A Gift in the Mess

Is it Monday again? I woke up this morning and the first verse that popped in my head before I could even grasp that it was Monday was, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34. I remembered the first part of the verse but when I actually got moving, I looked up the verse and read the rest of it. "Each day has enough trouble..." Wow! Is that supposed to be encouraging? So I attempted to get a jump on the trouble. I started a load of laundry by 6:45, began making my list for the day and packed my husband's lunch. When I look ahead at the calendar for the week, it already feels busier than last week.

I headed upstairs at 7 a.m. to wake up Landon. Landon is our child that sees the beauty in everything. Therefore she collects it and stashes it in her room. Rocks, colored paper, eraser caps, empty pencil lead boxes to hold future treasures and so on. You get the picture. That makes for one messy room. We are working on that, but this morning as I enter the disorder, I quickly notice a small collection of books tied neatly with a hair ribbon. I immediately knew someone was going to be the next recipient of one of her gifts. I often pray that the person receiving one of her prized posessions will see the love instead of the garage sale opportunity.

The gift today had a hand written note neatly placed under the ribbon and on top of a journal and two books. The note was to January. January is a young woman that lives under a bridge in Nashville's Tent City. This is an area where approximately 60 individuals who are homeless have built their own community and literally live in tents. Our friend Baker, has started a ministry geared towards feeding, clothing and loving these people. Landon, Baker and his family got together on Saturday to shop and cook for yesterday's weekly visit . Landon was able to go to Tent City for the first time after church and serve. During that visit she had the opportunity to travel way back under a large bridge to the tent where January lives. January will not come out like the others when the food and clothes arrive, but Landon went back to her tent with Baker's family to leave some items outside for her. January has been on Landon's heart ever since. Part of the note to January reads:

"Dear January,
I thought you might like these items. You seem very shy but I want to come see you again so I can meet you and become friends. I am giving you this journal to write your feelings down or to write to me. I am also giving you this hair ribbon because I heard you have long blonde hair. I would hate for it to get in your way like mine does. Here are some pencils and markers and some jewelry. I would like to know all about you. You can read on the back of this paper a little bit about me..."

I immediately examined my own heart. In the mess of my week, am I already praying for God to show me people that need to be loved on? Did I take the time last week to learn about someone in pain? Did I sit and encourage someone to tell me their story? Will I judge someone this week based on where they live or what they don't have? Will I be more worried about a messy room than someone whose life is a mess?

I was challenged this morning to notice the gift in the middle of the mess this week!
Dear God it is Monday. Make me ready!!!