Thankful Thursday

Yes, I know I went MIA for a couple of days. I have a very close friend that had surgery on Tuesday so I played taxi driver and all around support person at the hospital all day and then stopped off at the Lifeway store on my way home. I didn't get to blog and post about the Lent study so I'll keep it brief and try to catch you up on the two days I missed.

I have to say though hospitals are not my cup of tea. If you're not sick before you go in, you most likely will be on your way out. Just spending 9 hours locked inside the walls of a place with sanitary dry air sends my sinuses in overdrive. I could tell I was getting sick and then spent yesterday in bed. The most wicked head cold I've ever experienced. I took a three hour nap during the day and stayed in bed all day and this morning I'm MUCH better. How crazy is that? I need dirt! lol Okay, not so much dirt, but a little dust and country air sure do sit better with me than clean medical air. It makes no sense!

AnyWHO.... my friend is home today from the hospital. Doing great from a routine surgery and prayers have been answered. Everything was a success and she is doing awesome! God is good!

Today, my Thankful Thursday.... I'm thankful for the blessings of friendships and answered prayers. I have just a few very special women in my life and I am proud of all of them. They are a blessing to me. It's an honor to lift them up in prayer, worship with them and laugh and share casual girlfriend conversation. It's a blessing to have Wise Women of God in our lives that can help keep us focused on Him in all aspects of our lives and I just want those women to know I love them!!! (some of them are bloggy friends too.... you know who you are!) ;o) hugs and kisses today to my Godly girlfriends. xoxo

And what's up with the comments for the Lent RAK? I guess no one wants free stuff! Or maybe they just don't like my free stuff. ;o) No matter. Whoever comments, even if it's only one person will get the goods! I love you all anyway. There's still time to participate in this weeks giveaway RAK.

We're sharing a family's adoption blog, Bringing Drew Home, that is having an auction of sorts with things that people have donated to their family to raise funds for their adoption. Our Joint Heirs Adoption Ministry will be sending a Pish Posh Tots outfit for their fundraising efforts. Can't wait to see how the Lord blesses them! Go check out their site and all the goodies that have been shared with them. There's some great stuff there!!!

Now... the Lent study continues. Head, Heart, Hands & Feet. After one week do you feel this is just another Bible Study or do you feel God calling you to action? List the holes you've discovered in your assumptions about the poor.

For me this is a biggie! My eyes were opened before this study when I traveled on a mission trip to Haiti. My life has never been the same since! So I definitely feel God calling me to action. Everyday! Some days it seems I can never EVER do enough. Other days I'm excited and overjoyed at little accomplishments that we make with our adoption advocacy or conversations I might have with others.

But, I can tell you three things (that's what the workbook asks for....lol) that I discovered that I assumed.

1. You can't expect someone else to take care of the situation. If we all believed that someone else would handle it or do something about it and just sat on our butts then nothing would ever get accomplished. I always figured there were missionaries or other people that had a calling to taking care of orphans. They could do a better job than I could. For that matter.... I never really thought about orphans that much period! (How could I have been so deaf, dumb and blind?!)
2. I've shared with others before that before my trip I had the attitude that all those needy children commercials were fake. That the camera crews must have traveled to the far reaches of the earth, found the worst case scenario and spent maybe five minutes filming children, bribing them to look pitiful and then waiting for the donations to roll in to fund their own selfish desires. Wow.... how pitiful is that? God sent me on a trip to open my eyes. Those children aren't bribed to look like they're starving. They aren't bribed to look lonely and desperate. They are. Someone needs to care. I NEED TO CARE! YOU NEED TO CARE!
3. My other assumptions included feeling 'misled' (now that I know), that certain parts of my Bible just weren't relevant. Caring for orphans and widows. What does that really mean? No one can possibly be THAT poor.... Being nice to them and praying for them. Even people I would encounter right here in our hometown.... well, I don't know why they don't just get a job. Or, anyone can afford a bar of soap and water is free. Ummm... NO! Oh how lost I was! Thank you Lord for opening my eyes, for opening my heart, for leading my feet. For turning me from the self-righteous person I was. And the saddest part is, I didn't even realize it!!! It's still a normal lifestyle for many of my friends. Good, kind people, that would bend over backwards to help me. But would they help the least of these? They are missing the point of the gospel.

'Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom: She and her daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy.'

--Ezekiel 16:49

You see, this adventure I'm on... well, the walk with Christ began a long time ago. The patience He's had for me is AMAZING to say the least as I've not always been the best listener. The beauty part is finding out following Him COMPLETELY and totally and striving to be the best I can be for Him, is more of a blessing to myself than anything. Doing His will, loving and caring for the 'least of these' is just the tip of the iceberg. When I fail Him or disappoint Him I'm glad that He picks me back up and says you're not finished girl! Get back out there. I still love you, just keep on keepin' on! We're going to get this right together.

I'm glad He finally smacked me upside the head and made a RADICAL change in my life. I'm sorry it took me so long to listen.

What are some of the misconceptions you've had about 'the poor'? Trust me, you couldn't have been anymore senseless than me! Do share, there's no shame in honesty. Walk with me. Not behind me but beside me and make today the day you move forward! Walk away from the assumptions. It will put a smile on His face (and yours!).