Mom, I'm Exhausted... but I'm Alive...

Yesterday my thirteen year old daughter went to skid row - Skid row is an area in downtown Los Angeles that is home to many homeless - food kitchens - homeless shelters - crime, and sadness.. She volunteered with her youth group to work in a homeless shelter - She spent nine (9) hours playing with the many children there - holding them - loving them - reading to them - and just listening to them - a friendly face - a beautiful face - a loving face - that is my daughter...

She served a Thanksgiving dinner to the families that stay there - not knowing that 150 more hungry souls were going to come in from the cold - 150 more mouths to feed than expected.... I asked her - "Did everyone get to eat?" She said "yes" I asked her "What do you think about that?" She said "I have no idea how we did it - we even had a little left over..." My first thought and I am sure you are thinking the same.... Jesus fed 4000- 5000 with five (5) small loaves of bread and two (2) fish - I know He can handle 150 more mouths to feed...

Through out the day - I received updates via text - First one - "Mom - I am at the shelter u should c the kids they're so cute! I'm in charge of games".. Next text - "There are a lot of hungry people here" Next text - "Mom - thank you" - Next text - "Mom, I'm Exhausted...but I'm alive" - Next text - "Going to In N Out on the way home Love you" Next text "I'm 10 minutes away.. come get me"

When I picked her up at the church - the first thing she did was apologize - She apologized for getting angry at the thought of her sister getting something that she wanted (she thought I was buying an IPOD touch for her sister - I wasn't it) - she apologized for acting greedy at times... She said that she saw a bunch of kids - younger than her and others her age that had nothing... and they were happy.... She learned that true happiness isn't from what she gets under the Christmas tree but what she feels in her heart..... love from her family and friends and a Lord and Savior that died on the cross so that she can live forever.....

Jesus Take The Wheel

As mothers we tend to take on too much. Not believing that things can be done right or done at all if we don't take over.. As women we are constantly multitasking. As a single mother, I can only imagine how difficult it must be. I am thankful to God that I have not had to find out. I do know many single mothers and many feel so alone and lost... Never having time for themselves. Worrying about their children, worrying about the bills, and worry about everything except themselves..

There is a single mother of a young boy I have met recently.. She has been coming to our church service and I have also seen her occasionally at the women get togethers. I love the fact that my church offers daycare during our women/mother activities - making it possible for many mothers to come and hang out with a bunch of crazy Southern Baptist women as ourselves.. Well this particular mother has opened and broken my heart. She has shared a small part of her life with me. Currently, she is living in a homeless shelter - trying to find a job to support her and her son.. She also is trying to go to school to better her and her son's future.

This young woman was married and had a nice home to live in and all of a sudden it was gone. Her husband left her for someone else... left her with all the bills... all the rent... and no job. She was a stay at home mom... many times she has wanted to give up...

She was sharing with me that a song by Carrie Underwood helped to get her out of her self destroying thoughts and anger.. She realized that she has to let Jesus have control... her optimism for her future is contagious and I just love seeing her joy.... many of us could learn a lesson from this young lady... no home, no job, and no income but she has put her faith and trust in Jesus and she just glows....