I am the least of these...

I sit here tonight with an overwhelmed heart.  No, more like a ripped out, bleeding on the floor, covered in dirt, heart.  It comes with the territory when you spend time with the homeless.  Our church provides meals for people at the shelter and I am blessed beyond measure to be able to take part.

All day I kept kicking the idea around to help.  My heart said YES!!  But my body, still on the mend was kinda wishy-washy.  Its times like that when you know you just need to bite the bullet and follow your heart.  Matthew 25 kept ringing through my ears all day until my heart just overflowed with love for what some would consider the least of these.  There was no keeping me away at this point!

You see, what some would consider trash, dispensable, throw away, good for nothing, mooching people, I consider to be just like me.  Its a Jesus thing, I take no credit - trust me. 

Tonight, certain people caught my eye and I just studied them.  I wondered what they used to do before they ended up in the shelter.  I want to hear their dreams and who they long to be.  I think about their family, do they have any?  Have they ever really been loved and supported?  What kind of abuse have they suffered that's rendered them hopeless?  And most importantly, what can I do to help?

I want to just pick each one up and hold them, rock them back and forth like a caring mother, maybe a mother they never had.  I want to whisper sweet nothings in their ear, tell them that they are truly valuable, precious gems even..each one.  I want to take away every fear, every hurtful encounter, every lie that tells them there is nothing left to offer.  I want to absorb painful memories and smooth over the wounds.  I want to pick them up and place them back on their feet and fill their hearts with purpose and hope. 

That's what breaks my heart.  It seems the chasm is just far too wide.  The needs are too great.  I feel I have so little to offer.  Then I remember the words of Mother Teresa. "We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop."  Keep contributing your little drops.  You never know the difference you could make in someone's life.

We all have places and people to enhance.  Your circumstances and experiences have enabled you care for people that no one else can.  If you haven't found that place, I suggest starting somewhere until you find what fits for you.  There is nothing better, more satisfying than lifting someone up.  Be purposeful.  Love doesn't happen by mistake.  Make it happen. 

Remember, its only because of God's grace that you've overcome and its only His grace that will keep you from returning.  I know that at the drop of a hat I could've been sitting at those tables tonight, owning nothing but what I could carry on my back.  What a humbling perspective..






For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.
Matthew 25: 32-40  

  

Many Thanks!

 

 

 

I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who has been so awesome lately, showering me with awesome love and making me feel some awesomely special!!!

 

Over the past few weeks I've had people cooking us dinner, cleaning the house, offering a helping hand (which is not easy for me to accept but I'm learning :), washing clothes, taking me to doctor's appointments, bringing me coffee in the infirmary (it wasn't that bad), bringing me chocoflan and balloons and fried chicken, praying earnestly, calling and texting with concern and general encouragement through social networks and such.  I must say that I am still flabbergasted at the love that had been poured over me and my family when we needed it most.  I am forever grateful!  Thank you!

 

What is even more amazing is that most of the good deeds I listed above were extended to us from my church family.  You see, I don't have a large family and those few were pushed to the limit between taking care of the girls and dogs.  I don't know what I would've done without them!  But the gravy of it all was to watch people who really have no connection to me other than Jesus reaching out to fill in the gaps.

 

So I'd like to encourage everyone who reads this post to find a good, healthy church home.  Surround yourself with people who love God and love their neighbor.  God created us for community, to share our lives with each other.  We all need to be encouraged, covered, and supported and we need to be that for others as well.  I promise you, when you find that you won't be disappointed, you'll be fulfilled!  I know I am!

 

I love you guys with all of my heart!!

A primer..

I've hit a brick wall.  I have to write, like, an encyclopeda's worth of school papers from my absence recently.  My lung decided to go on strike and life came to a screeching halt.  So today I have decided to dust off the ole creative machine and squirt a little creative juices into folds of this foggy, med induced semi-coma I've been in as of late.  Gotta prime the pump..

I think the problem is that since my body is at rest, which I absolutely loath, my mind insists that it must take up the slack.  I mean come on, one part of me, at the very least, has to be stressed.  Even a simple task, such as writing in this invisible blogsphere is a chore.  My mind flits back and forth between topics, my to do list and it's addendums (cause they ain't no way all dat junk gone get done today!), rehearsing the series of nightmares I've been having and what could they possibly mean...  sccccrreecchhhh.......hold up..back on task..

English paper.

Ok where to begin... gotta do research..

But..what are we having for dinner tonight?  What is that smell?  I forgot to brush my teeth this morning.  Whaa?  Cheetos hot fries are the bomb.  But NOT better than Andy Capps, and saying so would be borderline blasphemy.  I gotta get my oil changed.  Why is that "tire low" light still on after I've added air.  Guess I gotta get that checked too.  Do I have laundry detergent? Yea.  What about dishwasher tabs?  I should probably go check.  Hey look, cookies!  What time is it?  Oh great, the kids will be home in two hours.  I'd better get busy.  I gotta find some time and energy to clean the guest bathroom.  I think something is growing in there.  Do I have gloves?  Where are the gloves?  I gotta pick up some shampoo.  You know what I really want right now?  An authentic ICEE like they used to sell at Kmart when I was a kid.  Boy, you know Kmart has really gone down hill over the years.  Haha and those blue light specials that would scare the bejesus out of me when the siren and lights would go off like I stole something.  Man, those were the days!  I gotta take the trash out, tomorrow is pick up day.  But no really, what is up with these nightmares?  I mean, its like I'm running from something...uh oh....and whats up with the hobbits/gnomes that insist on saving me?  Gnomes have always freaked me out.  They are kinda like little clowns.  Freaky.  I should get one for the front yard.  Maybe that will help me overcome my fear.  Hmm..do we have a gnome store here?  Like, where could you even get one? Stttoooooooppp.....

English paper.

But wait....there's more!  If you act now you can still have time to think about a thousand other things that don't really mean a hill of beans while life passes you by.  And by taking advantage of this important offer, you get a lifetime supply of guilt for your lack of self control and the fact that you completely blew it.  Better act now, seating is limited!


Ok enough is enough!

So it worked!  Now I feel competent (no, really)!  Nothing left to do now but the work.  I am glad however, that I took some time to blog.  Its been five months since my last post and boy have a lot of things changed.  My life has become such a rollercoaster, as in I'm upside down and backwards screaming in horror most of the time!  But I'm grateful.  Without the chaos I would be so bored.

Hopefully I will find the time to maintain this outlet a little better. I've got so much brewing inside of me just dying to get out.  We shall see.  Til next time.