As long as I'm all whining these days anyway...

Something I miss BIGTIME is volunteering to do things. I was always the first one with my hand up at church: ooh, ooh, me! I'll do it!

Not because nobody else would, not because I felt I had to...I totally wanted to. Everything. Play the organ, teach Sunday School, send out birthday cards, do a newsletter, organize a work day, write a skit...at one time or another, I think I've done everything but be the treasurer and sing a solo. (Trust me, you don't want me to do either one.)

Now I'm so unreliable that I don't even volunteer to do the things I still CAN do unless there are three back-up plans. Grrrrr. I'm so glad I have an awesome pastor and wife. They've said, "You don't EVER have to explain yourself to us."

Even though folks at church are as understanding as it's possible for people to be, and I truly don't feel "guilty", it still kills me not to have my hand in the air hollering "Let me do it!"

Okay, pouting performance is over.

Oh No, you're one of those!!!!!

Peeps like you made me feel guilty and inept at volunteer time, as I scrunched down in my seat..LOL

Nah, I'll bet you were the one that said "I don't want to be up front running things, but I'll help."

I remember volunteering.....and doing stuff. It was fun. Seems like another lifetime. I miss it, too.

I do alot of volunteering and I am upfront that I have MS, and a fatigue, heat issue, and may not always be available for each meeting, each run, or each event depending on weather, and how I feel. Folks tend to be quite patient when you explain it up front.

once a month at least, I go to the food kitchen, and we serve a meal to the homeless. If I am having a bad day that day, I wipe tables, or just open cans in the kitchen instead of standing for an hour to meet the needs of the line up.

I clean up/debug/update the churches computers once a month. I make sure the updates are done, and the virus scanners have been run, and updated. I also help many of the elderly in this town when they have a virus appear on their machine. There once upon a time was a man here that charged them ALOT of money to do 10 minutes worth of work by adding a free virus program that he used to charge them for.

I go with my neighbor when she takes her doggies to the old folks home to visit.They just love when the doggies come.

I help at the local food pantry. Somedays I put food on shelves. somedays I help folks pick out food. Some days I just phone others for money/help/items.

I help do a free clothing swap about once a month or so. My neighbor and I started a free clothing swap. Once a month much of three towns shows up and we trade clothing. At first it was a mess and tons of folks made it harder than it needed to be. Now it runs much more smoothly.

Loads of things you can do. From knitting hats/scarfs, and gloves/mittens for the local kids to reading a book at the local library for the young ones who never have anyone read to them.

Im so proud of you!

I also volunteer. You just do what you can, when you can and how you can. That's the same for anyone; MS or no MS.

Go ahead and put yourtoes back in the water and see what strikes you and how you can make it work. Heck, I even stuff envelope at home when I really feel like crappolla.

I bet you find it makes you feel better too!

There are so many opportunities for an extra set of hands in most activities please don't be afraid to volunter! Bless you for being interested in helping out so freely.

I'm a huge believer in charity work and hope to always be able to do it to some extent even if not as hands on as I can now.

Thank you all for your support during my mini-crisis...

Don't get me wrong...I still do whatever I'm able to do. I do the bulletins every week, lead the adult Bible study, jump in when the pianist isn't there, etc., and this week I'm helping with Vacation Bible School (just for about 45 minutes, to tell the story)

I also print up posters for the historical society, and do research for them (well, us). And other things as they come along.

I just always have to think long and hard before I volunteer, plus make sure there's a "what if" plan if I could conk out at the last minute.

I just really miss not being able to say "I'll do it!" without spending three days coming up with contingency plans, etc.

Like Dej, I volunteer a lot, too. Several nursing homes (play piano at one, reading at visitation at another), visiting my friend's elderly mother at home, volunteering for the school system during the school year, and the summer food program in the summer.

Had to get used to not being employed. If i had to give up volunteering, too, that would be difficult. I empathize with you, Blessings.

~ Faith