GIVING TURKEY STYLE

It started off as a cold and wintery morning but soon warmed up. Our home groups, through our church, CCV, partnered with St. Mary’s Food Bank to collect turkeys, canned goods, and donations for the homeless this Thanksgiving. Our fearless leader Bruce and his wife Tammi wore their turkey hats ( wished you could have seen it ) while the rest of us reached out to those going into the grocery store for their home dinners. Dave ( the one in the red jacket) quickly was given the nickname “ Money Man” because his infectious JOY brought people to him that gave so generously. As a matter of fact, there was a check that had been folded up a few times for $2,000!!! Our goal was to reach 60 turkeys and we reached 53. But, these were not the stories that really touched me. The first one was a young African American woman. She had four bags filled with goods that only a homeless person could understand was truly a blessing. She left with one bag that had only two items. She knew what it was like to have nothing and this was now an opportunity for her to give back. The other was an elderly woman in her eighties. She was going in to get her weekly groceries. I talked with her about her jeweled masks and we laughed at the 100 she was going to donate to her daughter that Christmas. Later, in a grocery scooter, she came out with a turkey and all the sides to donate to us. I knew that these groceries were her weekly food, and, being on a fixed income, that meant she had nothing left for herself that week. I asked her why? She smiled and said “ I still have food at home. What do the homeless have?” It’s times like these that I am so grateful to be a part of an event that showed the love of Jesus on this earth. I remember a time when our family needed the help from strangers. We had been working at a church in Ca. distributing food to the homeless when we found ourselves needing that same food. With the generosity of our family and our friends in CA. we were able to get back on our feet again. Sometimes our lives can be filled with anxiety, hopelessness, and fear of the future to come because of our circumstances. Today, and in the days we personally experienced, God is FAITHFUL. As we celebrate this Thanksgiving, remember what God has blessed you with and reach out to help others know the love of Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!