Is a blessing random?

This week our home on Eglin has hosted a family with some not so great news.  With current restrictions on house occupancy, one family member can stay at our house, the remaining members who are drawing near for those final precious moments will be staying at partner hotels.  Their journey saddens me and makes me wish no one ever needed our comfort home.  BUT it also makes me grateful for all the wonderful people who support our mission with time and treasure so that no one is ever turned away.

I received a call today from a credit union near Warner Robbins.  They had an elderly member who recently passed and had designated the remaining proceeds from their retirement account to the Eglin Fisher House. An apology was offered as “it wasn’t much money.”  I shared our gratitude and the message of timeliness for the young family saying their final goodbyes this week and that every amount is meaningful both to the giver and to us as the steward of those funds.  A sweet moment because someone in Warner Robbins had some connection to the military, to our house specifically and wanted their remaining treasure spent on military and veteran families.    It gave me comfort that needs are met through folks we will never meet.

Our generous community always comes through, even when it’s as far away as Warner Robbins, to remember a long life well lived, and another one cut tragically short through illness.  (It actually made me weep to think of how random things really are not. Tears of joy for the kind donor’s meaningful gift to the tears of sadness for our family.)

The take away; life is short, no matter the length, love well, love often and make a difference in the lives of those around you.