Tis the season

A friend of mine posted a poem on risk from a soup kitchen in Detroit. I don't have a lot of time to polish anything this morning, but I just want to say to my friends, and anyone else who might stumble into this blog, that this holiday season can bring many needs and opportunities to the surface.

If you are experiencing a need, take a risk and share it. Everyone goes through something. Nine years ago, my husband was injured and unable to work. Two weeks before that, while vacationing with him and our toddler, we found out I was pregnant with our second child. He went back to work toward the end of the summer, but re-injured himself shortly before our baby was due. He was out of work again for the rest of the year.

During this, we needed all sorts of help. I was hormonal, I don't handle money stress well, and all along our journey, my friends and others gave what they had - one gave me some part-time work, another personal and financial and diaper support, another the ability to give our oldest a Christmas gift, several more coming when my husband couldn't drive and I couldn't drive and we had to make a trip to urgent care. We were humbled and blessed by their care for us. They loved us as Jesus loved, in deed and in truth, but we had to let them into our lives.

If you are not experiencing a need, help. In our area, need is increasing. Our small local pantry registered 60 new clients from July-December. According to our school district, the percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced lunches continues to rise, one school nearing fifty percent.

Maybe you don't have much, but, as our area director said, "Even a can of corn helps." A can of corn is on sale this week for fifty cents. Take the time to understand who serves your communities and see what you can do. Here's a place to start, but you may want to go a little further. My local pantry, started during the economic downturn in the late seventies or early eighties, is not listed here. Maybe it's the same for yours. Ask around. If you've got kids in school, ask teachers and administrators who they contact when there's a need and see how you can help.