With Thanksgiving

Massah n'em had me busy ALL weekend. As I mentioned in Thursday's post, it was a duty weekend right before the damn holiday. Of course the timing couldn't have been any worse cause now I'm running around doing last minute stuff instead of being able to enjoy what minimal time I have before the Thanksgiving festivities. All that drama aside, I'm alive and well and want to share a story with you, so we can truly know, enjoy, and appreciate what we have.

My company does an annual food drive for families in need of which I joyfully participate in. Yesterday as we prepared the boxes for the families, a sense of serentiy filled my heart as I appreciated what I was doing. Giving of myself to others without thought, without wanting in return, and knowing that a part of me would be with them on Thanksgiving and beyond. It just felt right and good. There was one family that touched me deeply. They were a family of 13 all living under one roof as the mother took in her children in due to their respective loss of homes. Each time the woman was contacted, she cried tears of joy for the compassion she was being shown. We decided to take their food to them that same day instead of the next (Tuesday) seeing as their need was great and they had the most things. We packed our vehicles and drove over to the house. The lady cried from the moment we arrived to the moment we left after giving each of us warm, thankful hugs. Tears filled my eyes as I choked them back to wish her a Happy Thanksgiving and to say God bless you. We informed her that we'd return today (Tuesday) to bring the remaining items, milk, eggs, butter, hotdogs and and a ham. The woman was so excited that she said, "hotdogs? You're gonna bring me hotdogs? Oh, I'll get to eat them for lunch tomorrow". Man, I can't even begin to tell you how those words pulled on my heart strings. This woman was excited about eating hotdogs; a food that repulses me and that I wouldn't eat if I was starving.

After choking back even more tears, I got in my vehicle and left wondering if she eats on a daily basis. Here, most of us discard food like it's nothing, turn our noses up at things we "don't like", yet here's a woman who got excited over hot dogs and cried as she received boxes of food from the kindness of strangers. For the rest of the night, this woman laid heavy on my heart and I pray for her. I pray that her life will improve and that her children's plight will be lifted. I pray that this family will have more to live on and for as they receive the true joys of Thanksgiving.

I implore each of you that reads this to give a little more of yourself not just for Thanksgiving, but always. Keep in mind that what we see as beneath us, is the only thing that some people will have. All in all, recognize your own thanksgivings, your own blessings, and your own good fortune because it was made abundantly clear to me yesterday that I have little to complain about, be sorrowful for, and ungrateful for. My prayer last night was for forgiveness for the simple complaints I may have made and to be grateful for everything, and I mean everything that I have. My sufferings may have been many, but my life is pretty good now and for all of that I need to always be ready to give something that I may pay forward the blessings in my life.

I wish each and everyone of you a safe, joyful, happy, and safe Thanksgiving. May God's love and blessings be upon you all and may the goodness in your lives be appreciated.