Locks of Love Night

I am so sorry to be lagging behind in blogland! Things are going well, so there is less time to sit and write.

An update on my time with the High School and Middle School girls when they met about Locks of Love. As we gathered and waited to begin, I got more and more nervous. I am a LONG way from being "high school cool"! In fact, even in high school, I wasn't even "high school cool"--I was just "me". But, that is a different discussion.

I told my story, and as I spoke, I took off my hat, and passed around a picture I had taken with my bald brother (our "twins" picture), and one I took with Annaleigh in that same sitting. I then thanked them, not only for the encouragement they already were to me, but as a parent, how I could imagine the gratitude the Mom's and Dad's would have for this gift they were considering giving.

Then I talked about the practicalities...that hats get knocked off, blown off and even hugged off. I passed around my synthetic wig and told how it moves when I itch my head, and how it came with instructions to not panic when I washed it, because it would look ruined. (Not so with real-hair wigs). I mentioned the costs we guestimate we have incured medically this one year, and how it is not hard to imagine that parents of childsren with long term illness could not afford the level of wigs Locks of Love provides.

I also shared my thoughts that hair is just how we are supposed to "be". It is how God intended us, and sometimes disease takes it away. By donating their hair, they were helping restore what God intended for these kids...and they also were helping to restore some things these kids lost when they lost their hair, such as courage and esteem. I mentioned, too, the relational barriers I thought they were helping to break down, so that both the kids and their friends could express/receive the gifts the kids have. I left them with the challenge of praying "big" for the kids who would receive their hair.

I am not sure how inspiring it all was, but I can say that the girls were attentive and polite throughout my time with them. I was impressed! And, I am choosing to trust God with the outcome of my efforts and words. They are an offering to Him to use. I hope He does...that would make ME feel good, but I am trying to get my eyes off myself and just let Him work and me cooperate.