For the love of Facebook, continued

Back in April I wrote a blog about Facebook on how friendships and deep connections are made through "friending people".  In that post I mentioned how a few years ago I thought it was crazy to be on Facebook and how much I really love it today!  As a follow up to that, I'm sharing a couple fabulous experiences and connections that were made through reaching out to people and posting on Facebook.

A month ago I had honor of following a story for Royal Oak Patch about "The Desert Angel" organization.  The first and second graders at Northwood Elementary were packing stockings to send to the troops overseas.  They packed over 100 stockings and included a sweet card with each one.  It inspired me to bake dozens of cookies myself to send out.  (I plan to do this every month for as long as I can - if you want to contribute, let me know!)

And then

I posted the article on my Facebook page and shared that I was baking the cookies.  Right away someone made a comment that while stationed in Iraq in 2009/2010 he had received numerous packages from the Desert Angel organization.  It touched him deeply, partially because he never knew how they got his name.  He posted that he was so grateful for the monthly gifts.  It gave him hope; something to look forward to month after month.

Shortly after he posted, another friend shared that her and her children attend packing parties on a regular basis through their church.  The soldier who posted above asked if she was the one who submitted his name.  Of course she was!  The soldier was finally able to put a name and face to the person who sent his name to The Desert Angel - a face and name to the person that, among many, appreciated his service to our country!   You all know I was in tears reading those posts on my page! 

Next up

Three weeks ago my brother, who like many, is laid off and living on a very limited budget, sent me a note saying he needed a new washing machine, "Be on the look out, will ya," he said! 

Well, I decided to put it out there to my wonderful Facebook friends!  Within in just a few minutes a very generous soul, who is experiencing her own challenges, posted on my page that she had a washing machine and he could pick it up - she gave it to him FOR FREE!!!  All he needed to do was figure out how to pick it up.  It took a couple of weeks, but he finally made it over there - works like a champ!  (We know what he'll be doing for New Years!)

Before Facebook the soldier may never have known who to thank for the generosity he received month after month while stationed over seas and my brother may have had to fork over a couple hundred bucks for a washing machine, at a time when he needed the cash more than ever before, 

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR LOVE AND GENEROSITY!  Thank you Royal Oak Patch for the opportunity to share so many great stories with the world.

To those of you who think Facebook isn't worth the time, I urge you to reconsider - it's pretty amazing. I'm thankful to all of you that grace my page and my life, on and off of Facebook! 

Many blissings for a prosperous and joyful new year!  Keep connecting, keep sharing and this year, ask for what you need - you just might be surprised how it shows up in your life!