Thank you so much for this nomination. It means a lot to be included in this meaningful award. I really am so grateful.
http://itisalonelyplace.wordpress.com/2014/02/07/lighthouse-award-so-chuffed/
I believe, though stand to be corrected that this award was started by Coach Muller, who has the Good Time Stories
Here are his words as to why he started this award, words that make me smile for sure;
I decided to make an award to recognize the people who have created beautiful, heart-warming, and inspirational blogs. Their blogs bring us happiness, enlighten our hearts, and bring a little joy to our lives when we visit their pages. The work that these people have done has truly given us rays of light in a gloomy world.
Here are the Rules for participation…
1. Display the Award certificate on your blog.
2. Write a post and link back to the blogger that nominated you.
3. Inform your nominees of their award nominations
4. Share three ways that you like to help other people.
5. There is no limit to the number of people that you can nominate.
I have a soft spot for helping the homeless, while I am not always able to give money I ask my family and friends to give me their unwanted hats, scarves, gloves, umbrellas, etc. I take a bag full every time I go into the city and hand them out to whoever I cross paths with. I have never had anyone refuse my gifts.. I keep hearing stories of the scam artists on the street, begging while really living in luxury. They may be out there but I don’t believe I have ever met one! I was lucky that I was offered a place to stay in a young persons sheltered building by a local council when I HAD to leave home. If not for that I would have been on the streets myself. It’s an easy life to fall into but a difficult one to climb back out of.
I have met some good friends through playing The Sims. Many became friends through shared ill health. We support each other, sharing our knowledge and advice and often just being there to listen to each other. We are scattered all over the world and with fibrofog we aren’t all that great at working out what time the time zone differences are but if a friend is in need of a shoulder to cry on then time is irrelevant. If the phone rings at 4am and it’s a friend in pain and upset over something I’d happily stay up the rest of the night attempting to cheer them up!
Now it’s trickier.. I’m not around a lot of people so I don’t get many other chances to help out. I support my children through their health difficulties; I support my local animal shelter. I hope that by blogging about sensitive subjects that I can help people who have been through similar experiences and now I can’t think of any other ways to blow my own trumpet! That’s it, I don’t do anything life changing, I’m no doctor that can go work in the third world, no scientist working to cure our ailments, no fireman pulling people (and animals) from burning buildings and no soldier saving lives and fighting for freedoms but I believe I am a decent human being who would help wherever I could.
I am nominating these four bloggers because their life stories have all touched me on a very personal level.
http://mychroniclifejourney.com/
Living with Shadows 
Congratulations.
Irene
Thank you
Congratulations. Sounds like it was a well a well-deserved recognition.
Thank you, it was lovely and it gives me the chance to pass it along.
Congratulations.
thank you
Kudos to you 🙂
thank you, hope your health issues are resolved soon.
Thank you 🙂
Thank you for accepting the nomination and answering the questions and following up with your own nominees 🙂
I loved reading what you wrote, I think the collecting hats and scarves such a great idea, I give to charity but to actually hand out to people such a more involved experience, it’s great. I feel slightly inadequate when I read everyone else’s answers to who I have nominated as you all do such great things, but I can learn by example 🙂
It’s great you have made some friends and even better you might meet a few, I’ve not heard of the sims before, I used to play ‘second life’ but have completely given that up as highly addictive and I decided real life was a better place to be.
I look forward to reading about your nominees, big hugs xx
the collecting started because there was a big salvation army drive for winter wear a few years back during a particularly cold winter. i remember one 18yr old girl sleeping on a park bench in her clothes and a thin sleeping bag because the shelter wouldn’t allow dogs and she couldn’t leave her little terrier out on it’s own. it really affected me because she could easily have been me at a certain point in my life. Anyway they haven’t run the drive since. we were in the city one day, with not a penny to spare, i was too warm! wrapped up and with a blanket over me so i unwrapped my scarf and handed it over. it was so gratefully received and i knew i had a ton more at the bottom of my wardrobe. when those were gone my daughter gave me hers and then asked her friends. i’ve taken a few dog found pouches when i didnt have woolens! lol!
The sims is a series of games and expansion packs that started way back. the sims 4 will be released this autumn. i wont be getting it. the other sims games wont run on my pc anymore so neither will the next! it was very addictive too.. it’s a life simulation game but it has magic and aliens and a ton of other stuff you don’t get in normal life! but it’s not populated with real people players like second life. i have never played that but it looks amazing. bit too much for me to handle i think! it’s lovely to have made good friens, i have offers to go stay but i could never manage long haul flights and certainly couldn’t afford them anyway! that’s okay, i have my skype 🙂 do not feel inadequate! i couldn;t think of anything to put at first! it was my husband mentioned the winter warmers! you do a lot of good through your blog! you may not realise it! so thank you again for the nomination.. it was a special one!
“I have never had anyone refuse my gifts.. I keep hearing stories of the scam artists on the street, begging while really living in luxury.”
Last year, just after Thanksgiving, I read the comments to an article in the local newspaper about giving to the needy. I was stunned by the number of people who complained about exactly what you wrote. I had never heard of such a thing! They wrote about the people who “choose” to live under highways with “luxuries” like cell phones; people who beg on street corners who toss food in the trash can; people who beg on street corners and, when arrested, are found to have hundreds of dollars in their pockets; people who beg and return to “luxury” apartments, even though they have kids to feed and are “able” to work (in an area of high unemployment)… I would have left comments if I could figure out how to sign into the website.
I, too, was very fortunate when I was homeless.Kind people welcomed me into their homes and fed me. I’m glad you were treated well, too.
I am glad you were cared for in your time of want. i am sure there’s a tiny percentage may try this but surely it can only be a tiny amount. i have only ever seen genuine needs. i also think a person can have a few possessions and still be in dire need. how does having a cheap pay as you go phone in case of emergency mean they have luxuries.. i just don’t understand these views at all. once homeless you have fallen through the safety net, certainly in this country, you need an address to register for benefits, to register at a job centre, to get a job.. so much tied into having a place to call home,
Inspiring and heartfelt
it was a really nice one to be indluded in!
Thank you, Shelley, for the Lighthouse Award! I am sorry for being so late in accepting it. I have had some personal issues that came upon me rather suddenly…and I am beginning to see the LIGHT of the HOME again…so to speak! Thank you for your kind thoughts and award! I will now move forward with it!
Your generous heart towards the Homeless People is beautiful! And you have given me ideas about how I can do more! Thank you! Thank YOU for being one of those people who does not forget that the Homeless are PEOPLE…human beings…YOU are a strong and brave person! I admire your courage and strength to have endured what you had to and then not to forget when things improved. You are a kindhearted person who will always have a place in my heart and my door is always open to you!