“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord,my Rock, my Redeemer.” – Psalms 19:14
Support comes in many different facets, born out of the hearts of individuals that care enough to deliver their aid for a cause or a meaning or a person, all for beneficial progression. Support is physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and it pays major dividends to receive any bit of the aforementioned.
Now, I’ve spoken about a lot of volunteers from Grace Klein Community who’ve given their physical presence to the cause; giving their labor, their sweat, their physicality, and I’ll keep singing their praise as long as I have breath in me, but I’d like to take some time to talk about someone who has been a GKC supporter and volunteer from almost the beginning, who hasn’t been physically present as they are, since some time ago, due to unfortunate health concerns.
Her name is Tish Bagley, and we all wouldn’t be as “better together” without her. She discovered Grace Klein through Liberty Church which the founders frequent, and through her friendship with Joel and Gayle Gilbert. Tish very diligently helped with GKC when it was still in its infantile stage well before food pick ups and many of the different outreaches of today’s mission. Tish was also involved in her church quite well and has spent some good time being a Christian counselor in the past. I definitely can tell by speaking with her what a fine counselor she still is. Tish’s awesome husband Zean was actually the Care Pastor for Liberty at one time where he did much administrating to the impressionable hearts of their community and beyond. I feel like Tish’s whole life has been predicated on helping others and the fine idea that you are not alone in this world with all your troubles, and doubts, and fears, and discomforts. She understands and she relates, sympathetically of course.
Now, because of her ailing back issues and health concerns, Tish cannot get out to physically volunteer her efforts to GKC, like she did in the past, or really get out just about anywhere for that matter, but where she does shine, in the volunteer aspect, where she matters on such a magnificent scale the most, is in the heart, is in the mind, is in the spirit. She is a regular and consistent donating party, and gives what little funds she has for this mission of nobility and imparting of the Spirit that flows through this organization. She even gives to other non profits and charities to boot! She also spreads the word of GKC through social media and interactions with family and people in her community. From a spiritual stand point she prays and believes blessings for Grace Klein and everyone who makes it what it is today. In my uneducated opinion, I’d say her volunteer-ship is a gold standard warranting the highest of praise. And you know what the funny thing is? If she were physically able she’d be up there helping with the open market and the Give and Take room and still doing the other things I mentioned from the sidelines too! I love it, I love the thoughts of the heart and the prayers and the financial support all without even leaving the house! A great Christian author once said, “If you can’t fight in the war, then you can at least carry the bullets.” Tish does that and then some. I go and see her from time to time, to sit and converse, and I always get so much out of it, whether she’s telling me stories of such delight, or preaching great biblical principles to help me in my life, or even if she’s just listening to me pour my heart and soul out to her, it’s all relative, and it’s all so enriching and engaging. I listen to her speak such poetic bliss about her late husband Zean and the impact he not only had on this world, but on every morsel of her being. When she speaks of him, she smiles very dotingly and her eyes sparkle like a million diamonds dancing in a summer pond, and it fills me up with something I can’t even utter out into words.
And you see that’s what she’s gifting me with, she’s volunteering these emotions, these beautiful pieces of herself and her life. She is a giver in just about every sense of the word, and obviously it doesn’t just stop at Grace Klein, hallelujah! Tish. I hope you know that you’re appreciated, and thought about, and prayed for, and just loved, and I pray that God will ease all your pain and lay his hand upon your back and grant you so much strength and energy that you dance right out of your very socks! Thank you so much for everything you’ve done, are doing, and will do for Grace Klein. It’s so refreshing and comforting to me (everyone I hope) that you’re in our corner supporting to the utmost. I know that Zean is smiling down on you so proud and with as much love as he had when you turned his heart into mashed potatoes for you once upon a time. God bless you so much.”
You’re a star player,
a sideline coach,
a transmission of faith,
a torn cloth brooch;
light and fair, an angel too swift,
a lady of much truth,
an heirloom gift,
a spirit who creates
a life of much art,
Tish you’ll always be,
a volunteer of the heart.
– Mitchell Roulaine