Soldiers' Angels Germany: All Sewing / Knitting Projects

Soldiers' Angels Germany: All Sewing / Knitting Projects: Blankets of Hope . Blankets (no lap robes or knitted items, please) are always needed both in Germany and at the Combat Support Hospitals. ...st

Just sharing with all the stitchers out there. Those who quilt, sew, knit, crochet. I am a lifetime member of Soldier's Angels. They have many ways you can help, even if you don't do crafts you can adopt a soldier that has no family ( and believe me there are) and send letters randomly to them for encouragement, for just paying it forward.

I have always had a special interest in this group. I joined the year my son Brandon went to Afghanistan. He never responded to anything I sent but I still sent encouraging letters and packages. This was his choice to make and I still dont' know who or if they were sent out to others or helped him, but this I know for sure, I didn't realize how many soldier's had NO ONE to encourage them while deployed until I went to the welcome home ceremony and also speaking with the chaplain. I decided the next year to join this, to continue sending and realized that I may not hear a thing from the soldier my mentor connected me with, but I still continued to send and write.  I hope it made a difference. To this day, I never heard from that soldier as well. That was the end of 2011.

Then in 2012, the day after Christmas, I met for the first time a "retired soldier, a First Sarg. Major"
who changed my life all for the better. He had been retired after 25 years. Our story turned to a love story as you know. While he was over in Afghanistan for 5 months, we wrote over 4000 letters back and forth.  God rewarded me with a very, honest caring man of which I had not known my entire life.

This year for 2013, I will continue on, even though times will be tightest of tight in finances, it's my pay if forward for the military has touched me in many ways.

In reflection I can remember the day my son brought a recruiter to the house and I totally went ballistic as (per the chaplain) most all moms do over their sons joining because its a natural instinct to protect our sons and daughters. However, from the pinning ceremony, the pure pride I felt for my son to do what he wanted to and also help our country, to see his happiness in whatever he did, no matter how nervous it made me, convinced me to let go.

I don't know exactly how I will help Sodier's Angels this year but I know that 2013 proposes a new "adopted soldier" for me. My heart is leaning towards making things for the soldiers in Germany hospital. I don't know if that is what God is leading me to do but I do feel it.

I wanted to share this on my blog for one reason:  there are over 700 readers here and it's a good way
to share volunteer opportunities to help. For the spirit of Christmas, we should keep in our hearts all the year long, per Charles Dickens and this is one way to do it.

Sending love even if the person doesn't want it, is not a wrong thing because one day, the person who doesn't want to receive love will realize through some life experience, that this is what life is all about. There are many people who can send love but not as many to receive and recipricate.That takes an open heart with truth. In this program, working for the greater good of our country without expecting anything in return is the kind of fiber, I want in my design, that I call me.

I place my heart on scripture that says that the truth will set us free. This world needs alot of communication and sharing, understanding and caring if we only would open our hearts. Sometimes it's really hard to do. No one of us is perfect but I pray this year that hearts are opened, truth be known, and sharing gifts to those in need.

http://soldiersangelsgermany.blogspot.com/p/all-sewing-knitting-projects.html

Thanking soldiers forever,
Jennifer