The Subway Solution

I am sad to say that I have not had a very good attitude toward homeless people.  My whole life I've ignored them and thought of them as deserving of their fate. I mean, if they would just get their act together and actually get a job, they wouldn't be on the streets right?  If they would stop drinking their money and wasting it on drugs, they wouldn't be where they are.  It also doesn't help that I've heard stories of people pretending to be homeless to get the handouts.

It makes me sad when I think of how cold and unfeeling I was toward people in need.  How I thought of myself as better than they are (and sometimes still do...it's a work in progress).  God has been working on my heart and my attitude. The Bible clearly says that Christians should feed the hungry and poor.

“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"   Matthew 25:37-40

I would say that the homeless count as the "least of these."  When we help the lowest people, the most undeserving people, we are obeying Jesus.

In Isaiah 58:6, God says:

 “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
   and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
   and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
   and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
   and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?"

Finally, Romans 12:20:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
   if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

God doesn't say only help people you love and care about.  Or only help people who are deserving.  I don't think homeless people are my enemy, but it is not my first instinct to help them.  That doesn't matter.  God says to do it anyway.  Who am I to decide who is "worthy" of my help?  I just need to obey.  God will take care of the rest.

So in light of all this, we decided that we needed to be better about helping homeless people.  But we still didn't feel comfortable giving them money.  After all, I think it is reality that in this country, many people are homeless because of the bad choices they have made, and money may be spent on alcohol or drugs, both things we do not want to donate money toward.  But we could no longer turn a blind eye and pretend they didn't exist.

Then someone from our Hands and Feet group suggested handing out Subway gift cards.  We thought that was great!  There are Subways all over the place here, and it would guarantee that they are getting food from our gift.  My grocery store sells packages of three $10 Subway gift cards, so I bought one and just waited for the right opportunity.

It took a while because we don't see a lot of homeless people where we live, but we finally got to give one away!  It was really neat, I was super excited.  Then when I was going to the mall there was another guy with a sign so I gave him one.  And James had to go downtown this week so he found someone to give one to.  Each time the people have been very grateful and it just thrills me that we've found a way to help without feeling uneasy that our gift may go toward something we don't support.  This past week I got another package of cards to give away, and I have a feeling that this will be something we stick to.

con·tent

[kuhn-tent]

–adjective

1. Satisfied with what one is or has; not wanting more or anything else.

 

I have been having a hard time being content lately.  It's not that I want more stuff, it's that I don't like this place in my life, full of limbo and uncertainty and drudgery. 

 

Right now the road in front of me is foggy and indiscernible and it is unsettling to me.  I like to see what is coming so that I can prepare for it.  My problem is that I don't like where I am now, but I am afraid of what change will bring.  At least here it is familiar. 

 

So I dream about what I want my life to look like and wish that it might be so.  But then I feel guilty because God has given me SO MUCH and all I can think about is what I don't have.

 

I've always had the hardest time conforming my emotions.  Actions are easier for me. 

 

Go clean your room?  Ok I can do that. 

 

Give away more of your money?  Ok, I can do that. 

 

Be content?  Do not be afraid?  I don't know how! 

 

I can act like I am content, but actually changing my heart...I can't do that.  The only thing I can do is pray and meditate on encouraging verses.  Usually that results in God reminding me what I have to be thankful for and me feeling guilty.

 

I am awed by Paul when he said "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (Philippians 4:12)

 

I hope I can say that someday.

In honor of mom

Kids and adults see the world completely differently.  Mostly in that parents have a lot of responsibility but kids are just self-centered and oblivious.  When I was little, my mom used to do and say certain things that I just did not understand. I would think "that's just mom being mom."  When I would question her, she would say "you just wait, one day you will understand."  Secretly I didn't think I would.  However, more and more I have noticed that I am doing those same things that I always thought I would never do.  For example:

1.  My mom has always loved vegetables and, like any good mother, made us eat them regularly.  We of course only ate them because we had to.  My least favorites have always been broccoli and squash, which my mom really likes.  She always said she developed a taste for them when she was an adult and we likely would too.  I thought she was crazy.  I've never really warmed up to broccoli, but I have recently decided that squash is delicious!  Saute it in a little olive oil with salt and pepper - yum!  I think of mom every time I eat it.

2.  Growing up, we didn't eat fast food much, but once a week we would drive an hour to see my grandma and on the way we'd get Taco Bell or McDonalds.  Mom would always make an extra stop at Schlotzsky's for herself because she never liked fast food.  I knew it was bad for you but I didn't care.  Now I've done a lot of reading on nutrition, and I only eat fast food when we're traveling or in a pinch.  It's not that I don't like the taste, I just can't enjoy it when I know what I'm putting in my body - gross!  I do love french fries though.

3.  Every time we would go on vacation, my mom would make us clean the house before we left.  At least make our beds and tidy the living room.  I could never understand why that was so important - we were going on vacation!  Let's just go!  Who cares if it's clean, we're not going to be there to see it!  But now I totally get it and I do the same thing.  I don't want to come home to a dirty house, it's enough work to unpack and get back into a routine.  So I make a point to tidy before I leave.

4.  Mom has always loved landscaping and gardens and beautiful flowers.  I always said that when I grew up I wouldn't have any landscaping because it wasn't important to me and wasn't worth the work of planting them.  I don't like to garden and get my hands dirty.  Again, mom would always say "when you have your own house you will want to have pretty flowers, trust me."  She is right!  I still don't really like planting things, but I'd do it to have a pretty yard.  And I would love to have a vegetable garden!

5.  Before my family moved and we were looking for a house, mom always wanted a yard with trees in it.  It always seemed to me that she placed an abnormal amount of importance on the shade situation of the yard and neighborhood.  I thought "you live in the house, not the yard."  James and I haven't bought a house yet, but I can say that I am not impressed by the new neighborhoods with new houses but no trees.  Trees make everything prettier, and more inviting, especially in this hot climate.  I can just see myself going through a neighborhood and saying "we can't live here, there are no trees!"

I think I was a little narrow-minded as a kid, but I guess I have seen the light - mom's choices and preferences in these areas completely make sense to me now.  She said I would understand someday, and she was right (of course!).  I guess moms really do know best. And I've learned never to say never.

Happy belated Mother's Day mom!  I think you are a wonderful mom and I love you.

Apparently I'm feeling self-centered today...

I still have nothing meaningful to say.  Maybe my brain is tired and doesn't feel like thinking that hard.  So here's a little list just for fun.

15 Things I Like

• flowy skirts
• saturated colors
• traveling
• the moon
• diamonds (sparkly!)
• painted nails (currently mine are midnight blue)
• the internet (how did people live without it?)
• plants/flowers/trees
• books
• chocolate with coconut or raspberry filling
• cute babies
• detective TV shows (but not CSI types, too graphic/scary)
• musicals
• new clothes
• decorating

15 Things I Dislike

• fluorescent lights
• clutter
• gift shops and souvenirs
• scary/intense movies
• hallmark cards (write me a real note instead)
• window shopping
• sweating/exercising
• needles
• cold
• fast food
• whole wheat pasta (tastes like cardboard)
• heels (love 'em on other people, don't like them on me)
• washing windows (I've haven't done this in 6 years, no joke)
• conflict
• collectibles

What do you like or dislike?

Sorry readers

If I had 5 readers, I probably now only have 3 because I haven't posted in a couple of weeks - sorry readers! I have an excuse though, I went on vacation.  And since most of you have heard about my interesting vacation experience, I won't repeat it all here.  Suffice it to say it was not the best vacation I've ever had, and we missed the shuttle launch.  Oh well, they can't all be the best vacation ever.

My cousin graduated highschool on Saturday so we got to go party with her.  She is 7 years younger than me...how is that possible?!  How has it been 7 years since I graduated highschool?  Crazy.

I have no writing inspiration right now - I've been staring blankly at the screen for 5 minutes.  So I'm going to end this boring post and I'll get back to you when I have something to say. Happy Monday!