THANKFUL

What am I thankful for?
Jesus, my Salvation, my family, sunsets and my being able to see them, fresh air, good food, waking up in the morning, my health, the health of my family, my job, FREEDOM, good music, roses and the ability to smell them, the smell of rain, snow on the trees, birds that sing, mistakes- yes I am THANKFUL for them, they have made me what and who I am today- without them I would never have been able to really be thankful for the things I have. I know where I came from and know how NOT to go back there again and mess up the same way. So YES, you can be thankful for mistakes.
There are so many things I'm thankful for and the fact that I had not only one huge meal but I was fortunate enough to have had 2 BIG meals. One here at home and one today at mom's.

I work in our local grocery store as a cashier. Something ocurred to me yesterday... something I've known all along, but yesterday seemed to be different. I've never been one to take a holiday and my blessings for granted. But you know, there are SO MANY PEOPLE out there that have nothing. Not 2 big meals, not even one. There was one man who came through my line yesterday and we were SO BUSY!! But this one man came through and he bought (YES, FOR SOME REASON OUT OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE... I REMEMBER WHAT HE BOUGHT) He bought a jalepeno pepper, some green onions, some toilet paper, 2 Roma tomatoes, and a couple other things... he said "I know it isn't much, but these few things can go along way in making a meal". Then he said, "ma'am, can I leave my truck here? I've got to walk up the road to my daughter's house and take these things to her. I'm out of gas and it was either buy these few things for her or buy gas for my truck. She doesn't get any money until the first of the month and then she can get the other things she needs". It didn't hit me until after he'd left that this was the most pityful thing. There, in the middle of the crazy shoppers filling their baskets FULL with food, was this man. The one who was there for HIS DAUGTER, not anyone else. This man was not clean, nor did he look to have much money. Oh, yeah that is something else he said. He told me that he didn't have much money and he'd spent all that he had at the store for the little bit she needed. We live in a VERY poor town and it is also full of drugs. I don't know if it is as bad as it used to be, but it is still bad. You never know if someone is just that poor, or if they spent all the money they had to get high or drunk. So, we can't just GIVE people money. I wish I'd have paid for the things he bought. Then he could have got gas. I was just so busy I didn't think about it until AFTER he was gone. So, this got me to thinking... we don't serve meals on Thanksgiving in town here. SO next year I'm hoping we can. Maybe we can serve a few families a hot meal that might not otherwise get one. I know we have so many people here that need it and regardless of their situation... they may make poor decisions but most have children and THEY need the hot food. So I'm hoping and going to pray about this... but I told mom today I may not be at her house for Thanksgiving next year... I'm hoping to be serving others. I feel so strongly about this that one of my friends came through my line and I was telling her what I wanted to do and how badly my heart aches for people that have nothing and just about cried in front of everyone!! I know the man behind her seen it and I wondered what he thought? But, sometimes I think God puts things in our hearts for a reason. I want to make sure this is HIM and not ME!! Mom said, now you KNOW you can't do that!!! You can't take those kids away and make them miss their dinner with us (talking about my kids!!) I plainly told her they'd probably be with me and helping with those not as fortunate as they are. They need to see that there is more to life than their needs... I want to give them a heart that will ache for people and want to help others, not keep them sheltered. We need to pull our community together and start planning this for next year. We have a church here in town that could hold a lot of people and I know we can raise enough money to do it and there are enough people to help... so why not?? We should all be willing to put someone else before us... Jesus did it, aren't we supposed to do the same? I know it is time I START DOING IT!!!!!!!!

OK... off the soapbox now, but I feel so strong about this...

I HOPE THAT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU THAT STOPS BY MY BLOG HAS A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING FILLED WITH GOOD FOOD AND HAPPINESS, GOOD HEALTH, SAFETY AND BLESSINGS!!!!!!!!

Have fun if you are going shopping tomorrow! WISH ME LUCK!! I'm going to WalMart in the morning and it is my first time EVER to go like this!!! I kind of dread it but want to get some of those things!!

Happy Scrappin' everybody!
Lisa