December 7, 2010 Blessing #214
So, yesterday it seemed our heater for the upstairs was broken. It wasn't even switching on, and we were resigned to go until at least January with no heat in the bedrooms. We couldn't begin to spend money on repairing it this close to Christmas (in all fairness, I think it is still under warranty, but I bet we would still have had to pay something)!
With it warm downstairs we would be fine-and we have plenty blankets for getting everyone snug in their beds. Then, Trey had the great idea to flip the breaker off and back on--and guess what! On it came. So that felt like fabulous good luck, but it really got me thinking about Moms and Dads who have no where to take their children to be warm. If you've been following, you know I travel in Haiti, and am struck anew each visit by the level of poverty and the plight of the Mothers there. I think it is even stranger to imagine Moms here who are unable to provide for their children-here where we are surrounded by wastefulness and excess. It is one thing for our citizens to be unaware of poor people who are separated from us by an ocean--it is quite another to be blind to those in need in our back yard.
I love to see organizations like our Athens Area Homeless Shelter http://www.athensareahomelessshelter.org/and Interfaith Hospitality Network http://www.ihnathens.org/ of Athens helping those folks who need it locally.
I am so thankful today that my biggest concerns are how to get out of debt and send my children to the private school we love. Thinking of Moms who just need a coat or a warm house for their kids really puts it in perspective.
1 comment:
These organizations are great! I've been involved with them both in the past when I was stationed at the Marine Detachment on Prince Ave. There isn't a better feeling than when you help someone directly. Your blog entry coincides with me dropping off leftover food from a school event at tent city. They were very appreciative for sure.
One thing I miss about being a Marine in Athens is the Toys for Tots involvement. I loved taking my boys to the warehouse and letting them help out in the packaging of bundles of toys for organizations and the direct handing out of them.
Absolutely nothing in this world feels better than handing a brand new toy to a child that would otherwise have nothing. It does the soul good for sure!
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