although we celebrated our day of thanks over a week ago, i am reminded tonight of the things that really matter. i was blessed to be able to spend the day with a group of people offering their time and talents to serve the people of a shelter for the homeless by taking their portrait.{help-portrait.com} this shelter happens to be connected to my church and i am ashamed to say that i have never served or spent time there. i asked one of the women in charge if i could sneak a peek at the area where they house women and children during the winter months and she said that was fine. as i walked over to the beds, something caught my eye and almost brought me to my knees. lonely stuffed animals and doll babies waiting patiently on the beds for the return of loving arms. children sleep here. children like my own. those could be my children. i was overcome with a feeling of great burden. a burden to pray for these young souls who sleep in old beds, surrounded by strangers, not tucked away in a cozy, warm home somewhere. we take the simple things for granted. the comfortableness of a familiar bed, an old quilt, a nightlight, the knowledge that we can wake up and have a warm cup of joe on the couch in our jammies. so, tonight i am counting my blessings. my children are tucked away in their beds, secure in the knowledge that their needs are provided for. they might not think about that actual fact, but they shouldn't have to. pray with me tonight for those children that do.
