Cold For The Homeless

My friend asked me to help serve lunch to some homeless people. I served the soup.

I overheard them as they went through the line. They talked about the cold front and the preparations they needed to make. Temperatures would drop into the 40’s, a fairly cold night for Houstonians.

It Made Me Think

I wondered about them, how they would cope, where they would go, what they would do. They have a life no one wants. A life no one envies.

The Holidays

Maybe it’s the Christmas season. It seems easier to be a bit more compassionate. For them, every day is the same. It’s about surviving.

The holidays can affect us in different ways. Christmas isn’t always happy for everyone. Some will be alone for the first time. Some will celebrate without their kids, or grandkids. Others will be separated by distance, will be in places they wish they didn’t have to be, but duty requires it. God be with them.

The Blues

There is a seasonal depression that affects some of us. We want certain things to be a certain way. But they won’t and the disappointment can be really hard. Some fall into a funk, crawl deep inside ourselves, and just disconnect. Hopefully, we come out of the cave to once more seek the fellowship of family and friends.

Many won’t have a snowy Christmas in a beautiful cabin, with a roaring fire and a freshly cut tree with scores of brightly colored gifts. We won’t be in the company of a large and loving family, with sweet children, and close friends. It won’t be a post card Christmas.

To Close

Whatever else this holiday season may be, I pause to acknowledge that I don’t have to sleep outside tonight. I know where my next meal is coming from and I don’t have to worry about the cold front.

So I’ll leave you with this:

“Good morning Holy Spirit. Thank you for blessing us, thank you for being with us, for being the Father’s gift. We look to you for comfort. And help us to be thankful, no matter the circumstances, for we know we are loved. And we want to glorify you and the Father for sending Jesus to be born. Merry Christmas Father”