I woke up thinking it was Thursday. I had tons to do! While making my latte, I realized it was only Wednesday. There was NOTHING on the calendar for Wednesday. I had just been given an extra day! I sat down to admire my Christmas tree and count my blessings. The phone rang interrupting my prayers. I saw on the ID that it was the Red Cross. For a fleeting ½ second, I contemplated not answering, just let them leave a message. But I couldn't do it. I answered, sure enough, there was a fire. And it was not a close-by fire, it was almost an hour away. Reluctantly I said I’d go…but what about all those extra things I was going to do? Should I take time to wash my hair and put on some make-up? I was still in my pjs, so I got dressed, decided to just put on a stocking hat and packed my gear into the car and left. My ½ full latte getting cold as it waited by the tree. As usual, once I’m on the road, I’m in a whole new frame of mind and feeling guilty for the selfish hesitation to answer the call. Now I’m ready. My hair looks bad, no make-up…but one look at the soot covered woman adjusts all those vain thoughts. I’m no longer feeling bad about losing that ‘found’ extra day…these people just lost all their possessions, they got out with the clothes they were sleeping in, they no longer have a Christmas tree to sit beside and admire, the gifts they had under the tree are destroyed. Two little kids stand there with a stuffed Red Cross animal I had just handed them…and for the moment, it is their only toy, but they are pleased to have it. Another Red Cross volunteer and I assist them with a place to stay for a day or two, give them some assistance for food and a set of clothes until their insurance can take over. They are still shaken up, but feeling better when we drive off. I return to my warm home 3 hours later…there sits my cold latte, in a minute it is warmed and I am once again sitting admiring my tree and thanking God for all my blessings and thanking Him that I had been given that extra day to have been able to say YES to the phone call to go help.
Monday, December 15, 2008
I woke up thinking it was Thursday. I had tons to do! While making my latte, I realized it was only Wednesday. There was NOTHING on the calendar for Wednesday. I had just been given an extra day! I sat down to admire my Christmas tree and count my blessings. The phone rang interrupting my prayers. I saw on the ID that it was the Red Cross. For a fleeting ½ second, I contemplated not answering, just let them leave a message. But I couldn't do it. I answered, sure enough, there was a fire. And it was not a close-by fire, it was almost an hour away. Reluctantly I said I’d go…but what about all those extra things I was going to do? Should I take time to wash my hair and put on some make-up? I was still in my pjs, so I got dressed, decided to just put on a stocking hat and packed my gear into the car and left. My ½ full latte getting cold as it waited by the tree. As usual, once I’m on the road, I’m in a whole new frame of mind and feeling guilty for the selfish hesitation to answer the call. Now I’m ready. My hair looks bad, no make-up…but one look at the soot covered woman adjusts all those vain thoughts. I’m no longer feeling bad about losing that ‘found’ extra day…these people just lost all their possessions, they got out with the clothes they were sleeping in, they no longer have a Christmas tree to sit beside and admire, the gifts they had under the tree are destroyed. Two little kids stand there with a stuffed Red Cross animal I had just handed them…and for the moment, it is their only toy, but they are pleased to have it. Another Red Cross volunteer and I assist them with a place to stay for a day or two, give them some assistance for food and a set of clothes until their insurance can take over. They are still shaken up, but feeling better when we drive off. I return to my warm home 3 hours later…there sits my cold latte, in a minute it is warmed and I am once again sitting admiring my tree and thanking God for all my blessings and thanking Him that I had been given that extra day to have been able to say YES to the phone call to go help.
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