Walking the Walk

We've learned that the biggest blessing
in our lives during this time is
the people who are "walking the walk".

Sure, don't get us wrong....
Talking the talk is good too.

But its the "walk" that changes lives.
Ours included.
And right now?
Especially ours.

This post is a TEENY TINY tribute
to some of those people.

I HATE to name names.  Honest I do.
Because once I start, I have already surely
forgotten someone who should be on "The List."

Just know I am cherry picking a select FEW 
examples from an endless list of examples. It could
take up blog posts forever and ever (amen)
if I posted about everyone who was 
"walking the walk".

But I want to share what has comforted us
during days when the skies were grayest. 

Example One:

In our church, we have someone called a Home
Teacher.  This is a man person assigned to a 
few select families.  They then check on their
families each month.  It is most often done
with a visit and some kind of a (boring)
spiritual message/lesson. 
(So shoot me--I'm not big fan of "the lesson".)  
Sometimes they ask how you are, say a prayer 
and then leave only to return again the next month.  
(This may or may not make ANY sense to people outside 
the confines of our faith and I certainly 
apologize if my explanation is not clear enough.)

Google it?  Home Teacher.


Anyway, at this time in our life, I dare say
we have perhaps the GREATEST "Home Teacher"
we have ever had as a family.  Has he ever
come ONE TIME and sat down to give us a lesson
or say a prayer?  Nope, not one time.
Not even once.  (I know, the shock and horror right?)
He, according to some, has failed miserably 
with his "duties" as a Home Teacher.  He's 
not "checking off" all the appropriate boxes.

What has he done?  you ask.

Well, he has taken our car and had it detailed.
Several times.  On his own time and with his
own hands.  He has shown up at chemo and
sat and visited with us.  He has shown up with
odds and ends to makes my kids, and their
electronics, happy.  He has read books to understand
where we are at.  

Did you catch that?
He's talked to us.  Listened to how WE feel.
And then gone to the library and checked out
books to UNDERSTAND us better.

Seriously, wow.  

He's even shared a few good ones with us
that he's loved.  


He has called, texted and 
loved.  He has checked up on us and double 
checked and checked some more.  He has worried
when times were bad.  He has brought treats, and
lunch supplies and love.

What has he done?  you ask.

He has walked the walk.  

Not once has he ever given a lesson about God
or service or Christ or love.  But what he
HAS DONE is he has lived it, 
the example and service and love,
every day through his example to our family.

And by george, he knows a good swear word (or two)
when he sees one.  How can we not respect such
a man? (wink)

He has put on his boots, pulled them up high
and, through the greatest example of love,
walked and walked and walked.

Example Two:

An old friend, who happened to be our Bishop
at one point and is now a Stake President (again
jargon that will only be familiar to some--just
know he is a "highish ranking" person in our
church that leads a big congregation) stopped
by last week with some pies.

3 of them to be exact, because he didn't know
which kind our family would like.

He said "I read your post about 'Transition'
and I love you and I am thinking about you."

That's it.  

He had no great words of comfort, or advice,
or magic cures.

He just SIMPLY wanted us to know he cared and
loved us and was thinking of us during a 
very hard time.

He hugged us and left.

He had his "Jesus Shoes" on and
was walking the walk as well.  

It is SO NICE to know that we are loved
and someone is thinking about us.


EXAMPLE THREE:

A friend from the neighborhood who is a "cancer
survivor" (yay for survivors!) has dropped
everything on his plate to bring us lunch 
week after week after week at the Huntsman while
Kyle is getting chemo.

No one asked him to do this.  In fact, I would
dare say that prior to Kyle's diagnosis,
we were not even very "close" friends.

In spending hours, sitting and listening and
talking and sharing...he is someone who now holds
a special place in our hearts.  He stepped
up to the plate to comfort us and love us
in a time when those are the things that really
matter.  And he has done so in a Big Way.

We love our visits with him and they are
anything but sad and dreary and depressing.

He always has a hug for us on the way out.

He too, is walking the walk.

EXAMPLE FOUR and FIVE:

I have a friend who WITHOUT fail texts me
almost every single day to make sure I 
haven't taken to the bottle yet.  
Okay, really she's just checking on me
to make sure I haven't lost my mind yet.

Every day. It doesn't take hours.  Most
days it barely takes 5 minutes.  Tops.
But she just wants me to know someone cares.
And loves me.  And validates my feelings.

She's walking the walk.

Kyle has a sister who has decided she's 
going to show up at chemo (almost) every
week come hell or high water.  She just
does it.  It has healed a relationship
that was not perfect 7 months ago.  We have
all gotten a good look at each other and
(I believe) have a new found respect for
where everyone stands.  What will Kyle 
and said sister have when all is said
and done?  They will have cherished memories
that will never go away when all else does.

She's walking the walk.

EXAMPLES SIX through ....

My sisters, who text each week on chemo day
to say "Good Luck" "We love you"
"We're thinking about you" and "Go get 'em
tiger".  (Okay, they may or may not have
ever said the last one.)

Yup, walking the walk.

A High School best friend of Kyle's who
also visits every week (with treats) at
chemo and has spent COUNTLESS hours 
helping us resolve many loose ends in 
our lives that only someone like him
can resolve.  He has dropped things left
and right to step up to our plate in 
time of need and be there for us.  I dare
say we love him with the deepest depths
of gratitude and love for all he has given
to our family.

He is walking the walk.

Parents who have sacrificed and given
more than it is possible to EVER "pay back".

Walking it.

An uncle who has spent hours via email
trying to help me with my resume so I can
find a dang "real" job.

Walking the walk.

A co worker of Kyles who shows up with
peaches and apples to feed us.  Because
she can and because she wants to.

She's a walker too.

Loaves of fresh baked bread on our porch.
And special lunch boxes for me to carry
my lunch to work in.

Yup, another person strutting it.

A friend who made a quilt by hand and had all
of Josh's friends (Kyles "2nd sons") write a
note on patches of the square and then put
the whole thing together.  A treasured heirloom

Yessirree...we've got ourselves another walker.


-------------------------------

Again, my list is about half a million people
shy of where it should be.  I could name more
names of people who are "walking the walk"...
without actually naming any. 

Some acts are huge and some are as simple
as a 10 second text.  

10 seconds is all it takes to walk, and reach,
to someone in need.  

Maybe the next time you meet "someone in need",
you will think of silly little Dorien and her
blog post about "walking the walk" and remember
that if we are being true to all the goodness
and kindness in the world, it is about
more (sometimes) than just "saying", it is
also about "doing".

It's about rolling up our sleeves, maybe getting 
a little dirty.  Perhaps its about reaching out of 
our comfort zone and walking in a new direction
that we've never tried to walk before. 

(And believe you me, I need this reminder more
than almost anyone else on a good day.)

Also know, when I say for those of us on the 
receiving end, as HARD HARD HARD as it is to
be here, we appreciate the time and acts of service
you have given us MORE than you will ever know.

Ever. ever.  ever.

And that is what I have for today.

Walking the walk.

Thank you.

Oh Thank you, for walking to us and lending a hand.

Believe me when I say that SOME DAYS?
It is ALL that pulls us through.

We love you, all of you, who have walked
into our lives and loved us just when we
needed it the very most.

Love,
Kyle Dor and the kids