A day to be thankful

On Thursday Angela and I went down to the Crossroads Mission on the river. It was a hot day, in the 80s and they had this whole empty lot set up with tables and chairs, a "store" with clothes and stuffed animals and tons of people. There were so many volunteers that some even left their food and went home, promising to come back at Christmas. We're guessing that they served around 1000 people. We went through a lot of turkey, that was our station. This group that fights child abuse, the Rough Riders, cooked most of the food and were there (with their motorcycles!) to serve. It was very humbling to see so many people, so hungry, but also thankful for what they were getting. We saw a lot of kids too, which was sad. But they made us smile too. They ate their pie first, they ran around with the whipped cream and squirted it in the mouths, they were too shy to carry their own plates, they were covered in dirt and grime. There were women who looked tired and were carrying babies and bags of their belongings. There were men who looked hard, tired, old, who talked of living 2o years in the institution. Angela helped one man carry meals down to the boys on the corner who were too embarrassed to come up for food because they were drinking.
It was hot and dusty and no one seemed to notice. There was prayer and music and so much food. We gave out heaping platefuls and seconds and thirds. We encouraged people to take food to their families and to take some for later. We sent plates in to the people in the detox center next door. And there were so many volunteers. Many were "snowbirds" and it was great to see them sharing their holiday in that way. There were also members of the Marines and Navy there spending their time away from family with other people's families.
I was glad we could do this. I was glad that these people, every single one of them, got food on at least that day. A day when so many of us have too much food (including Ang and I - we still have leftovers!). It was an awesome reminder of how thankful I need to be. I have a roof over my head, I have a job that pays me, I have things, I want for very little that I actually need. I am grateful because I was on the other side of the line Thursday. I am also grateful because those people I met Thursday taught me a lot about cherishing what is most important and helping no matter what.