What to bring when someone has died

Now that the ballots have been counted and election day is over.  This is my challenge to every American:

Stay Involved

Be Informed

Don’t Check Out For the Next Three Years

People who don’t vote bother me a bit (especially if they are complaining), but next in line are those who just don’t pay attention until it is time to elect a president.  Men and women have died for you to have this right, don’t waste it.  I feel bad saying people bother me, it’s not like I don’t like them…my mother is one of them, it just bothers me.

 

Moving on.

 

Last week, I mentioned I would post about funerals and food.  This is a helpful post for anyone who might lose a loved one or be close to someone who loses a loved one and wants to be helpful.  It was the first time Forest and I have lost someone that close to us, we were a little clueless on what to expect. 

The food that poured into my in-laws home was a blessing pure and simple.  The pots of soup that were easy to dish up and comforting going down, lasagna and other pasta dishes that were also filling and comforting, ham for sandwiches, veggies and chips for snacking, and the cookies, brownies and such tasted so good.  Most everything brought in could be re-heated easily or frozen for future meals.  When at my Mother-in-laws, I tried to go through the fridge and put some of the things into the freezer for her.  She has a big pan of chicken alfredo in there, lots of vegetable soup in single-serving dishes, garlic bread, cookies, quick breads, and chili too. 

If there was one thing we didn’t have that would have been nice (and this is really searching for something as truly there was so much) it would be some fresh fruit.  With my FIL having been as ill as he was for the last week or two, basics like produce ran out or went bad. 

Another thing that people did that I would never have thought of, but was nearly essential was paper goods.  No one thinks about TP, tissues, trash bags, paper plates, bowls,  and plasticware, but it was so appreciated.  Whoever thought to bring that all by: “you are a blessing!”  We were into the box that first day.  Not that someone couldn’t have run into town (about a 10-15 minute drive to the other side of town) to the store, but it was just nice to know that people stopping by to pay their respects could eat, go to the bathroom, cry, and what not without running out and without having mountains of dishes at the sink or trash overflowing.  And that as a family we could stay put a bit, answer the phones, and help my Mother-in-law.

Simple little things like that really meant so much.  Also, people offered to watch the girls, the cards in the mail, and phone calls meant more than I can say.  I’ve always felt that I just didn’t know what to say when someone loses a loved one, but now I know.  It was good just to hear that they care and they are thinking about you/praying for you. 

Just figured I would pass my bit of learning on to you should you ever need it.

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