Nov. 25, 2006
Perspective
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"God bless you, I really needed
this" Those were among some of the words that we were on the
receiving end of this Thanksgiving morning. We decided to help
with a county-wide Thanksgiving charity dinner this year. It's
just the five of us up here in Indiana, so why not? Since our
youngest is still just four years old, we chose to help with the meal
deliveries -- thinking that it would be easier for him to participate
without being underfoot. Nothing like a little perspective to take your focus off of your problems and put it back on Jesus and all that we have to be so thankful for. Such a small 'sacrifice' for us and yet it blessed many. Sacrifice?? Honestly, it blessed us as much as it blessed those who received the meals. We got up early -- so what? We received so much more than we gave up - where's the sacrifice in that? Among the innumerable things that we have to be thankful for...I'm thankful for the opportunity to give back, to help others. Thankful that we are healthy and strong and able to do for others what they are less able to do for themselves. Thankful for the opportunity to teach our children about servanthood and giving. One dear elderly woman asked me as we were walking out "Are these all your children?" I confirmed that indeed they were all mine. Her response? "You are truly blessed". That I am. Those words "God bless you, I really needed this" have not left the front burner of my mind and really have made an idelible imprint on my heart. How I pray that in all of life we are able to be that paradigm that our children can look to for their standard of servanthood. Even more so, that they set the bar even higher as they grow older. I pray that God will open our eyes to the many ways that small sacrifices, small inconveinces, small contributions of time and energy on our parts can mean so much to others. And maybe, possibly, perhaps..... probably, certainly, surely...without doubt - mean even more to us. |