Least of These

Thoughts, Prayers and Words of Encouragement: Yesterday the Women's Luncheon sponsored a food drive for the Hancock County Food Pantry. They had made all the arrangements and planned everything. Our role was to support them. However as we arrived at Walmart the women who were going to volunteer were not able to make it...so it became a CityTeam event. Along with Mel Mitchell and Mary Kay Deen we began passing out flyers and asking people going into WalMart to bring out a can for someone else.

The results were overwhelming...both emotionally and physically. During the five hours we collected over 2 1/2 pallets of food for the pantry. Well over 1000 cans, plus cases of paper products and cleaning supplies. For me personally, that was not near as impressive as the response of the people.

The outpouring of support and gratitude kept my eyes leaking all day. One young couple who had been married 1 month before the storm and lost everything....took the flyer, smiled and walked in the store. Thirty minutes later they came out with a cart full of groceries. They had come to Walmart for milk....as they came out of the store beaming they stopped beside me and said "when we were hungry you fed us, when we needed clothes you gave us clothes, when we needed ice and water you gave us ice and water"....now we are so happy to give back !!!

I am still not sure what to do with all the emotions....tears flood my face as I write this...when I worked the streets in NYC...it was easy for me to see "the least of these" according the world by di.....but with Katrina...I did not view them as the least...only as hurting and needy and wanting desperately to show them God's love in the midst of their pain!

Today I have a bit more revelation of His heart....we NEVER know who the least are....the big thing is "ordianary things with extra ordinary love"...'small things with Big love"...and all that love has to be FOR HIM....because each one is created in His image and when I find and reach out to HIM....the result is His pleasure....

The Christian walk is not "normal"...or maybe I have finally found NORMAL CHRISTIANITY...Father I am again awed and overwhelmed...I heard those verses in my soul all day yesterday and saw scripture leap from the page with each testimony of the people bringing their sacrifices to YOU.....Help me Jesus to never miss YOU no matter what disguise you are wearing....I love you so much...di