Amy Always on our Minds

       

         Amy is ALWAYS on our minds, we miss her every minute of everyday. Amy was so sweet and a very thoughtful and kind young woman.  Every year at Valentine's Day, we do something in her honor.  Last year we gave money to the nurses at Bryn Mawr hospital and they had a breakfast/brunch and were very grateful,  they put Amy's picture on the table.  One year we gave money to the kids in Olivia and Olya's youth group and asked them to do a good deed with the money  Another year we gave our pastor the $7,000 in Amy's bank fund and asked him to use it to help others as he saw fit.  This year, I gave out envelopes with $5 in them and asked friends and strangers to perform random acts of kindness with the money. I  handed envelopes to random strangers as I walked in and out of grocery stores, CVS, WAWA, etc. I guess they could keep the money for themselves but I am hoping they use it to help others.  I filled 25 envelopes with a short note and $5.   Below is my pastor's response! He is just such a kind and nice person. He keeps me feeling positive after I listen to his sermons.  I am always happy when someone mentions Amy's name and he mentioned her name in his response to us. It helps us keep her memory alive.  I had written the other message on 12/12/17 to him after a wonderful sermon that he gave.

Hello Colleen and Dan,

I received your letter with the request to honor your daughter Amy with a random act of kindness. I will be honored to do this.

My plan is to be on the ready to watch for a homeless person that God puts on my heart, to give this $5 to them and to pray that it will be a blessing to them. During the cold months, I think being without a home is especially tough. So, I am asking God to lead me to the person of his choosing.

I know you never fully get over a loss like this, but as your email below indicates… God can even transform so of the most intense pain a person goes through. Really love your story below!

Warmly in Christ Jesus,

Kevin
Church Of The Saviour

From: cmfled@aol.com <cmfled@aol.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:18 PM
To: Kevin Flannery <kevinf@cosnet.org>
Subject: Divine Interruption

                                                                                    12/12/17



Dear Kevin,

            I enjoyed your message about Divine Interruption.  I thought you might enjoy my moments of Divine Interruption (which I like to think of as Divine Intervention).  Sixteen years ago we lost our beloved daughter Amy.  I can’t describe the pain or grief to you.  Several years after Amy died, my husband Dan came home to tell me about friends of his who were also bereaved parents.  I had never met them because Dan works in West VA a lot and that is where they lived.  They were headed to Ukraine to adopt a little boy. At the time, I told my husband that they must be freaking crazy!! I couldn’t understand how bereaved parents could ever open their hearts for another child and risk losing them and going through even more pain.  Fast forward a year or two and when Dan came home from work one day, I asked him how he felt about adopting two girls.  He was shocked but said OK.  That was my moment of accepting the Divine Interruption. We eventually adopted one daughter, age 9, in 2007 and then we adopted another daughter, age 10.5, in 2009.  I guess I was twice as freaking crazy as Dan’s friends! The girls gave us a life’s purpose which we were certainly lacking and they have brought so much joy to our lives. I met Deb Grohosky shortly afterwards and she invited me to COS and that is how we became members. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

                                                                                                Sincerely,
                                                                                                Colleen Fledderman

        Today Dan and I went out and visited a retirement community.  Dan said he felt as if the place was a place to go to before you die.  I also did not care for it at all!  Tomorrow we are going to look at  a piece of land close by that we could build on.  I think I would like to do that.  I want a single story ranch home on a half acre or less.  Dan really doesn't want to go into a retirement community because he doesn't want to pay the HOA fees which can be quite high!
        We also stopped at GIANT food store so I could get another chocolate candy apple. It's good they are only available at Valentine's Day because I would be buying one everyday if I could get them. We also stopped at the dollar store to buy disposable aluminum pans to cook in.  I just can't physically stand at the sink to wash pans!  My friend Joni told me that she purchased a rolling seat on wheels and it really helps her get around in her kitchen.  I guess I should look for one on Amazon. I walked around a little bit better today, not much better, but I didn't freeze as much as I normally do.  Maybe the meds are starting to kick in.
       Yesterday Dan took me to the medical marijuana store. I got two new vape pens.  I usually only use it at night if  my leg is totally throbbing and I can't fall asleep.

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