Lindsay Likes that People Care: my update on OKC

Dear Friends,
I want to thank everyone for their calls, texts and emails checking on my friends and family in OKC. First let me say that they are all ok. My family lives North of where the tornado hit. Immediately, in the moments before the tornado hit and afterwards I worried about some of the people that work at my Dad's office that live in Moore. It took a long time to get details but we found out their homes survived and everyone in their family's is ok.

However, Minde who works at my Dad's office has two elementary school children that attend Briarwood Elementary one of the schools hit my the storm. Luckily, earlier in the afternoon they were picked up from school early to go to daycare. The daycare located just across the street from Briarwood had a shelter. Sherry, who ran the daycare made sure the children were safe in the shelter. She helped save Minde's children but unfortunately lost her home and two cars.

Today, the UPS man that visits my Dad's office daily told them that another UPS man that works in the area just down the street lost his wife in the tornado and has a child in critical condition. My Dad's office is about 10 minutes from Moore.

The devastation is far reaching and has touched so many lives. How thankful I am that so many people are ok and how very sad to know that others were not so lucky. Some people have asked me if there are specific ways they can help from afar. Here are two ways to help out locally.

Send a donation to the Jewish Federation of Oklahoma City. They have set up a fund and will distribute the money to local organizations in need. To donate send a check indicating it's for the "Oklahoma Disaster Fund" to:
Jewish Federation of OKC
710 W. Wilshire, Suite 103
OKC, OK 73116
( you can email or call too:office@jfedokc.org or 405-848-3132)

Or if you prefer to help a family directly you may send a check to my Dad made out to Jerry Bendorf for funds to be given to Sherry and her family. Please include a note that the check is for Sherry and send to:
Jerry Bendorf
PO Box 95638
OKC, OK 73143

Gratefully,
Lindsay

"Oklahoma is the heart, it's the vital organ, of our national existence."  Will Rogers

PS: I'm donating all of my Stella & Dot commissions for the rest of May to the disaster relief fund for OKC. If you need gifts this could be a great way to help out while taking care of a gift you need to get anyway.Stelladot.com/lindsaybendorf  Also, if you would like to host a shop for a cause event supporting those we can help in Moore please let me know. You can donate all hostess rewards to women that could use a little sparkle. 

Thanks for all your caring. 

Lindsay Likes that People CARE! 

Lindsay Likes Keeping Spirits Up

When it's gloomy outside or when it's sunny but things going around us are gloomy what happens? How do we keep our spirits up when things aren't going so great? Things start to go wrong, people say things we don't want to hear, we miss out on the fun and we somehow keep being part of the gloom and doom.  At times we have no control over what's coming our way and what happens.  But how can we keep ourselves in line and feel like we can maintain who we are when life happens without asking our opinion? 

We find a way to keep our spirits up so who we are can go on despite all the forces around us.  We continue our routine, find things to do for others, find new things to do for ourselves, pursue things we once put aside; we look to "our people" to keep ourselves busy and to hang around.  We do, we think, we go, we act, maybe more slowly or less efficiently but we remember, like Theodore Roosevelt said to "...do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Let's spare each other the details of the particular gloom that has befallen us or may come upon us and say that no one has it easy all of the time.  From minute to colossal everyone faces obstacles and challenges, but it's how we face them that shows our character.  We can choose to be pitiful or we can choose to be strong.  We can complain about our lot or find the best it has to offer.  Sometimes what happens around us doesn't go our way.  It's a fact.  For me, I try to keep the spirits up and to make it a mindset of mine to remember to do this.

We can be wounded birds or be the strongest versions of ourselves, and we still live in the same world.  If we choose the first, we get the life we think we deserve, but when we choose the later and act with both toughness and a bit of sweetness too, we open ourselves up to an endless possibility of outcomes and experiences.  Our strength in the gloom and doom inspires others while continuously fueling our passions, interests and self-development.  Our own "oomph" allows us to grow and to help and to encourage others to do the same.

I think we keep our spirits up because we are responsible for more than just ourselves.  Keeping our spirits up allows us to offer all we are meant to be.  We keep our spirits up by doing what we need to do for ourselves.  There's no formula, just a means to exude our toughness, to be the antithesis of a wounded bird. Certainly, we have to let our emotions run their course and to feel how we must.  When we choose to live our best lives despite the gloom, this doesn't mean we forget how our spirits dipped or why they did.  Instead, we use what happens to propel us another day, to do our part to make the world go round.  We use our experiences, both the happy and those that are rather sad, to teach us and to mold us into better versions of ourselves.

No, I'm not advocating for 24/7 "Brady Bunch" smiles.  Nor am I saying we can just snap out of it.  I'm just saying I like to keep spirits up...mine...yours...ours.

Lindsay Likes Keeping Spirits Up.