Sitting here this morning sipping my tea in my living room thinking. The news just reported there are 1 in 45 children homeless in the United States. Thats almost 2 million children that are living on the streets, in shelters or in cars. Those precious children dont have a bed to curl up and sleep, warm covers to make them feel safe during the night. A home. They dont have a home. Startling realization.
We think of homeless as poorly dressed "bums" begging on the corner. Folks addicted to drugs begging for money in parking lots or street corners. But rarely do we put the face of a child on homeless. Just in the state of Florida alone they estimate almost 1/2 million children live in a car, dressing in the restroom of a McDonalds or gas station, then attend school without their peers knowing they dont have a home.
These children dont wish for Sega systems, WI systems, cell phones or whatever todays latest gadget, they wish for a home. These are not children of parents that are drug addicts or criminals. One family they interviewed moved from Michigan to Florida 4 years ago to work in the contruction industry because the car industry played out. When the bottom fell out they lost their home, their security, and their savings. They lived in their van for a year until they found a program that helped them get back on their feet and into a home. These are not bums or ignorant people.
Makes me wonder and be very thankful as i sit in my living room that while i keep the heat on 68 is warm, dry and a place i can call home. Its not always what I want, but we have food in the pantry. We have lived on beans and rice for a week, Ive made biscuits and gravy for dinner.. I know what it is to do without.. but do I?
These families are the face of doing without. Need is food, shelter and clothing. In the words of Mary Poppins "Enough is as good as a Feast". I sit and feel guilt, after watching these families, for grumbling because of missing trim in my living room, someone driving on my grass and feel condemned for being so petty. Christmas will be thin at my home again, but i do have a tree with twinkle lights that make prince Williams face light up when he sees them, these homeless babies dont have a tree with twinkle lights to enjoy.
I guess what I'm left with this morning is a feeling of being blessed, but for the grace of God... there i would be. In this season.. lets remember how truely blessed we are in our lives. Even though the tree with twinkle lights is all some have... there are those that do without even a tree.. or worse Hope.
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