From Weary to Hysteria - that's my life!

On Sunday morning I was feeling especially weary for some reason. It had been a long weekend already and a difficult morning with Christian. The sermon was one that should have boosted me up - all about our spiritual gifts and using them and what you are passionate about. Usually it's a topic where I feel just a little bit superior as I've been so blessed to have a partner who joined me in my passion to have a big family, adopt and work with people with special needs. But yesterday the reality of the job set before us which will never really end weighed heavy on me. It was a rainy day and all I could think about was curling up with a mindless book and napping on the couch, which looked like a ridiculous dream.

We left church following our normal routine - don't judge - to drive through McDonalds. Christian already had to go home separately as he was again out of line. As I'm asking the kids what they want Chad was sitting behind Callie and was telling me what he wanted. Now Chad's speech is very limited and tough to understand most of the time. Callie has come a long way, but she is still often difficult to understand even to those of us who know her well. She turned around and asked Chad several times what he wanted - what Chad, what do you want? Finally she turned around a little frustrated and said - whatever - tone and all. I giggled all the way home.

Amazingly after we got home Christian straightened up a bit and decided to get along. Mark went off to take care of my dad as he does on Sun. and I was running around as I do while he's gone. One of our PCA's arrived and took the kids outside for awhile which didn't last long and they came in with some drama or other. Finally everyone seemed to settle a bit playing quietly, well sort of quietly. I curled up on the couch with my book and dared to read. I even fell asleep for a few minutes. What an amazing gift that was.

God knew just what I needed - and in the midst of the chaos that is our life He gave me just a little respite as if to reassure me yet again that He will equip me and He is more then able to supply my every need.

Callie loves worship music at church. We've been listening to the team practice before the service and she loves it. She has her perennial request - Lord I lift your name on high. I wasn't paying attention, but after requesting the song, our worship leader Rachel and the choir and the instrumentalists all began to play and sing it for her. Now that is a church family to be proud of. They definitely put even the least of these first and foremost.

As the pastor was talking this morning Callie stood beside him, folded her hands and apparently began to pray which Pastor Scott immediately seized upon and had us join her. He repeated what he could glean from her words, which can be difficult to understand, but she thanked God for all the people being there and for Jesus and God. Our little girl who had no language at 3. I've said it before and I'll say it again - she is truly a miracle.

Double coupon day at Rainbow

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A good week - with 11 coupons for Gillette items which were $4 off for 2 items each and each item was $1.79. I was able to purchase 22 items and I actually have $4.78 left to donate.

The other items are those that I suggested on my last post to donate to your local food shelf. My total spent for this was $3.84. Pretty good - I still have $.94 left to donate, if you're keeping track :)

This Saturday night my church will be preparing dinner for the men at Simpson's homeless shelter. What a great way to prepare for Easter - worshipping our God by providing for His people. I'm greatly looking forward to it.

Hope your Easter week is full of blessings!

Eradicating poverty one coupon at a time

Today was a fun shopping trip to Target. I had 9 coupons for Gillette body wash or deodorant which were $4 off of 2. The containers were $1.79 each and so Target paid me $3.78 to purchase these items. The real beauty is I got them all for Simpson's Homeless Shelter where our church serves a meal about 8 times a year. I can't wait to take them there next Sat. when we serve dinner.

I'd love if I could get others on this bandwagon. I've filled several grocery bags with donations for the food shelves and the homeless shelter with items above and beyond what I need for our family - which obviously consumes a lot. Just think what we could do if we all banded together. What an amazing thing that would be to fill the food shelves and homeless shelter with donated items that barely touched the family budget.

If you're interested, you have to start saving the Sunday coupon inserts and, if you can, beg them off of neighbors and friends. Then check out a site such as pocketyourdollars.com for the items that are on sale and what coupons you need to receive them. It takes a little time, but after you've stockpiled a few weeks of coupons it starts to get easier.

My goal is to list one item a week that you could purchase for next to nothing and donate to the food shelf or shelter. Everyone's gotta shop - why not feel good about helping someone else out while you're doing it.

Proverbs 22:9 - He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor.

I'll post the item for next week on Mon. - wouldn't it be awesome if we could eradicate the needs of the poor one coupon at a time!

Serving

This past Sunday night I was once again privileged to serve dinner at the Simpson's Men's Shelter which houses @75 men every night. I am the leader at our church in the area of service and get to arrange our service projects. I love it and love that serving in the name of Christ is an act of worship to Him.

Every time we go I am filled with gratitude that I have never needed worry about where my next meal would come from or where I would lay my head that night. I am humbled by the men we serve and how they somehow find the strength every day to get up, go out and either look for work, work at their jobs - many are employed in minimum wage jobs, or just wander all day before they can come back to the church's basement and lay their heads. The mattresses they have on the floor of the church are very close to each other and a staff or volunteer takes turns watching over them every night for their safety.

Many of the men are plagued by mental health issues. As I was passing out cookies table to table I asked one gentleman if he'd like some, but he took no notice of me. He was quite disheveled, with very long and unkempt hair. Later he walked past me and was softly talking to himself. I wondered what it must be like for someone who is in the depths of mental illness. Does he realize it is happening or is it just "normal" for him? It seems as if it would be so lonely not to connect with other people, but does he feel a connection with what he hears in his mind?

It is always so wonderful to bring new people along to help and hear what strikes them. The gratitude and politeness the men express surprises many. I think how weary I would be to always feel as if I needed to thanks others for even my basic needs if I couldn't provide them for myself.

Today I am tired as I was up most of the night due to kid's needs. However, when they went off to school I climbed back into my bed and slept a couple hours. If the men at the shelter are ill, they still must leave at 6:30AM and wander or work till 6:30 that evening. Today, especially, I am very very grateful I am that my tired body has a place to rest whenever I am weary and I am thinking of the men to whom we served chili Sun. night and praying that they are warm and comfortable today and that someone shows them God's love today as we tried to Sun. night.

Cardboard testimony

Today at church we did a thing called Cardboard Testimony. People wrote just a few words or a phrase saying what was and with God's help what is. I think the fact that it was such a succinct testimony or story it was so very touching and effective.

One of the most touching was a 17 yr. old who wrote - left - Abandoned on one side and In a better place on the other. He is a good friend of our son and our friend's foster son. Now, he is a PCA for our kids - several of whom will be able to relate well to his story. It is awesome to see him thriving and so humbling to see him as a confident follower of Christ.

I hope that is the testimony of several of our children as well - simply In a Better Place. As for myself - I know that I'm most definitely In a Better Place - forever as a Child of God.