Thursday, May 27, 2010

Left-Overs

Left-overs


My family spent the Thanksgiving Holiday at my parent’s home. Ham and Turkey were both offered, mashed as well as sweet potatoes, broccoli casserole as well as green bean casserole. Dressing and scalloped pineapple, noodles and gravy and even home made rolls. Of course we had three different kinds of pies- the traditional pumpkin, chocolate and apple. None of us left that table hungry. As we sat and looked back on our 20 minutes of gorging, we then had to ask ourselves, " What are we going to do with all these leftovers?" Not one item that had been so perfectly presented had completely been consumed. I don’t have any doubts that houses all over America were in the very same situation- "What do we do with all these leftovers?".


Stay with me here for a second,… I sometimes feel like a "leftover". I feel like I have a lot to add to a situation or family gathering, but afterward come back feeling miserable from too much additional information and my mind is confused. During my precious time with my loved ones, I feel the Spirit tugging at my heart telling me "Hey, here’s a really good opportunity to witness or just to make a positive comment on a conversation that’s taken a dip in the wrong direction" But as I position my words together in my minds, they get over shadowed by everything else that I’ve just stuck in there and it looses it’s effectiveness. … and then the moment is gone.



I think also of leftovers as being folks that just fall through the cracks. Maybe they don’t have a family to visit and eat with. Maybe they don’t have warm food and the fellowship of ones that love them. They’re alone, whether by choice or not, they fall into the left over category. I honestly can’t think of the last time our family has had a nice sit-down holiday meal and I haven’t had one time that I didn’t reflect on someone, somewhere else that was completely doing without. That image really really bothers me, not just because we live in a country that is so rich in tradition and family, but because I think everyone should enjoy a family like I have and what a better world it would be at that.




The new year is approaching. I’m going to and I’d like to challenge you to take a look at the left overs in your life and do something positive about them. Step out of your comfort zone. Whether it’s volunteering at a mission to help serve a meal, buying a family something from the Angel Tree or inviting someone you know doesn’t have anywhere to go for the holidays to join you and your family. I know we will all be blessed.



"John answered, "The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same."

Luke 3:11 (New International Version)

 

If you feel comfortable telling me about your situation, how it affected you or the one you helped, I would really love to hear about it. Email me at intomyheart78@yahoo.com


Julie

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