Giving Back

I must say, I have a new appreciation for charities and non-profit organizations that exist for the sake of helping people with health issues. If you've been following my blog, you know that Shriners Children's Hospital and the Ronald McDonald Houses are the ones that have impacted my life. Before my surgery, I probably wouldn't have thought twice about them. In fact, I didn't even know they existed.

So I figured it's about time I do something to give back. Obviously, whatever I do isn't going to amount to what has been done for me, but I can still do what I can to help make their jobs easier and show my appreciation.  

I was SO excited to find out that there are both a Shriners AND a Ronald McDonald House about 10 minutes away from my college! In my last post, I talked about the Christmas music group I headed up at Shriners Children's Hospital. That took work, but I actually wanted to get my hands dirty. So a few friends and I got together and spent some time at RMH this past semester. Whether arranging a garage full of supplies for the House's visitors or raking, it was so fun to volunteer a few hours here and there to help out this wonderful charity.

It's definitely just the beginning of my volunteering efforts, which makes me so excited! And you can help too, simply by collecting your pop tabs and newspapers and donating them to the nearest RMH! It's the least we can do.

It's a new year, and looking back (not only on this year, but my whole life) makes me want to praise God for how He has brought me through my journey with scoliosis. Of course, it's not always easy-- many times, quite the opposite. But God gives grace and strength for every step of the way-- and that's grace and strength you can't find anywhere else. This one aspect of my life, scoliosis, has been worth everything I've gone through. And now I'm so excited to see what He has in store for this new year!

So thank you to those who invest your lives-- office workers, janitors, security, nurses, surgeons, the guys who make back braces (yes, I'm even thanking you!), etc.-- thank you sincerely for helping families like mine all over the world! Happy New Year!