the list ...

beds for four kids

a bed for mom

sheets

blankets

shower curtain

bathroom things

dishes

microwave

clothes for new born baby boy

car seat

living room furniture

soap

tissue

bleach

laundry things

laundry basket

throw rugs

pillows

pretty much anything and everything that makes a home

*sigh*

this was her list

the list of my son's best friend's mom

a mom who only days ago was homeless

shuttling her four children place to place

and she is 7 months pregnant

a lady who just yesterday ... stood in front of me saying 

i just do not understand why you are helping me?

and as tears fell down her cheeks

she looked at me and said

Kate i am nothing

you see i know a lot of you maybe reading this and thinking

well ...

stop having kids

where is the husband

why is this my problem

get a job

isn't this why there is Federal assistance

and as i stood there in this dirty apartment landing

in a less than pretty part of Cedar Rapids

holding the hands of a woman who described herself as nothing

i felt shame

IT IS NOT MY JOB TO JUDGE ... IT IS MY JOB TO LOVE

to show

HIS LOVE

and so i hugged her and as i did i whispered in her ear

you are not nothing

you are loved

you are desired

you are worth far more than all of this

and HE is gonna show you

1 Samuel 12 ...

now stand still and see the great things the Lord

is about to do before your eyes!

if you would like to contribute any of the items above or

feel it in your heart to give and help secure a place for her

and her family to call home

email me at kbsibed@aol.com 

once your eyes have been opened

you can not pretend like you do not see

God who knows your heart and weighs your soul knows that you know

and holds you responsible to act. Proverbs 24:12



Blessed ...

 

this week my eyes have been opened

...

it is so easy sometimes to get into your little routine

life is back to somewhat normal here in the Ford house

kids are healthy

husband home from deployment

we are starting on some home improvments

er...

finishing some home improvments that i started long ago

kids are doing well in school

paying debt off

adjusting ... attempting to adjust to life without my father

things are good.

really good

and then ...

one day last week my eyes were opened

you see my son Sib has a new bff

and by bff i mean ... joined at the hip ... belly laughing ... can we play everyday

kinda bff

and this child is the kind of child you dream of your child having

as a bff

beautiful manners

tells Sib to be nice to his sister

just brings this light to our home every time he is here

my kids adore him

i adore him

 then this week i discovered that this beautiful child

has no home

this beautiful child goes from homeless shelter to homeless shelter

with his mama and brothers and sisters

night after night

and yet despite his circumstances

despite the fact that he has said his mama gave away all his toys

despite that every time i drop him off he is staying somewhere new

he is joy

he has this beautiful light that just shines

and last night on our way home from dropping him off 

and after stopping to pick up our $90.00 worth of organic food ...

and getting in our perfectly running suv

and getting all my healthy kids buckled in their car seats

and sliding the expensive hand held video game off of my seat

i sobbed

how blessed are we ... how much we take for granted

 every.single.day

and i know this and yet ...

 every.single.day

 i take it for granted

a beautiful home

a solid husband

healthy children

food

money in our account

family

clothing options

we have been tithing to this family we have been praying for this family

this family

needs to feel love

HIS love.

and today i pray that He ... continues to guide

continues to provide

continues to open people's heart

including my own

to just showing HIS love.

"Once our eyes are opened, we can't pretend we don't know what to do. God, who weighs our hearts and keeps our souls, knows what we know, and holds us responsible to act." Prov. 24:12