Paying It Forward: Kids Helping Kids

Diabetes rocked our world when Luke was diagnosed, and we had an incredible amount of support from our family and friends. Fast forward 17 months and  Luke wants to pay it forward!

Luke is on a mission. He is dedicating his USAT Nationals Youth Championship Triathlon Race  on July 31st to a cause that hits very close to home. He is partnering with Florida Hospital  in Orlando Florida to raise money for uninsured kids who are managing their diabetes and have trouble affording the necessities. The high cost of insulin, testing strips, pen needles, lancets and other vital supplies is often a large barrier to many families.

Here is a breakdown of daily costs for these items that keep Luke and other type one diabetics alive each day:

Testing strips: $1 per strip (usally one tests at least 6-8 times per day) and a box of 100 usually costs $100.
Insulin: $200 per pack of 5 insulin pens. (needles not included)
Lancets/Needles: Those prices vary starting around $10 per box. (varying)
Glucogon: $50 (lifesaving pen if ones sugar drops extremely low)

I am so proud of Luke’s desire to help others, and spread awareness, all for the sake of potentially saving a life!

In order to bring change to our communities, we must BE THE CHANGE!

Please go to Luke’s Community Campaign Page to help Luke help other kids. The page was created for Luke by Florida Hospital, Orlando.

Spread Awareness. Be the Voice.

BE THE CHANGE!

Just JUMP!

Just JUMP!!!!!

Isn’t this what we’re supposed to do when we get “the call?”

By “the call” I’m meaning step up, take the bull by the reigns. When someone is in need, you drop everything and run to their aid.

Do you jump or are you afraid of the leap? Do you feel safer in your small glass cup versus the much larger glass bowl?

Life in these times (as I call it) are busy. We are busy people. If we’re not busy enough by our own standards, we find things to make us busier! Cue the phone ringing and it’s your dear friend “Grace” who is calling for the tenth time in two hours because she has a need.Do you have enough Grace & Mercy for her or do you ignore the call and let it go to voicemail because your “too busy” at this moment?

*sigh*

I admit I  have those days where I feel I need to put my phone on mute, and just let the caller go to my voicemail, but something stirs in me and alas I answer the call.

After all what if it’s Publisher’s Clearing House calling to say I won a million dollars!

Ha, I’m not THAT lucky!

But more often than not, “that call” does come whether it’s from a family member or a friend, and they need help. Help in the form of encouragement and sometimes physical needs.

You know the saying “Pay It Forward”……

You  never know when your time of need may come into play. Are you going to be the one who drops it all to help another in need? Even if it’s for a long length of time?

What if  YOUR phone call to that one friend is a desperate one, and yet your friend never answers the phone but you get the message to leave a voicemail. Are you too busy to be bothered? My boys are constantly rolling their eyes at me, as they truly believe I have my cell phone growing out of my ear. They may be on the right track, but I find it hard to NOT answer my phone.

WHAT IF……

What if it IS THAT one phone call, and I need to drop everything and run to someones aid? I try to live my life by this simply note:

I recently got “that call” and it came at 6:30 AM. You know when your phone is ringing that early in the morning,  something isn’t right. Your first reaction is usually shock, disbelief, then comes the heart breaking pain. It’s what you do next that can shape the entire tragedy into something beautiful. The glass is not half empty, but half full.

The old saying “It’s better to give than it is to receive” is so true. It IS better to be on the giving end than receiving end isn’t it? Sure I love presents, but to be the one giving the gift with the pure satisfaction of blessing the other individual is nothing short of amazing! One doesn’t need to get any credit for this, as it’s what lies in your heart that is your reward. The feeling you get when you’ve made a difference, or left a fingerprint in someone else’s life, THAT is your reward.

Chew on this….