Profound moments

Monday and Tuesday nights were spent making furniture deliveries for our church ministry. I have to tell ya, it might mean more work, but it might make sense to make home visits before we all head out with four cars going in circles! The first night we didn't have to turn around at all, but last night got very confusing. Way downtown the numbers on the apartment houses are teeny tiny and at night a 9 looks like and 8 and then you realize - you gotta lug that thing across the street now!!

But the most profound moment came at our last stop Monday night. The guy lived on the fourth floor WITH an elevator, (Seriously, thank you, Lord!) and we got the couch and the kitchen table and the chairs up and into his apartment and started helping him put the legs on the table. There's four of us and we're all kneeling on the floor, working on the legs and he starts telling us his story.

He was homeless. Lost everything, and ended up staying in a rent-a-room sort of situation. Except it ended up being a crack house. In March, he somehow met this lady who works with a non-profit group downtown. She got him help through her program which provides security deposits and job programs for the homeless so they only have to come up with the first month's rent instead of double. He's disabled, but was able to get a job near his new apartment.

Then he looked up from what he was doing and said "the most important thing I've learned from all of this is to ask for help."

That is one thing that God has been trying to pound into my brain since before I can remember. I'm altogether too independent.
The guy was very appreciative but not in a sticky-sweet way. Gentle. He was very gentle. It reminded me of a scripture that says in a nutshell - you never know when you may be serving an angel of the Lord. He just had that sense about him that was gentle, genuine and not appologetic or gushy.

It never ceases to amaze me how by serving others, I am blessed beyond measure.