Nan's Calendar

by Nan Forehand, Statesville, NC

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama
,br /> Today is the day I will meet Greta Jordan and take her "Nan's good will bears"! She is the director of the Emergency Room at Iredell Memorial Hospital. Several years ago I began to collect teddy bears. Of course, it didn't begin as a collection or with the idea of a collection in mind. I occasionally came upon a beautiful teddy bear and decided I wanted it. I never had a teddy bear as a child and I thought to myself that it's never too late and I'm not too old to buy myself a teddy bear. At some point last year I began to think of doing something special with my collection of bears. "Nan's good will bears" came to be when I contacted my friend, Aurora, who is on the Board of Directors at the hospital and gave her my idea. I wanted to donate my teddies to the Emergency Room to be given to sick or hurt children who were being admitted who were frightened and needed a special diversion from what was being done to them and for them as the professional staff cared for their needs. I have the first 25 bears ready for delivery this afternoon. They have each been professionally cleaned by my friend, Jeff White, who runs Sloan's Cleaners. Jeff is a wonderful man who always has a smile on his face and is happy to lend a helping hand. His involvement is critical, in that, parents and hospital staff know the bears have been professionally cleaned before they reach the hands of the children. I am so grateful God brought Jeff and me together. There are another dozen bears at the cleaners being cleaned as I type this message. I have another 26 bears waiting to go to the cleaners. I take Jeff a dozen at a time. I am continually amazed at how God has richly blessed this intention of good will. He has provided in abundance! I find the bears in excellent condition for very affordable prices. My original collection had a total of 12 bears and just look how abundantly God has provided these beautiful bears for children who have no clue they will receive one! Others have begun to bring their bears to me, as well. Aurora got in touch with the director of the ER, Greta Jordan, and now you know the rest of the story. Tomorrow I will share with you the poem I wrote called Nan's good will bears.
,br /> If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. ~Dalai Lama

Take care and have a wonderful day! I will! Love you! Nan