GOOD Friday!

I had a wonderful experience this morning.  I had to run up to Brighton to get gas in my car.  I had $40.00 bucks cash in my pocket.  I put $20.00 in my gas tank and proceeded to drive on home.

As I was driving up to the light to turn left and get on Grand River, I saw a man, sitting in a small, motorized wheel chair.  He had a sign, "Homeless, Hungry, Veteran."  I thought to myself.  "Yeah,  right!  Homeless in Brighton, the city of wealthy professionals?  Probably a pan handler."  Although I have never seen a pan handler in Brighton.

But then, I got to thinking.  "What if he is for real?  I am so sick and tired of not being able to trust and doubting everyone and everything I see.  So, I turned and went around the block.

He was parked in a bad spot to get to him.  I couldn't figure out where to park.  So I went around the block again and pulled into a spot across from him.

I walked over to him.  He didn't look real old--maybe in his 60's, but he was bearded and wrinkled, with sad eyes and  when I got closer, he sure smelled like he was homeless.

I fished the twenty out of my pocket, "Hey man," I said.  "I hope this helps."

He "God Blessed" me three or four times.  I leaned over and sort of hugged his shoulders and wished him a "Happy Easter", got back in my car and smiled all the way home.

I have always been a trusting person.  Has it gotten me into difficulties?  Oh yes!  Caused me a lot of hurt?  Sure.  Over the last few years I have become cynical and doubtful.  I am a bit wary of what people say and do.  I hate being filled with such doubt about my fellow human beings.  Today, my heart felt something and I followed that feeling.

I don't care if he was a pan handler with $10,000 in the bank and he was just out trying to scam up enough money to buy a jug of booze.  I don't care if I got "taken".  I felt I wanted to do it, so I did.  On this day, of all days, when the Lord I believe in, gave it ALL for me?  I am the one who got blessed today!
=======================
When I got home, I ran up to Gleaner's Food Bank.  Talk about being blessed!  I got a nice Choice Eye of Round roast and a Rib-Eye steak!!! Yowza.  A bag of salad greens and canned chicken to put in it.  Canned Pears and Mandarin orange segments.  A box of Cinnamon Rolls and Croissants that I like to use for my sandwiches.  Fresh potatoes, onion and carrots, box of sugar, a bag of flour, can of Salmon to make salmon patties, Ritz crackers and cheese, and more.  

I kept watch of the family in front of me, going round and round the aisles.  Great Grandma, Grandma, Mother and the cutest little tan boy about 8 years old.  He was trying to be so helpful and they never once scolded him, even when he got in the way of his Grandma.

When I got outside, they were loading up the back of their old, rusted SUV.  I walked over and asked them to take my detergent and toilet paper and a dozen eggs, that I didn't need.  "You might need extra eggs for Easter," I said.  (We are allowed a dozen eggs and I don't eat them, so.....).  They thanked me and wished me a Happy Easter and from the back seat, out scrambled that precious little boy with his tight curly black hair and big brown eyes and put his hand out to shake mine.  "Thank you, Ma'am and God Bless you,"

When I got home, I took 2 Cinnamon rolls from the package of 8 and took the rest up to Merle and Pearl's and the bag of flour over to Jackie's.  She is always baking cookies and sharing with us.  

I am ashamed to say I had nothing to give to Dar.  She has a cleaning lady come in every week for 2 hours--at $20.00 an hour.  There is nothing I could give Dar that she would want or need.
======================
Ya know--all of us are basically good and generous people.  Over the past few years, Presidents and politicians, movie stars and VIP's, even some churches have tried to turn us into cynical, critical people.  Boy, it's easy to sit in our homes and look out for only ourselves and family.  Life becomes "all about us."  Protect ourselves.   

Today, for some reason, I had the opportunities to put myself out there---which I haven't done in a very long time.  It turned out, I am the one that was blessed and feeling happy and had my spirit renewed.

Happy Easter.  Happy Spring!!