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Blessings from the Kitchen Window

It was late in the afternoon. Just having arrived home from a busy day, I was thinking about the same question I always had at this time of day. What's for dinner? As usual, I should have already had a plan, but old habits, mine being meal-prepping, take time to break. 

Suddenly, looking out of the kitchen window, I saw her, an older woman, pushing a shopping cart with what appeared to be all of her life's possessions. Immediately, my heart sank. How did she get to this point? Where was her family? Did she have a place to sleep, and the obvious, which I was currently considering for my own family, what would she eat that night? 

While thinking about what I could do to at least alleviate the hunger problem, a small car rounded the corner, zipping past her, and then stopped on the side of the road. A young man quickly exited the vehicle from the driver's seat. He was carrying a pizza box from one of the local chains. Indeed, the woman had not ordered a pizza, I thought to myself. I watched as he approached her, and clearly, this gentleman was giving his dinner to the woman. Next, he placed his hand on her shoulder, and she followed suit, putting her hand on his shoulder. The man began to pray for her. I have no clue what he said, but seeing what he did spoke volumes to me. When they were finished, he got back in his car and left. I just stood there thinking I could not be more amazed by what I had just seen, but I was mistaken. One would think the woman would keep the food given to her for herself since it was possible she did not know where the next meal would come from, but she didn't. The woman ate from the box and began sharing it with those who were obviously hungry. 

What I should serve for dinner was no longer the pressing factor. I could pull out leftovers, make sandwiches, or even call the local pizza chain myself. I had options. The real question of the hour was, what do I do with my blessings? As I pondered this, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for the abundance in my life. This experience served as a poignant reminder of the things that were not right in my life. It became clear to me that I didn't think about the blessings of God very often anymore. In fact, I rarely asked Him for them either. Somehow, I had fallen into a mindset of self-reliance. Also, I could have counted my blessings; even worse, it had been a long time since I considered what I should do with them. Most likely, God knew it would take a visual for me to get the message. The man with the pizza box had said nothing, yet he said everything. I had received an abundance of blessings in my lifetime. The gifts I had received were not for me to hold onto but rather to give away. 

One willing young man... one needy woman... one pizza box.. God used these ordinary happenings in daily life to deliver an extraordinary message. The young man's act of selflessness was not just a gesture, but a transformative event that reminded me to be a channel of blessing wherever He leads me. 

Make me a channel of blessing today,
Make me a channel of blessing, I pray;
My life possessing, my service blessing,
Make me a channel of blessing today.


Make Me a Channel of Blessing :: Harper G. Smyth. https://servicebuilder.net/static/element/116189

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