Grateful Hearts

Sometimes you have to move outside of the little world you live in in order to see what you truly have. My day of awakening or should I say my Thanksgiving Day came on November 7th. This was the day my family and I traveled to Kentucky to visit the Appalachian Region Missions. We were delivering food and clothing that our neighborhood and some of our church members had gathered for the Appalachian people. As we traveled over the mountains on this sunny fall day, it was hard to imagine people living in great poverty in such a beautiful area. But hidden within the mountains were people who were struggling to survive and make ends meet.
As we pulled up to the mission, we were greeted with big hugs from the volunteers. It was like coming home after a long journey. They truly appreciated everything that we had gathered for them, even though it barely scratched the surface for the three hundred or so families that they serve. As my sons and husband unloaded the trailer, I got to know Pat, who runs the mission. Her incredible love and generosity could be seen in her eyes, and she talked to me about how the elderly and the children were hurting the most in this area. Many of the elderly were taking care of their grandchildren and finding it extremely difficult.
After we talked, I was blessed to be able to go on two home visits. I say blessed because it was here where I learned an invaluable and precious lesson. It was here where I met Fred and Molly. They are a couple who live with very little. Fred did back breaking work in the coal mines. They have struggled all their lives to survive, but they are not victims of the cards that were dealt to them. They are survivors. They do not look at the things they don't have but focus on the riches they do have. Yes, I say riches because they truly are rich in the things that are important. One look at them, and one can see the great love they share for each other after fifty five years of marriage. Fred is a little crusty, but has a heart of gold, and Molly reminded me of an angel with her loving smile and her sweet dispositon. Their faith in God is what truly shined through. Fred kept telling me how blessed they are and how much they have. They have each other, and they have children and grandchildren that love them. They did not complain about the material things that they lacked. I felt like I knew them for a long time. When I left them, they hugged me and said to come back again soon. They were truly grateful for the turkey dinner we brought them for Thanksgiving, but what they gave me was so much more.
I will never forget them. So many times I have complained about things that I don't have. I have followed the values of this world with wanting more, more, more, instead of being happy with what I have. Sometimes I forget to truly thank God for all the blessings He gives us. Fred and Molly taught me that the most important things can't be bought in a store. A kiss from your husband, a hug from your kids, a good laugh with a friend, the smell of the ocean, the sound of the wind rustling the leaves,the cry of a new born baby, are all the miracles of life, and they are what matter. They taught me that life is very short. We come into this world with nothing, and we leave with nothing. The only thing we carry with us is our faith in God and the love we share with each other. The rest means nothing. So, Fred and Molly thank you for showing me how to walk humbly and gratefully toward Christ. Thank you for giving me a wonderful Thanksgiving.