With Thanksgiving barely a speed bump in time before Christmas knocks at our door, don’t know about you, but I’m scrambling to get all my holiday chores finished in time. What else is new? Right?
Yeah, like many of you, I often find myself running late with everything this time of year and when that happens, it’s easy to miss out on the truly important things—things like the importance of spending time with family, demonstrating love and appreciation to all who have blessed us over the past year, or helping someone in need.
So, in light of the launching of my new book, “the Buzz @ Chicky-Pie’s Café” and the extra load of busyness it’s bringing, thought I’d save some time for family and re-share part of a blog post from last year. Remembering this holiday incident in the post is a timely catch for my own heart and I hope it is for you as well. But before I “replay” that memory, I want to express my overflowing gratefulness to all the friends and family who have contributed to the completion of my latest creative dream-publishing my first fiction novel.
So, in the true spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to thank God for the many blessings He continues to pour on me including the inspiration and encouragement to write the story in the first place. Along its’ formidable journey, He continued to affirm His blessing and purposes for its publishing. Secondly, I want to thank my loving husband, Larry, for his patience and encouragement in the long process that frequently meant lonesome evenings while I polished up the manuscript, or worked on some marketing chore that took longer than expected.
And coming into mind next is my friend Jessica Suggs, who came to me with a treasure trove of expertise and skills. She and her team at JSM books, including Amanda and Jessica Appel, worked joyfully and tirelessly for the past couple of years to help me in my book endeavors. And lest I forget, I am thankful for all of the many family members and friends who have encouraged me along the way too. I am thankful particularly for and to my daughter Ivy, who is an attorney and gave me precious time, insights, and legal knowledge for some important scenes in my book. As well as her husband Mike for his loving support. For my two sons Jason and Gavin and their beautiful wives, Lisa and Riki, who have all encouraged and celebrated the book’s completion— I am so grateful!
Not wanting to forget anyone’s contribution or support, I am so grateful for the dear author friends who gave me their valuable time and writing expertise to evaluate my book’s manuscript, then graciously gave me glowing endorsements. So, in alphabetical order, I say thank you, to: Author, Rich Bullock, Pastor & Author Sam Gallucci, Yvonne Noblitt, Pastor & Author Shawn Thornton, and Author, Margery Walshaw. You are all heroes to me.
So, here’s the heart of the blog from last year:
How many times have we all found ourselves in a fog as we rush down a road or highway and in an instant our distractions cause us to miss a sign or turn? Likewise, our own personal distractions, foggy spiritual focus and fears can take us off course or cause us to miss out on blessings waiting along the way. And though I try to stay fixed on the true meaning of Christmas, sometimes it’s hard to discern between all the voices that call to us.
So, as a young homeless man called out a humble thank you to someone who’d given him a few dollars, his voice seemed to reach into my soul and reminded me of an encounter with another homeless person a few years back.
It happened when the piercing look of a homeless woman called to me as I drove out of a shopping center just days before Christmas. She was someone who’s need also caught my heart’s attention. But that experience brought a surprising and timely response from God that I’ll never forget.
Her look of desperation had tugged at my heart causing me to pray and ask God what I should do. “Lord, If you want me to give that woman some money, just let me know. Give me a sign and I’ll turn around and go back,” I prayed. The instant I finished that prayer, a song came over the airwaves of my car radio with stunning clarification. The song’s lyrics were: “She’s on the corner with a cardboard sign and it’s tugging at your heart.”
God had answered my pleading question with a timely song that I’d never heard before and haven’t heard since that day. So, of course I’d turned around and went back to give her a hand up. God continued to confirm I was supposed to help her. As I handed her a few dollars and we chatted, I learned her name was Victoria and she had been sleeping under the freeway overpass along with her sister whom she’d only recently reconnected with.
As I tried to help in other ways, I mentioned the shelters at many of the churches in the area including our own. Temperatures had dropped unusually low for So. Cal and had dipped into the 30’s the past few nights. I observed Victoria, noticing a cough she had as she mentioned a lung condition that kept her away from some of the local shelters. Then she told me that she and her sister liked to attend a small church nearby that I was familiar with. Turns out that was a church that my own had birthed, and I was very familiar with the pastor as a caring and helpful friend to the needy. Hearing that they were attending there, encouraged me to also give her a $20 bill, much more than I’d ever handed over to a stranger.
“Thank you so much!” she repeated. “Now we can get a room and won’t have to sleep out in the cold.” Victoria declared.
Seconds later a woman drove by slowly and handed a $5 bill out of her car window. I stood watching and praising God for revealing His will to me and for watching over Victoria and her sister.
Maybe that’s why the recent plight of that young homeless man was weighing on me. There was a certain reminiscence about him that had me thinking about Victoria. It nudged me to be generous and reminded me to be grateful for the many blessings that God has poured into my life. Blessings that I want to share with others as God leads and gives opportunity.
It’s my hope that we will all be more aware of opportunities to bless someone else during this season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. It may be the simple act of giving a homeless person a few dollars, or it may be fully giving ourselves to a new friend who needs extra care, help, and hope. Much like the character, Elise in my story, who had suffers terrible abuse and needed help, hope, and a committed friendship from others to lift her out of the despair that clung to her.
To all of you, my friends, readers, and subscribers, I thank you with my whole heart today and pray you will have a grateful Thanksgiving and joyous Christmas.
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