The Joy and Humility of Giving

I wish I could take a picture and show you. But a picture is only worth a thousand words, and it would take so many more to describe what I witnessed today.

This afternoon my heart ached with emotions as I watched a group of inner-city, high-school football players practically inhale food (their pre-game meal). These kids go to a school that is at the bottom of the totem pole of the county schools. You know how at most schools all the kids get new laptops, etc? These kids don't. You know how football fields shine so bright at night with the lights? These kids' don't. You know how football teams love to win a game? These kids haven't won a game in 20 years.

I don't know their home-lives, but I overheard today that some of them stay after school and work to help their families pay the rent. I've heard several times "all these kids get to eat is fast food."

Yesterday I baked 6 doz. rolls and 5 Angel Food Cakes, from scratch. This morning and afternoon 2 other ladies and I made the rest of what would be a "full-spread" meal: chicken topped with bacon, mashed potatoes & gravy, green beans, and strawberries (to go on the cake with Cool Whip). Then we hauled it all over to the high school and served it to the football team (an outreach ministry of our church). It was hard work, work that I enjoyed. And seeing what our efforts went towards was priceless.

These verses keep going around and around in my head this evening:

35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me. ... 40bTruly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me." ~ Matthew 25:35-36, 40b

When was the last time I did this? When was the last time I served the Master? He has gifted me with the talent of cooking and baking (and enjoying doing it), why don't I share it with others more often?

I am speechless. I have no more words.

God vs. Blogging

I have posts floating around in my head (that I really should write down at least the main gist of) that I really want to sit down and write.

But.

I heard something from the Relevant'10 Conference the other day that is keeping me from it.

(I'm keepin' it real here, folks.)

No, I didn't attend Relevant. Now I wish I had taken time to learn more about what it was (going to be) and go. It was in PENNSYLVANIA of all places! Just a few hours drive and I could've met and fellowshipped with so many of the ladies that have inspired and encouraged me in my walk with the Lord, my role as Daniel's wife, my role as Susannah's mama, and of course saving money ;) I think I would like to go next year. How I did hear what I heard was from about the last 20 minutes of Crystal Paine's speech streaming live.

Those last 20 minutes were jam packed with bullet points that hit you "right there" and you know she has dug into your "real" life and is speaking right.at.you. I wish I could've heard the whole thing. Of every session. (Then again, I might have come away so full of bullet holes that there wouldn't be anything left...)

Ok, so enough beating around the bush. What did she say?

"If you don't have time for God you don't have time to blog."

And with that, I'd best get my behind off-a here. Because I haven't specifically spent time with my God yet today.

Susannah and her Kitty

Susannah loves our cats :) They are mostly outdoor cats, but a few of them are allowed inside sometimes. If she hears a cat meowing, she is all ears and eyes, looking for where the kitty is. Most of them will come check her out if she's on the floor, but only Splotch will hang around her, letting her play with him. He likes attention, so they both benefit :) So far he hasn't shown any aggressiveness towards her, but I do stay close by and have an eye on them when they're playing together. I hope they keep having fun together :) It sure is fun to watch!

Catchup Day

Photo Source

I seriously do not know where time goes. Well, I do. If I look at my watch the second hand goes around and around and around... that's where the time goes. It goes behind the second hand and is gone.

Point being, I am dreadfully behind on all things paper-work-ey. I'm quite behind on my Bible Study homework. It's the time of month to pay all the bills again which means I have to find the bills amid the piles. Our church is doing a cookbook and the deadline to submit recipes is fast approaching and you know I want to submit recipes! The budget hasn't been updated in too long. And my coupon file has morphed into piles of coupon inserts here, there and everywhere.

My excuse is that I "haven't had time!" Since last Thursday I literally have not had time to work on any of that stuff. Well, I did work on the Bible Study homework. We were on vacation Saturday evening - Tuesday and I did work on it then. Yesterday was recover from jet-lag day for Susannah, and early this morning when the alarm clock started going off I decided that I'm going to put my main focus on paper-work today. If I get all that done and move on to other stuff, that'll be bonus points.

And since I should get on top of all the paperwork today (well, I won't get all the homework done, but at least some), then I can spend tomorrow and Saturday getting the house back in order :)

So if I send up a flare, just figure that I got buried underneath a paperwork avalanche.