Encouragement

Why is it that bad/difficult things always come in 3's. Since Monday, we've found out about 3 people in our lives that could use some encouragement and our prayers.

My Dad has worked with Eddie for as long as I can remember. Dad runs Galaxy, Eddie runs the IGA group. They are different as night and day, but Eddie and his entire family are the nicest people you could ever meet. I found out on the way home yesterday that Eddie's mom suffered a pretty major stroke. Dad didn't have a lot of details, but she's in Winston and stable.

Reggie is the guy in our group that we always joke with about "he knows a guy". It doesn't matter what you're talking about he knows someone that can help you out or knows everyone through someone else. Guess that's what happens when you have a native Charlottean as a friend (a rarity in Charlotte, ha). Anyway, one of Reggie's friend was in a horrible car accident over the weekend and is improving, but will not be 100% for a long time. The car flipped several times and he wasn't found for a couple of hours. Reggie said this morning that his friend is finally able to talk, but they have no idea when he'll be walking again.

As many of you have probably seen on the news in Charlotte, one of my old dealerships, Rick Ford in Clover, SC, had a very bad fire the other night. The owners actually lived at the dealership in an apartment and the dealership was one of those original Ford dealerships you don't see very often anymore. Tori's Dad used to work there and has checked in with them. It looks like right now they're just on auto-pilot, but everyone is safe and sound. Not only have they lost their business and home, but a small town has lost a landmark, and many people are now without jobs.

The symbol at the top is the Japanese sign for encouragement. Please keep all of these people in your thoughts and prayers. It's amazing what a little encouragement and thoughtfulness can do for someone else.

"A happy life consists not in the absence, but in the mastery of hardships."
Helen Keller

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
Philippians 3:13

I couldn't say it better. Here's to what lies ahead.