A Good News Channel

That’s what we need . . a Good News Channel!  Nothing about politics, nothing about murder, nothing about home sales tanking . . especially til my house sells!  🙂  Wouldn’t it be nice to turn on the TV and hear just good news?

Ava, a local blog reader, just reminded me that Carthage High School senior class donated to the tornado relief fund the $15,000 they had raised for a senior trip.  You can read about it in the Joplin Globe.  There are several stories ahead of it about places like Wal-Mart, Home Depot, AT&T (all of which lost buildings, as well as employees and/or customers) in the tornado.  Since this started out to be a “good news” post, I hate to say it but grab the Kleenex before you read that article.  The night I heard on the news about the Carthage High School class donating their money, I cried and then when I tried to tell Vince and Chad about it, I cried again.  Even though it’s so sad that the circumstances arose for them to donate the money, it renews my hope in a younger generation.

I’ve read all the notes that came in with the checks and some of them are so touching.  I mentioned already that quilter whose daughter added her own $20 to the donation.  One lady wrote me that there’s always something worse than what you’re going through.  Her husband has recently lost his job and I guess they were feeling their world falling apart but seeing what those in Joplin are going through, she still sent her donation to the Red Cross.  When you’re not sure what’s going to happen to you, but yet you find a way to help others, that says a lot and I know there are many others who are facing uncertainty in their own situation but still felt the need to help others.

One lady wrote that once when she was a kid and they were passing through the Joplin area, they stopped to attend a church service.  She said her dad always made sure they attended church, no matter where they were.  She went on to say that a family in the church invited them to their home for dinner — all six of them.  That’s the kind of people who live in Joplin . . in the mid-west!

And to Sandra . . who wrote her note to me on the back of the church program  .. you brought a smile to my face and got a chuckle out of Vince.  We wondered if you wrote the note during church or after you got home! 🙂

Thanks so much to all who have sent checks, and notes and to those who are not able to send anything but are praying for the Joplin residents, thank you all!