Hard Times

I used to LOVE chinese food. I can't remember how long it's been, maybe 2 yrs, I just can't eat it anymore. I am convinced that most of it is cat and rat. I know, I know, sounds crazy but come on, you all know you've eaten at a Chinese place that was a little questionable. Denson and Bailey still love it so on occasion we'll get it and I will only eat a shrimp dish because I don't know that you could make rat or cat look like shrimp :) Anywho, I said all that so you will know this last Friday's events were not the norm.

Denson and I spent the day together and I thought it would make his day to eat Chinese for lunch. We go to the place in Trussville by the movie theatre (can't think of the name of it), which is pretty good and I've not heard any bad stories about it. If you know any, please don't tell me! As we pull in the parking lot, we see a couple standing by their car with a sign saying they were living in their car and needed help. Immediatley Denson wanted to stop but we agreed we would eat and think on what we were going to do. Sometimes I need a hearing aid to hear God's voice and usually go home kicking myself for not doing or saying something I know I should have done. This time, I wanted to get it right.

We walked to our car and at first I didn't see them, and I thought, oh great another missed opportunity..........but then I saw them. We drove over and I got out of the car. The lady had a very warm smile but you could also see the hurt. She said they were from Tennesee and were making their way to Pensacola for work. Her husband had to have 4 eye surgeries and they had lost everything. In his face, I saw a man that wasn't proud of holding up this sign but had to do something. I told her that we were not in that area during that time of day ever and that today was not a coincidence, but God puts people in the paths of others at the perfect time. I also told her God had a plan and we would be praying for them. We gave them some money and the lady and I hugged. I cried as we pulled out of the parking lot. I just couldn't imagine being in their place. Where was their family? Then you start thinking, what decisions did they make to get where they were? Are they really homeless and jobless? But, you know, it's not for me to judge and it's not about ME or what I've done. It's about Him, Jesus. It's about having compassion, and seeing people through His eyes. He knows their situation and He will provide. They could have needed exactly what we gave them. Just to have a little hope in a bad circumstance.

Here recently you hear of all of these companies laying off lots of people. My dear friends at Compass were told Friday layoffs would be made, they just didn't know who yet. In this day and time nobody is exempt from looking the unthinkable in the face.

We need to pray for this economy, the people who have and will lose their jobs. We also need to look for God in all of this mess. He will continue to provide in miraculous ways. Denson and I have seen it time and time again. But we also have to realize that sometimes our prayers aren't answered in the ways that we want them answered, we just have to TRUST that we are going to be ok.

Lastly Philippians 4: 12-13 says " I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength."