The REAL reason for the season

Yesterday I was reminded of the exact reason we are here on this earth.......... Let me back up by saying this time of year is always crazy with the hustle and bustle of Christmas parties, church activies, shopping, preschool parties, exams (for Jonathan - and, in turn, me!) -- and, not to mention, this year my granddad had a heart attack at the beginning of December and had triple bypass surgery and just went home from the hospital today! PRAISE GOD! So, yes! It's been a busy season. With that said, it's easy to get caught up in the "craziness" of our busy lives. I do it all the time. So ... this past week has been especially crazy with work, Christmas parties/activities, helping Jonathan with some things at church, etc. etc. So Saturday afternoon Jonathan's "chair set up team" (for the new worship center) had to set up chairs for the first time since we have gotten into the new building. He wasn't feeling good ... had woken up with a fever ... but felt like he "couldn't miss" so he went to work anyway. He took off a few hours specifically to come to the church, set up chairs, and set up the Central Asia table (each staff member/intern was in charge of setting up a table to display with information, decorations, etc. each week of December, focusing on missions - his happened to be today (Dec. 23rd). So, needless to say, he was stressed and just completely worn down (on top of painting and putting in a floor at somebody's house all week for extra money). So ... of course, as his wife, I was worried about him, worried about Tucker, etc. etc. and decided I would go help set up chairs at the church while Tucker took a nap at Ms. Debbie's. I also wanted to help him put together the Central Asia table. So the chair set up went great! There were plenty of people there to help and it only took about 30 minutes - praise the Lord! So ... everybody left and it was just me and Jonathan left there to set up the table. While we were setting it up, Jonathan realized he needed to ride over to the church office to print a few more things. I was hesitant in going because I needed to get back to Tucker to get him ready to go to Auntie's for our Christmas get-together and then on to the Mohn's house for our annual Christmas/Christopher's bday party. BUSY BUSY! But ... I decided to go anyway (mainly to make sure he was ok and help him with what needed to be done so he could go back to work - and hopefully stop at urgent care on his way back). So ... when we pulled up at the office, we were getting out and this old, beat up car started driving up with a colored lady in it. She rolled down her window and said, "excuse me, is the pastor here?" I said, "no ma'am - he just left! Is there something I can help you with?" She immediately put her head down and started bawling. I told Jonathan to go on inside and I went down to her car. I just opened the door and started hugging her. I asked her what was wrong and she was having trouble even getting the words out at first. Because it was so cold outside, I invited her to come into the conference room where it was warm so we could sit and talk. When we sat down, I noticed she had a speech issue. She told me she was hearing impaired but she read lips - she had a hearing aid in each ear. I could understand her, though, and she seemed to be able to understand everything I said - because she would answer my questions completely. She started telling me how everything was just falling apart and nothing was going right and she was riding down the road (crying for help) and she kept looking for cars at churches in Zebulon, Wendell, etc. but she didn't see anybody and she said "Lord, you are gonna have to take the wheel ... I don't even know where I'm going" and He led her straight to Central. She said she had been there before and spoken to one of our staff members and she worked at a local nursing home and everybody seemed to be talking about Christmas and exchanging presents but she was just trying to have food on the table and clothes on her back. She proceeded to tell me all about the struggles in her life - molestation as a child, domestic violence, a mother who is on drugs, etc. etc. and she just felt like her life was falling apart. She had been homeless before but is now in low-income housing, PTL! She said she has a bed but is looking for a couch. She bought her couch at Goodwill, but when she got it home, she realized it had bed bugs all over it. She had to throw it out. Since she is hard of hearing, she likes to be able to be in her living room most of the time so she can hear somebody coming to her door, but she isn't able to do that now (unless she is on the floor). As I sat there listening, I could clearly hear the Lord telling me, "this is a reminder that there are people out there that are starving, cold, homeless, sick, broken ... and you are on this earth for a specific purpose - it's not to make every Christmas party on time, it's not to buy the most expensive stuff, it's not to worry about me, myself and I ... it's to love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength and to share HIS love with others. You are to tell her about Jesus, encourage her, help her because somebody else has done those very same things for you." THANK YOU, GOD, for that awesome reminder. So the most important part was I did ask her if she had ever accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior and what that meant to her and she had. She just said she needed a "family" to encourage her, help her, etc. That is why we are here! Because Jonathan worked extra hard this week, we, FOR ONCE, were able to help her just a little. When I ran down to Ms. Debbie's house to get something for her, Ms. Debbie gave me 3 jackets for her and was able to help her, too. I invited her to church the next day (today), but I really didn't think she would come. I even mentioned it to the staff member that had spoken to her before and she said, "yea ... she always says she is going to come but she doesn't come." Well ... PRAISE GOD she showed up!! I was SHOCKED and just amazed at how God works! I needed that encouragement and reminder that there are hurting people ... broken people ... who NEED JESUS! And it's not about ME! It's about JESUS!! It couldn't have come at a more perfect time! She still does need a couch, so anybody that reads this (which I don't think is anybody - so I will post on facebook), please spread the word and let me know if you have one or know somebody who does. She trusts that Jesus is going to provide - but we have to be His hands and His feet and allow His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us - for the sake of His kingdom. Thank you, Lord Jesus! I was blessed far beyond what she was!