a helping hand

It just doesn't seem right to be sitting in my house with my belongings all around me, my family only a cell phone call away...when so many people are still looking for loved ones and going back to places of empty land where their homes once stood. I cannot imagine the destruction and devestation that those people are going through. Many of my friends are able to help by being in the path of the survivors and helping them out with food, a place to stay, a school and clean up help. They are there and it is easy for them to see a way to help out. However I am pretty well removed from the destruction and cannot walk out my door and see the things I can do to help. I need to search a little more for ways to help. So I did. I worked with the Orphan Grain Train the other day to help sort the many bags of clothes that have been donated and will eventually end up in Baton Rouge. I am not writing this to toot my own horn or pat myself on the back but just to say, there are many things that you can do...even if you don't live anywhere near New Orleans. Many places are opening their doors to accept donations of clothes and other personal items. They need help sorting and packing things up to be sent to Louisiana and other places. If you want to help, get out there and help. If you are willing there are people who will put you to work. You may need to search to find the location in your town that needs help but trust me, they will be eager and willing to put you to work. Then you too can say that you offered a helping hand and didn't just sit around and say, "I wish there was something I could do." Also, keep working at your jobs and donate some of the money you make to a local church that will send it to help the hurricane survivors. If you need some ideas about where to send money let me know. I know of two churches and a school that needs help!

Totally unrelated...

Work is going okay. It's hard sometimes because I really feel like I don't fit in. A lot of the people there smoke and cuss...they have different lives than I do. I feel like I can be a good influence but I just pray that God would keep me strong and not let me be persuaded by what I am surrounded by. Serving does not bother me at all...it's just that being around the negative attitudes and all the other things going on with them gets me down sometimes. I will continue to read my Bible before work and pray for the people that I serve and those that I work with. If you could pray for my fellow servers as well, I would appreciate it!

Have a great day, turn off your computer and go help!