a sense of community

The other night, Eric grilled our first meal of the season. Our hamburgers, buns, and corn on the cob were all much tastier on the grill than they would have been from our kitchen. After some costly car repairs, we decided that spending money on a grill this year wouldn't be possible.

Then we were blessed with one. New friends of ours (Mr T's parents) had a gas grill they no longer needed and offered it to us. Their generosity was so unexpected and we are so grateful. We've always heard the rave reviews about grilling, but experiencing first hand having a cooked meal without heating your home during the summer was incredible. We are looking forward to a summer full of great food.

Lately, we have been experiencing generosity from everyone around us. We have been given so many things (dining room chair, clothes, a computer, an apron, the edging for our garden, and more) that thank you just doesn't seem to be enough. It is amazing what happens when people open up their hearts. We try to be diligent in giving others things that we no longer use or things they need more than we do.

One of my favorite stories is from when Eric offered his old iPod to a high schooler from church. The girl is absolutely darling inside and out, but doesn't have lots of material possessions. When Eric asked her she said "Sure. Just one question - does it work?" Yes, it worked. She was so overwhelmed that we would give her something that was of value. She was so grateful and has gotten a lot of use out of it.

One of my least favorite stories was from a guy who was telling me that he buys a set of dishes almost yearly and throws the old ones away. "You mean you donate them?" was all I could say because I was so surprised. "No. We throw them away." I'm pretty sure my heart stopped for a moment. There are so many people who would love a full set of dishes. There are so many places that take donations and most of them go towards worthwhile causes.

A few days ago, I was in a local thrift store and was touched by the things people were being provided with. Things I take for granted and always buy new - like underwear and shoes - were available for people who couldn't afford them. Our country has different levels of poverty and with the economy in the state that it is in, the term gets used very loosely. But watching a woman be given a pair of shoes because she cannot afford them is a miracle to watch.

Do you have anything that you could bless someone with?