I know, I know — it’s crap that we only set aside one day to be grateful. A day that just so happens to proceed “shopping as a combat sport.” But still, at least people stop for a minute and realize that where they are, ain’t so bad.
I was up at the butt-crack of me to do a little volunteer work for the church. People had spent the past few days preparing Thanksgiving meals for 60,000 people in our county, and today is delivery day.
My campus of the church set up camp today at the Port of Palm Beach (pictured) where a team of 100% volunteers coordinated a massive effort to give out driving directions, ask people to deliver meals to the various parts of the country, load up their cars/trucks and otherwise make sure that the meals that were prepared so lovingly were delivered first thing in the morning.
Since I got lost driving there (*shakes fist at Google Maps, and the A1A, which split off and screwed me up), I was NOT a volunteer driver. My role was basically to ensure that all the people on my portion of the list got the right number of meals, that their addresses were complete and that I grouped addresses somewhat sensibly for easier delivery.
This from the directional illiterate. 🙂
Anyway, it was nothing and, yet, it was everything.
I connected with a few people from the church. I saw God’s work in action as people came to my table, saying that they were willing to deliver 20, 30 … even 45 meals when we were figuring on every volunteer taking two to five.
I was getting worried toward the end that I’d have to deliver 45 turkey dinners to Boca Raton, as I wasn’t going to leave without knowing every meal had someone to take it. But God came through on that one, too, with a husband and wife team with two trucks and hearts of solid gold, who took my whole pile.
Someone said to me the other day that it’s time I go back to D.C. Not for a visit, but permanently. That I’ve failed to acclimate to Florida and my alarming lack of any connection to anything is worrisome.
I don’t quite know where that comment came from. Sure, life isn’t perfect. It’s nowhere close. The past six months have brought one disappointment or disaster after another. Happiness has been hard to come by or, at least, to identify when it appears.
But I have a church that I love. I have a higher purpose. I don’t know what that is, per se, but allow me to quote the Bible for the VERY FIRST TIME in my life:
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” (Romans 7:15 — NIV)
Or, as the LOLCat Bible states:
” Ai duznt knoes teh stuffs Ai does. Ai lieks sum stuffs, but Ai duznt does taht stuffs! Ai does teh stuffs Ai duznt lieks.”
Anywho, I’ve been keeping (and neglecting) a gratitude journal, so that I give thanks for as much as I can, when I can.
So today I say a prayer for the 60,000 people who received a hot turkey dinner because of the good people in my church. I know there are so many more out there who will go hungry … many whom we don’t even know how to reach and who don’t know we are here.
And even if my life gives me great grief and strife — especially around money, personal space and my contribution to the universe — I am so very blessed to have what I have.
We lost my grandfather three years ago today. I inherited Mom soon after. I never thought it would drag on this long with no signs of improvement.
You all know I’ve been waiting for miracles. And that God seems to be taking His time on creating them. 😉
I’d almost all but lost hope. But today, seeing how so few can help so many, I’ve gotten a nice faith infusion.
So I’m very grateful for my small opportunity today to be a part of something special.
I’m grateful in advance for the good things that are coming my way … glad for this recent season of suffering to come to an end.
I’m grateful to the pharmaceuticals industry. 😉
And most of all, I’m grateful to be able to see a future where I don’t need to reach for my “mother’s little helpers” because my sense of happiness and calm won’t have to be induced.
Happy day of gratitude, everyone. I’m grateful we’ve all made it to this day and will live to see many more. Love you all. (Yes, even you!)