Thursday, February 23, 2012

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






Thursday, February 16, 2012

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