One Of Those People

The sun is settling on what has been a beautiful Thanksgiving day. I wasn't particularly looking forward to what is usually one of my favorite holidays. My daughter is on a destroyer somewhere in the Persian Gulf. It's not her first Thanksgiving away from home, but it's her first so far away. Just knowing that she will be sad, and it will be months before I see her again, makes it hard for me to enjoy this holiday in the typical fashion. My Son wasn't going to be able to come home since taking a job in the City at the City Rescue Mission. Hundreds of volunteers give up the comfort of their homes to provide a special lunch for those who have no home, no family and in most cases no hope. This year seemed like the perfect time to mix things up, change tradition and do things a little different. Our family decided to get out of our comfort zone a little and spend the day doing something for someone else (sadly something we don't do often enough).  We had an awesome day! We had the privilege to join the homeless in praise and worship before lunch. It was a beautiful sight to see those who literally have no place to lay their head, worship God with hand uplifted and voices singing "I Am Free". But one of the most precious things about the day was Maggie. Maggie is a 3rd grade teacher at the Catholic Church near the mission. As I sat there and listened to Maggie talk my heart just swelled. She was one of those rare beauties who lives what she believes and believes with all her heart. She didn't share with us in a bragging manner, just humble conversation about how she lives to visit the sick, give to the poor and has little but has everything because she knows so many have so much less. I watched Maggie all day long. This was her first time to volunteer at the Mission, but she jumped right in and was as busy as a bee all day long. She didn't hesitate to mingle with the strangers that came for a warm meal. At the end of the afternoon, after all the table were moved and the chairs put away Maggie said she thought she'd go home and tend to her plants then she thought she'd come back and help the Mission serve dinner. We exchanged cell numbers and hearty hugs as we headed our separate ways. I may never see Maggie again but I have a feeling that they will be seeing a lot of her at the Mission. She's just one of those special people who can't help but give to others.... For me she gave a lasting impression.