off some of the pressure while Tami is at the hospital with her Mom.”

Wow.  These are busy people, with busy lives, thinking of our family, my struggles to keep things afloat at home, and what they can do to help.  The generosity and care is something our gratitude can’t thank enough.

The texts and calls come in at all hours, asking who needs to be dropped off where, making sure I can still work, while Tami is at the hospital caring for her Mom, and everything can’t be done by us alone to keep life moving forward.

Last night we opened the door at 10 PM to see our friends, arms full, with baskets of gifts, snacks, treats, and gift cards to cover meals, downtime, and all else for perhaps another month.  Even a comfort blanket for my wife to cry into, as she has returned each night exhausted, overwhelmed, and crying all day as her Mom has suffered while trying to continue her life.

In the darkness there is light.  

As our sweet Mother, Diane, fights for her life, as her husband mourns the loss of his best friend since kindergarten to cancer who passed the other day, while his wife is struggling as well, as Tami and her sister Heidi continue to serve and give and care for them…

To the rescue come our friends!  

The Promise of Friendship!  

The Promise of doing what we can even when all seems helpless.

There is always something we can do, be it sending positive thoughts, donating to a cause, making a meal and leaving it on the porch.

And today, without us knowing, they organized a day of prayer and fasting on behalf of our Mother Diane, and announced it to the world via social media – and once prepared, let us in on their incredible thoughtfulness.

In our home we believe in the power of prayer, fasting, intention, belief of miracles, and so gathered our friends, soliciting the help of anyone else who might join in, who is willing to sacrifice a meal or two and raise a prayer to heaven for the love of our sweet Mother.

As of this moment, our Mother is coming through.

Vitals and numbers looking better.

We believe in the power of God and faith and goodness, and have seen it work in our lives so many times before, and now it is our turn to be the recipient of those prayers on behalf of our family.

2020 was insane.  2021 has been heartbreaking.  But we believe in miracles, and pray 2021 will get better.

I do not share this to ask for your help on our behalf, as we have been cared for by such wonderful friends who came to our rescue.

Rather, I share this as a source of inspiration for the times you’ve been rescued, cared for, or better yet, when you’ve been the one who did the rescuing.  

It is a huge teaching within The Promise values system that we come to the rescue of those in need, not only when asked, but when aware enough to do something NOW.

Who is in need right this minute in your world?

Here is This Week’s Promise Prompt:

Scroll through your texts, look at your social media feed, and feel that ping in your heart when the spirit tells you, “They need you.  Reach out NOW”.

And promise yourself you’ll do whatever you feel inspired to do.

Comment below what you did.  I know you are the kind of person who does this all the time!  But it’s time to let it shine!  Please share.

~

From our Family, to our Friends, who are our Family, we say Thank You for your unexpected and powerful display of thoughtfulness and love.  As we suffer the rollercoaster of emotions that a time like this brings, the challenge of not knowing what tomorrow looks like for our Mother, we thank you for considering the ancillary ways service matters and lifts.

You have touched our spirits, we are overcome with gratitude, tears flow because of your concern and actions.

Thank you for living The Promise.

~ jason

Promise Institute Founder * Virtual Keynote Speaker * Speaker Hall of Fame

Author of “The Promise To The One”

jasonhewlett.com