I found out about this "hero meme" here via The Curt Jester (one of my many heroes, himself!)
Here are the rules:
1. Honor a living hero
2. Preference given to Firefighters, Police Officers, Paramedics, EMT's, Dispatchers
3. Not everyone is acquainted with someone fitting into these categories. If this is the case, then honor someone else, a hero in your life who is willing to "give all" in some way. It can be a priest, a pastor, a teacher, a relative, a friend...etc.
Since I don't personally know a whole lot of the people listed under number 2, I will talk a little about some people I do know. They are friends of mine that I grew up with and they are the first people I thought of when I read the word "hero".
They are two sisters that I have come to love and admire so much for their loyalty, bravery, faith, and humility among many other positive attributes. I graduated with the younger sister and the older sister was only a year older than us. When we were little, I was invited to sleep over at their house and I remember it being a family of a happy bunch of kids. I remember their dad coming to our class and always having a smile on his face and a funny practical joke to share with us. The older sister got his sense of humor and always has a (clean) joke to tell and a funny smirk on her face that makes you wonder what kind of trouble she'd get into if she used her powers for evil instead of infinite good! She was the one who invited me into the homeschool group I belong to now and introduced me to a WORLD of wonderful families with which to associate. She has six living children and is pregnant with their seventh and even though she gets very ill in early pregnancy she finds the time to speak to groups about pro-life and family causes. She is a person I consider to be beautiful in every way and I am so lucky and proud to be considered her friend. The younger sister is just as sweet and has five living children, like me! We have been classmates pretty much forever (I even think we went to kindegarten together) and I remember her as the friendliest, most non-controversial person in the whole grade. She has such a pure heart. She is the one to call in our town if you want to find out about pro-life causes, or locally held benefits for the unborn, or crisis pregnancies. On top of all of this, she has a business that she runs with a partner from her home (some of the proceeds going to pro-life causes). Sheesh, I feel like there aren't enough hours in the day just to feed and care for my own children, do the dishes and a little bit of laundry...But these ladies do all of that and so much more. They are living heroes and living SAINTS in my humble opinion. I'd like to honor them the best and most public way I know how so here's to you, girls! (I don't think they read my blog, so say a prayer for them if you get a chance and maybe they'll feel the love and blessings in whatever they are doing in the next couple of days, kind of like a spiritual bouquet?)
Michelle and Angela
My dear, sweet friends
God bless you and your beloved families
And be with you in all your work!
(If you two don't get to Heaven
I ain't got a chance!)
By the way, here are some of the things that these gals support and work for so if you could, check them out!
I couldn't find a website for Abba, but here is a news article about the center.
Here is Angela's business!
A Community Caring For Life is another group in the area but there's no website. I think it got started by the archdiocese and is used in local parishes to support the unborn.
Maybe someone pops into your mind when you think of the word "hero"? Write about it and then let me know in the comment box if you did!
