Saturday, December 8, 2012

My dearest God,

Our arms were filled to the brim with packages for our friends at Wheeler Mission.  Time to give back, seven of my grandchildren and I placed our many gifts on tables awaiting the men's arrival for lunch.  As they came through the doorway we sang Christmas songs.  The men smiled and many joined in the singing.  Some were so joyous that I did the do-si-do square dance move with them.  We all laughed, smiling with love from heaven.

But it was what happened on their way out that deeply touched my heart.  As one middle-aged man was beginning to leave, I put out my hand to shake his thanking him for singing with us.  I hadn't really seen him sing.  I just wanted to acknowledge him wishing him well for his day out in the cold.  He looked at me very seriously and said, "I think I could sing", as if he hadn't ever tried.  Suddenly I burst into song, "Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound..."  All at once he fixed his eyes on me and began to sing..."that saved a wretch like me.  I once was lost but now I am found.  Was blind but now I see."  Voices around us joined in the next verse.  When we were through, he said to me, "We're all children of God, aren't we?"  "We sure are!"  I replied.

In those prized moments my grandchildren were silent perhaps seeing something they had never seen before. Perhaps they had a small vision of  heaven or maybe just a glimpse of divine gold  Whatever it was, there were blessings all around.

Glorious God,
thank you
for taking us
to places
where we
would not
normally go
so you
could give us
a picture
of heaven.
Teach us
to follow you always
so we
do not miss
glimpses of
the divine.
Help us seek
your face
in the face
of our brother
and sister
on the street,
in the shelter,
and under
the bridge.

Love, Andrea