Category Archives: Giving Back

Monday madness – Giveaway!

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It’s been a long, long time since I’ve sent off a package to a lucky blog reader, so I’m going to correct that problem today. By the end of today (midnight) I will pick a winner of this amazing bracelet from Premier Designs:

Talk about beautiful!

It’s a beautiful adjustable belt-buckle/rhinestone bracelet, and is stretchy, so I can truly fit anyone and everyone. I already have one, but snagged up this one specifically for you guys (and with Mother’s Day right around the corner, it would make a great gift!)

Just leave me a comment and you’ll be entered. Simple as that. I’ll announce the random winner tomorrow morning.

And don’t forget, help me out by spreading the word about my latest project…and if you have something you would like some help on, just give me a shout and we’ll work something out.

Oh, and stay tuned…it’s a double-post Monday. I’m working on a Hunk of Meat Monday recipe that will knock your socks off! (Well, it’s working on mine anyway!) Here’s a clue:

A yummy slab of pork for my Monday munchies! :) Can't wait to share the rest of this with you!

Need your help – Memory Drive

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A very near and dear friend to me is working on a project, and I would like to request your help.

You see, almost a year ago, my good friend lost a little boy. He was a true angel, in every sense of the word, and to tell you the truth, I wasn’t sure what to do. I have four boys of my own, and I know the anxiety that comes with going in for the “big” ultrasound. But I couldn’t imagine the pain and heartbreak of hearing that your child wasn’t going to make it.

I don’t know what I would have done in her place. I imagine that perhaps I would have shut down for awhile. Maybe turned inwards and blamed myself for what happened, or tried to move on without thinking, without feeling. I just don’t know.

But I do know what she did…she became a beacon of light for others. She is hurting, terribly…but she’s also making sure that her pain isn’t in vain. She’s using the energy to help comfort others, and for that, I feel she’s a saint.

June will mark the one-year anniversary of sweet Jacob’s passing. And in his memory, Jackie is having a donation drive to make Memory Boxes for other families that suffer from the same terrible types of loss.

And that’s where you come in.

These are the items that they are looking for:

  • Teddy bears, Lambs, other stuffed animals in all sizes
  • Hand/foot molds to make 3 D impressions of baby’s hand and feet as keepsakes
  • Soft Knit Flannel material in baby patterns (3 Yard pieces)
  • Books: Heaven Is For Real (adult and Children’s version)
  • Packets of “Forget Me Not” seeds (flowers)

And if you don’t want to send the items, or can’t find specific items, you can send me a message and I will purchase the items on your behalf. If you’d like to stay anonymous, I can certainly grant that wish.

If you have any questions, please email me at wagntales@gmail.com – items can be sent to:

Jacob’s Wings

c/o Val Wagner

8809 86th St. SE

Monango, ND 58436

Thank you. I know that I have an incredible group of people following me here, and I know that we’ll knock this one out of the park. *Please, pass this on.*

Common thread

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A young boy, without a care in the world…a young woman, who followed her dreams…a man in retirement, making plans to enjoy himself. What could they possibly have in common?

Well, unfortunately, what they have in common is all too common…cancer.

This past week has been an overly tough one for me. But I’ve decided to turn the new month into a new goal…a battle against cancer, if you may.

I’m tired of this disease that takes, takes, takes. I’m tired of losing friends, family and loved ones in a battle that can be so one-sided. I’m just so tired of it all.

No, I understand that it won’t be changed today, or tomorrow, but someday…yes, someday…I’m confident that we will be able to provide better options for those that are faced with these battles. Science is there, we just need to support it.

And so, with that I’m declaring March Madness as my war on cancer month. A friend of mine has started a Relay for Life page, rounding up some social media friends and others to raise funds for cancer research. It’s a great cause and one that I fully support. And I’m choosing to support her efforts in an unusual way.

Kelly doesn’t know this yet, but I have heard somewhere that there is someone willing to match her goal of $315 raised, if she makes it to her goal by the end of the month. You can check out her progress (and give!) here.

As I’m writing this, my brother is sitting beside his friend, Jackie, in the hospital…waiting for her pain and suffering to end. A little more than a month ago, my uncle was planning his annual fishing trip to North Dakota, but we traveled to Wisconsin for a funeral instead.

Cancer is a common thread for so many, but as you learn quickly when cancer touches your family, you’re never in the battle alone.

If you would like to share a word of encouragement with Samuel and his family, you can find his CaringBridge site here…and you can follow along with Leontien’s battle here, or click on the link in the upper right-hand corner.

The Unknown Christmas Gift

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It seems like Christmas was ages ago, although a full month hasn’t even passed yet. The weeks before and after were so filled with activities and birthdays and trips and doctor’s appointments and all things crazy, that I didn’t even have time to digest it all.

Scooter and Big Bro, reading together. Scooter celebrated his 8th birthday New Year's Eve...EJ turned 5 Jan. 12. It's been a busy birthday/Christmas/holiday/vacation time!

 

But that’s usually when the really good stuff happens, and you don’t even know about it until later.

At least, that’s the way it works in my life.

The week before Christmas, I took my mom to Fargo for an eye appointment. Since we were already in town, we stayed up for a special Christmas party for children with special health concerns. It was George’s first time ever meeting Santa, and he was so enthralled with the big bushy-haired man. (I actually think he thought it was his dad!)

It didn’t dawn on me until after Christmas break was just about done that I had forgotten to send a Christmas gift to school with the boys for their teachers. When it hit me, I apologized to the boys immediately and promised to send them back to school with something for each teacher.

They told me not to worry about it…they had it covered.

They knew I was busy, and the day that I was gone to Fargo, they each took a book from the book orders that we placed and gave them to their teachers. Not only a gift to the teacher, but a gift to the whole class as well.

I tried to pretend that I wasn’t moved to tears, and thanked them both for being so thoughtful.

Sometimes I worry about raising boys in these times. Sometimes I worry that I’m not doing a good job, or that I’m doing something wrong.

But then sometimes I wonder how I became such a lucky mother, to have not one, but four amazing children gifted to me by God.

Miracle Monday

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Today I have a special request. It’s not for myself. Well, kind of, but not really.

My mom’s best friend is in need of a liver transplant. Desperately. She’s also been a second mother to me, for most of my life.

She hasn’t had an easy life. But she handles it with a great deal of grit, determination and such a no-nonsense attitude that I’m amazed at it all. She hasn’t been healthy for a long time, but her complaints are few and far between, and she’s rebounded from setbacks that would make most people throw in the towel.

And now she’s hit another roadblock.

And so I’m asking you for help. Actually, I’m pleading. Please, take a moment to say a prayer. Can we storm the gates of heaven for a miracle? A Christmas gift for Darlene, a blessing for her and her family…and all those that know them.

And if you’d like, you can leave a note for her. I will print them off and give them to Darlene, as a way to show her that there are people across the country that are on her side, joining her in the fight, and willing to spend a moment of time in prayer for her healing.

Thank you. I know it’s a season of giving, but this time I’m asking for something in return. It isn’t much, but it can make all the difference in the world.

And the winner is…

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Just a quick blog post to announce the winner of the Gooseberry Patch “Dinners on a Dime” cookbook!

 

 

Are you ready?

Are you sure?

Really?

(Sorry, I love suspense!)

And the winner is…

 

Laine Hasper!

Which is completely crazy, because she won a cookbook from me way back when…but a totally deserving person. And I know she’ll use the cookbook well! :)

Congrats, Laine! And message me for pick up/mailing details. And perhaps you should head to Vegas, seems like you have some pretty awesome odds going in your favor!

Angel Project Update

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So, is there any good coming of this Christmas Angel Project? Well, I happen to think so. So far, I have matched up 15 different requests/angels…and hoping to keep it up for another 10 days.

Remember, you have until Dec. 15 to make a request on behalf of someone, or to volunteer to be a Christmas Angel yourself.

It’s the season for giving, right?

Yes, Virginia…

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I knew it would happen one day, but this one was a doozy…and I’m thinking someone may end up paying for it with her job.

Apparently a news anchor expressed her opinion during prime time that the easiest way to handle Christmas in these tough economic times was to tell children that there is no Santa Claus. Wow. I’m guessing the big guy’s gonna have some coal for someone’s stocking this year.

Now, as a mother of four children, oldest age 9, I’m constantly bombarded by the question, “Mom, is Santa real?” And my answer is always the same, “What do you want to believe?”

To me, the answer is simple. In a day when we are hit with so much bad news, so much doom and gloom, so many heart aches and issues, why do we need to pop the bubble of happiness that surrounds the Christmas season? Yes, my children know that celebrating Christmas is ALL about the birth of Jesus and what He has sacrificed for us. Christmas is a religious holiday in our house. Always has been, always will be. But does believing that someone delivers a gift for you, without expecting anything in return, all that different?

My children have never been told that a man in a red suit and reindeer is at our house. We don’t have a fireplace, and cookies aren’t always left. Sometimes we’re home, and sometimes we’re not. They know that the Santa’s in the mall are not the “real” Santa. And whatever else they have made up in their mind, is just that, their own beliefs.

Telling the world during the newscast that the solution to your financial woes at Christmas is to break your children’s hearts and tell them that the mystery surrounding Christmas is fake…well, that’s just plain mean. And I can tell you for a fact that it’s not true. There is a Santa Claus. He might not live at the north pole, he might not like cookies and he may be allergic to reindeer fur, but he’s real and he’s important and he lives inside each and every one of us.

And if you don’t believe it, then why would a woman from North Dakota set up a project to send gifts to and from people all around the country? (Speaking of which, click on the blue angel in the top right corner…I’m looking for more angels!) Why would a company set up red kettles throughout the country, knowing that others will give when they can? And why would children willingly give up their gifts, to another child that they know would appreciate it more?

God and santa CAN coexist…I’m pretty sure both big guys are OK with that. I know I am.

Wordless Wednesday – Thanksgiving

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Today’s post is mostly wordless by me…following you will find another survivor’s story, this one by Heather Von St. James. We are all given so much, and sometimes we don’t realize the “village” we have, until we need it.

And please, don’t forget to click on the blue angel in the right-hand corner! We need more angels and more gift suggestions! Let’s make this a season of giving!

The Strength of My Village

When a mother announces her pregnancy, a village surrounds her. Family, friends, co-workers and even strangers offer support and advice. This happened to me in 2005. On August 5, my husband and I welcomed our daughter Lilly into our family. Our village surrounded us in the hospital with well wishes as they met our daughter. In the months and years to come, I would realize how much I needed their support.

As the partial owner of three successful salons, I supervised 20 employees at one location and worked behind the chair until the day Lily was born. After a few weeks at home with my baby, I regretfully returned to work. Unenthusiastically, I accepted a location switch and a lighter workload. I really only wanted to be home with my child!

Motherhood brings health changes such as weight fluctuation, lack of energy and tiredness, but I soon began to experience severe symptoms. After losing an average of six pounds a week, I consulted my doctor. Blood work and a chest x-ray revealed fluid build-up around my left lung. The doctor prescribed more tests. On November 21, 2005, my medical team discovered the source of my unusual symptoms. In the lining of my lung, I had cancer called malignant pleural mesothelioma. Caused by asbestos exposure I had experienced as a child, the diagnosis came just three and a half months after precious Lily was born.

The doctors gave me 15 months to live, and my thoughts flew to my husband and child. I wanted to do whatever it took to save my life. My husband and I decided to pursue drastic treatment. On February 2, I underwent extrapleural pneumonectomy in Boston. Specialists removed cancer-laden organs and tissue and administered heated chemo to remove all the cancer. I spent 18 days in the hospital recovering from surgery. Two months of additional recovery prepared my body for chemotherapy then radiation. I survived the horrid medical treatments with help of my village.

My parents took Lily to live with them in South Dakota where my childhood friends and people from my church surrounded my parents who both worked full-time. They babysat Lily and made meals. Halfway across the country, my baby learned to roll over and eat solid food. So we could watch her grow, my mom emailed pictures of Lily that my husband printed out. In black and white, I watched my little girl grow and change. I fought for my life because of my daughter.

Five years later, I rejoice that I can stay home to care for my child. As we embrace life, Lily has learned to give to others in need. She befriends everyone she meets and really thrives because of the family, friends, and strangers who surround us. Because of the cancer diagnosis, I remain thankful for my many blessings. With the bad comes good, and my family appreciates every moment thanks to our village who so generously supported us then and continues to support us now.

 

Mesothelioma: www.mesothelioma.com
Diagnosis: http://www.mesothelioma.com/mesothelioma/diagnosis/
Heather Von St. James: http://www.mesothelioma.com/blog/authors/heather/

Christmas Angel Project

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OK everyone, I’ve got an idea up my sleeve, but I need all of YOU to help me. Got it?

Here’s the plan (bear with me, I may babble a bit, but there’s a good plan here, I promise!):

I want you to email me suggestions, ideas, requests for Christmas wishes. For the sake of this project, please don’t make them unattainable (such as houses or vehicles), but they can be as simple as prayer requests, or a gift card to get a few groceries…think of someone in your neighborhood who may be down on their luck, or a young family who could use an extra smile. Be creative, I know you can!

You can email those requests to wagntales@gmail.com…and then I’ll compile the information. I will take emails up until Dec. 15, after that point, our angels would need some time to shop/ship/make whatever is needed!

While taking requests for those in need, I’m adding a twist to this charity drive. I’m taking requests for those who want to give. I know that a lot of us give locally, but let me tell you from experience, that giving anonymously is an AMAZING feeling! Imagine getting a package in the mail that you weren’t expecting?!? Isn’t that the coolest feeling in the world?

Anyway, if you can also email me at wagntales@gmail.com and let me know if you’re interested in being an angel…to what extent, etc. I’ll match up my requests to angels and let God take care of the rest! Sound like a deal?

Now, for the most part, I’m going to keep the requests confidential…only angels will have the information sent to me. I’ll do my best to set up good matches, but I’m human, so there may be some trial and error going on here. But I’m so excited about this opportunity to share our good fortune and blessings with so many others!

So here’s how I have it played out in my head (just to give you an example): Angie emails me, telling me that a lady in her neighborhood could use a helping hand with a few groceries this holiday season. She sends me a list of local grocery stores, the lady’s address and any specific items she may know that she needs (whatever would be helpful). I then look at my list of “angels” and see that Suzy is interested in sending gift cards and has access to one of the stores that has a site near Angie’s neighbor. I email Suzy the address and request for Angie’s neighbor and let Suzy take care of the rest. Got it? Questions?

Now, I get that there could be problems, issues, etc. I don’t pretend to think that this is the ultimate in plans…but I think we can work together and iron out any issues that may come up. I’ll do what I can to check out both the recipient and the giver prior to passing out any information, but trust me, nothing top secret is really going on here.

Alright, get to brainstorming some ideas for gifts, and let me know if you can help out with the “angel” end of things. I’ll keep you updated everyday on how many “matches” were made…and if I’m in need of more of one or the other!

I can’t wait to get this thing rolling! :)

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