Mid-week Question of the Week~Can I Really Be A Blessing?

This post is a little bit late today. Had to make an unscheduled stop on the way home from the overnight with Dad.

Because of the homeless man.

I saw him at the first light at first light. He had a small sign made from a box panel. Because the sun hadn’t quite decided to rise yet, I could not make out what the sign said, but I inferred.

I reached in the floor of the back seat, passenger side.

Out.

Out of blessing bags.

All I had was granola. I offered him the granola and an apology. He showed me why he couldn’t take it.

He had no teeth.

And I had no idea until that moment. That my blessing could not be one size fits all.

Because of Grace, God’s blessings to us are never one size fits all.

I grew anxious and the stoplight was about to turn and, in a 24-hour-up-all-night stupor, I grabbed a handful of what was in my overnight bag.

A handful of Organic Green Tea Citrus throat drops.

Really?

REALLY????

I suddenly remembered like the cosmetics firm from New York’s 5^th Avenue who sent care packages to victims of the Katrina hurricane. The care packages contained bronzer, firming cream, and blush.
And, at the time,  hearing this news while working in New Orleans, I shook my head in disdained judgment. “How pampered they are in New York. How out of touch,” I remarked back then.

I remembered that incident today with internal sermon intensity.

So, sleep must wait. The car and I made an unscheduled stop. At the Grocery. Blessing Bag items. Restocking with the sunrise. Returning to the corner. The man was gone. But my resolve is not. I am ready and restocked. The weather is changing and the need will be great.

Now, close friends who also read this blog will know that I am going through a season of “Financial Repositioning.” (Translation: I ain’t got no full-time job).

So, the grocery store adventure koan  becomes, “Can you do Blessing Bags on a Budget?” A very tight budget. A Financial Repositioning budget.

Um, well, you have to.

And as the old saying goes, “to a child with a hammer, everything becomes a nail.” Wheeling in to the United Grocery store, I found an abundance of Blessing Bag bargains. Especially for those without teeth, or, in my personal looking-in-the-mirror case, without the teeth of convicting grace during tough seasons. There were many options in the store and at home. Because as harrowing the story is that I tell myself about this time in my occupational life, the fact is, I have not missed a meal and I am typing this with a roof over my head.

Twelve blessing bags assembled for $10.00 in 10 minutes.

And a reminder of Grace included. I like these bookmarks

but there are many, many positive messages that can be included. Write the phone number/address of a church or shelter—takes just a minute more.

So at this time of uncertainty do I convince myself to hold grace in, conserving it, hoarding it?

Am I Really A Blessing? Can I Really Be a Blessing?

Because of Grace, the answer is always YES!

Click here for Blessing Bag on a budget items. Or a link to cooler, better, Blessing Bags when times are not lean.

Blessing Bags on a Budget Items

Water Bottle
Small Kleenex
Peppermint Candies
chapstick-had on hand-my daughter is 24 years-old now-do I really need a stockpile of these?
bandaids-(ditto above)
gum-(ditto above)
individual wet wipes-(ditto above)
Tic-Tacs--(ditto above)
small cookies (I found a special on bite-size Fig Newtons)
Peanut butter crackers
small applesauce–spoon (left-over from take-out taped on top)
cough drops-had on hand at home
Who Am I in Christ bookmarks

And Click here for a link to Better Blessing Bags when money is easier.

“He who gives when he is asked has waited too long.”
  ~Seneca