Yesterday morning, I woke up with these words falling off my tongue:
“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matt 6:11)
I didn’t think much of it. I had been thinking about it for a few days, following an impromptu sermon our Vice President, Linda Haarstad, spieled out over dinner a few nights earlier. Linda is a semi-retired pastor and counselor, and since she doesn’t have a congregation to teach every week, she sometimes leaks…its kind of cool.
If you read the Lord’s Prayer, found in Matthew 6: 9-13 you should take notice that the word “I” is nowhere near it. Therefore the Lord’s Prayer is not at all about me or you, but us….Interesting concept, isn’t it?
Being an artist at heart, I have a tendency to have several projects going at once, I do that in the morning also…I have trouble getting to my first appointment…almost every day…I have standing apologies available to anyone that dares fit that spot…almost no matter what time it is. The positive part of this problem is that I can bounce from one topic to the other, pretty quick. Not as fast as our President, Karen Gidderon, but even she would have to admit that I am a better bouncer than I used to be and not the kind you find watching over you at the local bar.
While I was eating my breakfast, trying to clean my desk and also remember the changes our Christmas Joy Telethon Planning Committee asked to be made to the flyer I put together, and also consider changes to another website (my other job), I heard the phone ring.
It was Living Ministries’ line.
“Thank you for calling Living Ministries. This is Summer. How can I help you?”
I am glad I used to be an answering service operator and know to write down anything that is understandable out of the gush that follows when someone needs help and you just answered the phone. While this desperate woman took a deep breath, I looked down at what I scribbled on the paper that was stuck under my keyboard.
Florence T******
Longview
Car totalled
Hospital 10 days
Power shut off in 24 hrs
(You are so lucky this is typed)
As she heaved out her last sentence, “Someone told me to call Living Ministries,” I agreed with God. What else could I do?
Honestly I can’t remember the whole conversation. Both of us were really emotional. I do remember apologizing for my slow internet connection while I waited for our Community Resource Database to upload. I also remember telling her that right now, I didn’t have any funds I could help her with. I gave her the number to Lower Columbia CAP, FISH of Cowlitz County and The Salvation Army.
Then I did something that I could tell no else had done. I asked her if she was ok. She blew me off because she was not her focus at that moment. Then I asked her if her husband was ok. She was quiet for what seemed like an eternity and then finally said, “I don’t know. He is in ICU.”
As we both choked on our tears, she thanked me for talking to her. She agreed that maybe one of her friends could give her a ride to these places….and I told her that we would pray for her.
When I hung up, I didn’t even know what to pray. Her feelings were so big they were still sitting in my lap. So I agreed with God, said amen and proceeded to write the following text to our committee members and a few others that pray with us:
A woman named Florence called LM this morning. She & her husband were in an accident. Their car was totaled. She was in the hospital for 10 days. Husband is still in ICU. They have had no income during this time and power will be shut off tomorrow. Please pray.
I didn’t ask for anything else. Then, within seconds, I got a text back from not one but two people who wanted to help. I was so excited and dumbfounded! So I called Florence back who was still crying, got her address and told her I would do what I could. Then I sent another text:
I do have Florence’s address now. Any money we can pull together today will be paid on her account at PUD. Thank you to those that have offered to help. I will be at ZoJo from 11-2 today and Karen is sponsor hunting and can make pickups if you let us know. God bless you!!! Her bill is $435.51
You see Florence was on a payment plan for her required deposit. While she and her husband were in the hospital they were late on their payment and they had not worked to have a way to pay their bill and now she had to pay the deposit in full.
So I hung out at ZoJo and people came. We talked about beautiful things and I was totally blessed by their gifts of money but most importantly of love.
When 3 o’clock rolled around I went to the bank and then headed to the Cowlitz PUD with our checkbook. I was so happy to hand them a check, I almost feel like I was the one receiving the biggest blessing!
Then as Karen drove us toward our next destination I called Florence back. As I explained that we made a payment of $90 she started to cry again. Then thanked me and told me I was an angel.
…All I can say was, it was God.
Thank you to all those who helped a stranger. Thank you for Being An Activist. Thank you for helping. Thank you for letting me watch you change the world.
