Inspired

I was scrolling through my list of blogs I read regularly, and the post at LoveFeast Table caught my eye.  (Don't you just love the name of the blog?)  The title was Unexpected LoveBomb.  She starts it off with this picture, and I was in!  Ready to read, and hoping it had something to do with food! 

Well the post was about food, but really, she tells a beautiful story about putting love into action.  Please, I beg you, follow the link and go read it already!

I was reminded that I used to do LoveBombs pretty regularly.  I won't tell you about all of them, because it feels too look-at-how-great-I-am to write.  But when the five of us girls lived in our Oakhill house at MSU there was a dumpster in our driveway for trash pick-up.  I will never forget the moment I saw a little boy, maybe eight years old, climb into our dumpster and look for food.  It broke me to the core.  I have tears in my eyes just thinking about him.  Did his parents send him out to do this?  What was his story?  I quickly went through our kitchen looking for food that wasn't perishable, and went outside with a grocery bag that I thought he could carry.  He wouldn't talk to me, (probably told like my children to never talk to strangers) but he did take the bag of food.

Fast forward 10 years, two kids, husband and a house later, and in a way, I have stopped seeing opportunities like this.  Not because they are not there, but because in the moment I'm either feeling too cynical, or because I'm busy.  Kristin's post brought it all back, and caused me to question what legacy I am leaving for my boys.  How has Jack seen me tangibly love on someone in need?  Is this a regular part of our family life?  Granted, we give money to charities, but Jack doesn't SEE.

On the way home from school today, I had both boys in the car, of course, and we were stopped at a red light.  There was a man (who I've seen at least 5 times before) on the corner with a sign that read, "Hungry, Anything will Help."  I told Jack about the sign, and suggested we go get him some food.  He was all for it.  The closest place was Burger King, so we got him a meal, and the healthy part of me felt guilty, so we threw in some of their apple fries.  This spurred on a whole conversation about how blessed we are to have food in our house, and that not everyone has food.  We talked about shelters, and churches, and that people who love Jesus are supposed to help those in need. 

I locked the kids in the car and delivered the food.  As I got closer I could see his teeth were rotten, and he had a severe limp.  He thanked me, and we both said, "God Bless You."  I walked away in tears. 

I still feel guilty for giving him something like Burger King, but whatever. Here's my plan.  I've decided that I'm going to take Jack to the store and get some protein bars, juice boxes, water bottles, apples, something salty, and whatever other non-perishables I feel would work.  We're going to make a few individual bags and keep them in the car, so when we see someone with a sign like this.

We can bomb them with love.