August 31, 2011: The Great Big Jill Day

Jill.  

Many of you know her, many of you love her, many of you were forever changed by her friendship, her blog, her life, and her death.  We watched (and read) as she faced a death sentence in the form of ALS and attempted to lead a life of transparency.  She loved her family and friends, she was passionate about her faith, and she was such an encouragement to us all.  

When Jill passed away on August 31, 2010, it was a bittersweet feeling of sadness and relief.  I was so happy that she was no longer in pain, that she no longer suffered, that she would no longer struggle to grab ahold of life anymore.  

But, I was so incredibly sad to say goodbye to such a good friend.  To know that things would never be the same.  

I can't believe it's been a year.   

In some ways it feels like the time has flown by.  

In other ways it feels like I've lived through each excruciating minute.   

However, when August 31st rolls around, I want to invite those of you that know her, or knew of her, or read her blog, or know her children to be a part of The Great Big Jill Day.  

Rather than spending the day mourning the loss of our dear friend, I encourage you to be a part of something bigger.  Jill always wanted us to do more, be more, and (most importantly) love more.  Rather than sitting around and feeling sorry for ourselves, Jill would want us to go out and do something because we were capable.  

Let's use August 31st as a day to change and improve the lives of those around us in honor of the way Jill changed and improved our lives.  

Some simple ideas for The Great Big Jill Day:

• Call someone who needs a friend and listen to them
• Give someone a genuine compliment
• Smile and wave hello to the people who cross your path
• Be the friend you always wanted to have
• Tell your loved ones that you love them
• Volunteer with hospice
• Tell someone about Jesus

What about you?  What one or two things can you do on August 31st to celebrate this special lady?