When I think about how this year has gone, I can get in a bit of a dark place. Sometimes when we are younger the darkness and evil seems so abstract and so far away. But as we grow older and lose some of that innocence, the darkness seems to be all around us and affects either ourselves or the ones we love. My dear friend recently lossed her husband to cancer, leaving her to raise three daughters. Another dear friend, husband decided walked away from what seemed a great marriage. One of the most darkest struggles I can imagine is a dear friend is watching her four year old battle brain cancer for the second time. When I sit and really think about these struggles. When I let the bitter, ugly taste of them permeate my senses, I am sicken d sink to a dark, faithless state.
But that's not the place I want to be in. I don't want to be stuck in the dark. And guess what? I can help by doing something for someone else. I am a part of an incredible organization called House of Light (www.thehouseoflightproject.blogspot.com). It is a group of women that got together, drank a lot of coffee, and came up with an idea. This idea was to take furniture people did not need any longer and give them to families that do! Partnering with a downtown homeless shelter that places deserving families into houses. Houses of Light makes those houses a home!
Last week, was proof there is light. On Monday, the House of Light team began flexing some muscles by loading a U-haul truck full of furniture that would prove essential for the end of the week furniture drop. And when I say flex some muscles you have never seen stronger girls (more ways than one!). Let's just say a couch with end recliners, an 80s dresser and a love seat can be very heavy. Wednesday, the group met to divvy out the to-do list and make sure we were all set for the furniture drop for the single mom with five kids, ranging in ages from 13-5. Friday morning we were all set and have you ever wondered if you were doing the right thing? Here is an excerpt from Emily, one of the moms involved with HOL, after the furniture drop and it sums up how God has his hand in this:
" I don't know about you, but I literally had tears dripping off my nose all the way back from our delivery today. I just wanted to share with you how incredible this drop was and all of the ways that it seemed that what we did today was meant to be. First, it was all that I could do to hold back tears as I overheard one of the little girls saying that today was the best day ever. Their house was empty except for beds when we got there and when we left it was filled with cozy new bedding, bathroom towels, furniture, pictures for the walls and little boys and girls digging through bags of toys. Prior to our arrival, there was not a toy to be seen in their house.
What I noticed, and what I don't think are just coincidences, but confirmation that we are doing something bigger than ourselves that God is truly in the midst of, are these things:
- I overheard Nicole telling someone that sunflowers are her absolute favorite flower. Not only did we bring her sunflowers, but there were five in the bunch. One for each child.
- We took sports bedding and yellow bedding for the two boys. One boy loves sports and the others favorite color is yellow. They fit the exact bed that each boy sleeps in. That is not a coincidence.
- We took purple bedding that matched the room of the little girl that it was for and whose favorite color is purple.
- The table that we took this family was donated to us just yesterday and not only did it fit perfectly in the space, but it allows ample seating for this family of six. A perfect blessing."
As I stop to reflect on the light and dark-the good and bad-the hopeful and hopelessness; I pray to God to remind me of the light. Remind me of the blessings he gives us every day and our opportunity to receive those blessings by serving others.
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