Scripture: Ps 41, 52, 44; Colossians 1:1-14; Wisdom 1:16—2:11, 21-24; Luke 6:1-11
Scripture standout: Ps 41: "1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. 2 The LORD protects and preserves them— they are counted among the blessed in the land— he does not give them over to the desire of their foes."
Morning thoughts: Two things: What the heck is the book of Wisdom? My Biblegateway plug in gave me no access. I am eager to learn more about this book that I am so ignorant about!
Secondly, I couldn't sleep last night. During the day, I am confident about getting it all done. At night, particularly when change is looming, I worry and wonder and wince and wiggle. This time it's about Ashrafulla moving in and his surgery Friday. I am not carrying this challenge alone — there are many other families who are right there on the front lines with Ashraf ready to take him through a life-changing club foot surgery and recovery. But somehow at night, it all seems unmanageable and cumbersome — too big for me to handle even a part of. I lump in Thursday's interfaith forum at our church, which I have helped plan, into that bundle of worry — and heap the kids' camp and David and my getting away on top, and finish it off with the shiny red cherry of a worry of work. To make it an even more sour experience, I like to drizzle angry feelings I have toward a few people all over the whole mess.
I begged God to take my load and to help slumbering me remember that this is all his work — not one bit of it mine.
And he did — for like five minutes before 4:30. It was just enough time to get in a good dream.
Now that I'm awake, it all seems manageable again. When I look at this verse I wonder if Ashraf is the weak — or if it is me. Is Chuck the weak? Or am I the person without strength? (By the way, the first bag of "Chuck goodies" appeared on the front porch this weekend. So many angels in our midst!)
The Deed/The Day: Some generous friends and neighbors dropped off various food items over the weekend for Chuck. Like me, these wonderful neighbors probably danced through the supermarket aisles and tossed a few boxed meals and frozen dinners in the cart. Today I had the opportunity to meet the gal from the Epilepsy Foundation and hand over the food from Chuck's neighbors. She was en route to meet him. Something she glossed over quickly spoke volumes to me. I'm still thinking about to it. In sharing how much she wants to help him she said, "I'm on food stamps and if I could give him mine I would." She had $20 in her pocket to give him along with the food. I told her what an angel she is to this man. She said she didn't know what it is, but she can't stop thinking bout it. She's on food stamps. She has a young daughter. Yet, she's thinking about Chuck. How humbling. We're dancing through the aisles or trolling our own full freezers while a woman on food stamps — struggling to support her own family — is worried about the needs of another.
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