Saturday...In The Park...

Ahhh Saturday. My FAVORITE day of the week!

I love Saturdays because my time is COMPLETELY my own...and I don't have to dread the impending Monday (as I do EVERY Sunday).

This morning was FANTASTIC!

I woke up and awaited the arrival of one of my church members to come pick me up (still don't have a car...but soon...very soon).

She picked me up and we headed over to church.

Today was my regularly scheduled Saturday to help CLEAN the church. Once cleaning was complete, many more church members arrived and we began another work.

We made sandwiches and stuffed bags to be distributed to the homeless nearby. THIS is the kinda stuff I absolutely LOVE doing. It makes my heart EXCEEDINGLY glad!

We stuffed 160 bags and headed to a nearby park.

Got to the first park and there were NO homeless because the police had run them off. That particular park is heavily frequented by children so the officers make sure that it's kept safe. COMPLETELY UNDERSTANDABLE, and as a parent (although MY children are all ADULTS), I am thankful. The safety of children should ALWAYS be priority.

So here we were with all these sack lunches and the DESIRE to give them away.

We hopped back in our cars and headed further south.

Arrived at a different park and IMMEDIATELY knew that we were at the right place.

We unloaded our cars and it seems that as soon as the first bag was handed out, ALL of the other park occupants caught on and awaiting theirs.

I am OVERJOYED to be able to say that we had enough for EVERYONE. Some folks even got TWO bags. PRAISE GOD!!!

As we gave them "nourishment for their bodies", we also provided "food for their souls." Two ladies that I spoke with even asked me what church we were from. I told them, and one asked me for the address. I wrote it down, and told them that I hope they can join us soon.

How AWESOME!

This for me is what "church" is about. It's NOT about getting all dressed up on a Sunday morning, heading to a building for a few songs, a message, and then heading back home. At least that's not ALL that it's about. Yes, fellowship with one another is essential...yet there is so much MORE to "church".

What it's about MOST, is sharing the LOVE of Christ with as many as we can. And we don't have to be "preachy" about it. We simply need to show LOVE to others...letting them know that Jesus LOVES them, and that they MATTER...just as they are.

So yeah...today "the church" went BEYOND the four walls...out into the streets. Bodies were fed, and hopefully lives were changed for the better by our very small act of LOVE. I greatly look forward to doing this again, and again, and again...

On this day, "30 Days of THANKFULNESS: Day 12" - I am THANKFUL for being allowed the OPPORTUNITY to SERVE others.

I have been in some fairly dire situations financially (even RECENTLY) and any one of those folks in the park could have been ME. I am no better than they. They are no worse than I. We are all HUMAN, and that's ALL that matters.

Let the DIALOGUE begin: What are you favorite organizations to volunteer with?

Talk to me!

Til next time...