How it all Began
It all began with a baby and grieving parents. I was in East Wenatchee at memorial service for a relative, while Sadi, was trying to figure out how to bring her baby girl, Journee Rose Mercy Wallin, home to rest from the hospital in Seattle. They weren’t going to release the baby, or it was going to cost a bundle of $$$ to bring her home. After the service, I stayed back and asked Becky at Chapel of the Valley if she could give me any information to help me help them get baby Journee home.
She contacted the hospital, made arrangements for Sadi to bring her home directly to the funeral home, and let us know that there would be no cost. She did this with kindness, respect, and the Love of Jesus shining through.
This made me want to give back to other families in need of help during their time of sorrow. To make beauty from ashes.
With my time recently freed up, I went down to see Becky and discuss my desire to give back in some way. I wanted this idea to be called Mercy’s Money so it could be anonymous giving by anyone who wanted to join the mission. I wanted to incorporate a cross which Becky found, and then we placed the name Mercy’s Money right on the horizontal and it became even more special with realizing the ultimate Mercy was the price Jesus paid on the cross for our sins.
She pointed to the board of families and mentioned one in particular that really needed some help with their recent loss of their teenage son. I said OK let’s do it!
We brainstormed and came up with a beautiful little card that could be given to the family with a short message that there was a bit of relief for some of the struggles they were facing, and that God has a purpose and a plan - Jeremiah 29:11. Then she saw the little pale pink box with gold embossed roses she had purchased for the local Chamber Dinner, and it was SO PERFECT! It would be called a Blessing Box. We would fill it with little things personalized for the family and a beautiful little card with the big uplifting message.
I was excited to be doing something meaningful, and I wanted to share it. As I shared the whole concept with Sadi’s grandma, she said “well, I want to help, I know other people will want to help too, and you need a website.” I hadn’t even considered taking it to that level, but God knew! From the Friday morning idea development with Becky for the first Blessing Box, to Saturday afternoon, I had a website started, and grandma, Marcia, had gone on a Blessing Box shopping spree for the 21 boxes I had just purchased. She became the first Bountiful Blesser Legacy Donor, and a new Journee began with a message of hope and healing for hurting families.
Sadi and Louis were to be the first Blessing Box recipients so on Sunday, just 3 short days after the whole idea came to life, we met down by the river, and shared some heartfelt moments and, of course, some tears. The idea to make beauty from ashes eases the pain of losing a loved one just a little by giving it a purpose and sharing hope with others. They received their blessing box, and then, that Tuesday, Sadi was able to give the next blessing box to the next family. The ripple effect of kindness will continue to carry on with the Mission of Mercy’s Money. There is healing in burdens shared.
Then the question became, will this be a non-profit or a business? That direction was divinely given as well. I had created to that point, the whole website with only the mouse within my keyboard. I couldn’t take it anymore! I headed out to find out why my new mouse was not working - was it a driver issue or just a bad mouse? The tech person wouldn’t be in for a week at the local office store even though I was told to come in on this day and time. I sat frustrated for a minute in the parking lot then remembered another local computer place right near there. I went in and was relieved to see a familiar face. I had forgotten he worked there! He figured out the mouse problem, and with some chitchat, I quickly showed him what I was up to. I was about to shut the computer down, and he paused me, complimenting my website design. He said he saw talent in what I had done, and I could get paid to create websites for people….ok then, a business it will be for Mercy’s Money. A business with a goal to help and give back.
Then the next God-given inspiration came. Honor the Loved by Giving to the Living. Little baby Journee would never get to do things that any parent dreams about their little one doing one day. Rather than dwell on the sad part, what could we redirect our focus to? Let’s help someone on their way to fulfilling their dream in honor of our loved one who cannot! How do YOU want to honor YOUR loved one? Need ideas? We have plenty of ideas and connections so just reach out and we can help you figure out how you want to heal the hurt you are facing.