DPP Day 9

I truly believe there are times in life when God is lining things up in life like a set of dominoes.  Each day placing a piece in just the right spot so that when the timing is right, it will fall and send the others cascading with it.  A beautiful masterpiece.  Last week, Rich and I were feeling kicked around and a little beat up.  It seemed like we would start each day thinking, "we've got this" and something through our day would make us feel like we have been run over by a Mack truck.  Well today, I gained some perspective.  Perspective is a wonderful thing, isn't it?  It can make the big seem small and vice versa.  My heart was absolutely crushed today when I read my good friend LeAnna's post about her neighbor.  She is a single mom with 7 kids, many of them adopted and with special needs.  She left her house to drop her children off at school.  She was gone for 14 minutes.  When she returned home, the entire inside of her home was destroyed by fire, smoke, and ash.  Devastating.  Can you hear those dominoes falling?   I could.  I felt each one as if it were a swift kick in my heart.  How selfish and self centered I had become focusing on all the struggles of each day.  Struggling to see my abundant blessings. 

But I believe those were necessary feelings and last week was my preparation for this week.  I felt called to do something.  LeAnna graciously took the lead on creating a "donation center" at her house.  She had people donating clothes right and left.  Good thing too, because clothes for 8 people is a lot to come up with!  But I spent a quiet moment in thought and prayer and tried to think what I would want in this situation. It was as if I could seem myself sitting there in that moment and I felt like the thing that might have pushed me over the edge is not having a toothbrush.  It is simple but oh so necessary.  So I made that my charge.  Toiletries.  Seems silly. . .but have you ever traveled without them?

Now. . .my children.  I have long been looking for opportunities to develop some stewardship in them.  Sometimes their words cut me like knives when they say things that indicate how bathed they are in materialism.  The need perspective too.  We shared the story of this family with them at dinner and my two oldests acted in a way that made my heart feel like it was growing like the Grinch's on Christmas morning.  We asked them what they would want if they were in that situation.  They both agreed - something to snuggle.  We asked them what they would want it to look like. . . fresh and lightly used or well loved.  They didn't answer that question.  Instead, they asked, "how many children?"   And in moments, we had 7 stuffed animals.  And not their bottom of the barrel, cast aways. . .7 loved and well cared for stuffed animals.  Elizabeth said, "Mom, they need these so much more than me."   They rose to the occasion and my heart is soaring!

My sweet neighbor even donated some of her Thirty One bags for me to take over the stuff in.  My mom and Rich's mom both donated a substantial about of cash for the family.  Seems like an abundance until you drive by the devastation and see their clothes and possessions sitting in the lawn covered in black soot.  It is then that you realize you just threw a pebble in the ocean.  How I wish I could give them everything they need, restore everything they have lost, and rebuild all that is broken. 

A powerful day for the Hoffmans.   And what is most interesting - is that this family, that we don't know and whom doesn't know us, has blessed our family in an immeasurable way today.  I only wish it hadn't taken such a terrible tragedy to give that perspective.

Photos . . .


God bless the family that needs these things. . .

Anyone who knows Rich and me well will know that this sight means that we have been FAR too busy!  Is there a single surface that isn't covered?!?!

I find myself wondering, "Who put whom to bed?"

This is the one I posted today - because I wasn't sure that I would have time to post anything else!  I captioned it "Who needs a weatherman!"   Doesn't Walmart know that I need 3 to 4 gallons of milk each week? ;)