Total hours logged on the couch this weekend: about 8.5 (that makes up for half a normal day that's usually back to back non-stop stress)
Bubble bath: check
Connect with friends: check
Quality time with hubbo: check
Hubby's quilt: forgotten
Decorations: not so much
Painting: Epic Fail. Dilema.
While waiting for my first blue swatch to dry, I decided I hated what I was looking at. After priming over that swatch and even more of the wall for two more trial strips of color...I finally decided two things:
1. I need new primer...mine is like painting with glue. Yuck
2. I love the color I finally chose, option 3...imagine that (charmer)
With the painting not going as planned, I didn't get much farther than two blue strips and a whole lotta ugly....the bad news? I probably can't even think about touching it again until after finals! boo.
As you can see, though, the bubble bath was a success! Whoo! I happened to grab a book on my way in and actually did a little leisurely reading, too (thanks M for the bday present I'm still working on....hopefully I can finish before this year's bday. :) )
Saturday morning, I spent a few hours with my church, working at a homeless shelter. The plan was to deliver a bunch of items donated from our congregation and then help work the "store" at the shelter. The "store" is located in the basement and looks a lot like a Goodwill store. However, everything is free. Usually there is a limit on the number of items a customer can take, but that limit depends on the supply and is not forcefully monitored. (Could YOU tell a homeless woman carrying two babies that she grabbed too many bars of soap??)
Upon arriving, we learned that the basement was flooded and we wouldn't be able to work that day. BUT, we had two huge truck beds full of stuff to give away and were not about to take it back to church with 20 people standing outside the shelter waiting for the doors to open. We asked if the owners would object to our handing things out on the sidewalk...since it was technically still ours to give away anyway. They said we could and so we did. We lined up everything against the building in categories from men's and women's clothing to toys to toiletries.
I watched about 150 people come down that sidewalk with a plastic bag and fill it as full as possible with things like toothpaste, deodorant, used underwear, socks, and water bottles about 3/4 full of shampoo (divided from an economy size bottle I presume). Some people came through and only needed one thing....and we didn't have it. Others came through and didn't have anything, so they took all they could.
Describing what is was like to watch that many people sift through someone else's junk (and most of this was exactly that) because they were desperate enough to do so...is beyond words. I'm more thankful than ever after that experience. We are all only one bad experience away from homelessness, or the poor house. Can you imagine losing everything and having nowhere to turn? I can't. I've been close once in my life...and I did everything I could to prevent it. But what if I hadn't been able to? Where would I be today? Who am I to judge someone else, their misfortune, their character, or their lack? It's not my job or business to know why someone is in their current situation. But, it is my responsibility to love them...exactly where they are.
Sometimes love is a hug from your spouse...and sometimes love is a single disposable razor that will get a troubled woman through at least another month until she can come back and find another one...if she's lucky.
One question I've always pondered was this: "Why not get a job?! Wal-Mart is right around the corner!" Well, without a physical address to call home...you aren't exactly marketable as a responsible employee. And again...it's not up to me to find out how they lost that home and I've learned to stop worrying about it. If that WERE me, shopping for free hygeine items and used underwear because it's all I can get a hold of...I sure wouldn't want to have to tell my sad story to anyone and everyone just to get their empathy or compassion....or a tampon.
Jesus doesn't require me to wear a sign on my back listing my shortcomings and I am sure not going to require it from someone else. Jesus says if I believe in Him, I have everlasting life and simply because God made me....He loves me. If God loves all of us, regardless of our circumstances, then we can love each other...in spite of our imperfections and "irresponsibility."
What do you think when you see a homeless person on the streets?
What was the last thing you did to help someone who was in need of any kind?
No comments:
Post a Comment