Lighter house, lighter hearts

I am amazed at the outpouring of love for Cynthia and her family.  You all have responded as one body of Christ, and I am making sure that Cynthia and her family realize that we’re not just a bunch of people donating stuff to make ourselves feel good, but we’re doing all this because Christ asks us to love each other and give to each other and help each other.  You have all certainly helped Cynthia tremendously.

Let me just try to remember everything you’ve accomplished:

Kitchen table, with chairs
High chair
Washing machine
New coffee table
Leather sofa and love seat, with reclining seats
Power turned back on, Duke Energy debt paid off
Numerous hot meals
Untold number of toiletries and household needs
Lots of clothes and toys for the kids
Queen mattress, box springs, frame, and bedding
Floor lamps
Your time, compassion, energy, muscles, and talent have been donated as well…and Cynthia appreciates these things just as much as the tangible items.

We now have a small cash reserve after Duke Energy was paid off to purchase any additional items that are not covered by donations.  Here is my latest list of remaining needs:

Clothes dryer
Clothes dresser for Cynthia (she made sure her kids all had them before she did)
2 kitchen chairs
Area rugs
Vacuum cleaner (even a small one would be fine)
Ironing board
Trash cans – 13 gallon kitchen and smaller
Queen sheets
Full sheets
Twin sheets
Crib sheets
6 NEW pillows (maybe I’m being uptight, but old, donated pillows are DISGUSTING, in my opinion)
Size 18 clothes for Cynthia (she’s not that concerned about herself, but I’m telling you: she needs clothes)
XXL coat for Cynthia
Shoes for kids, sizes:
                Girls’ toddler size 4
                Girls’ child size 1
                Boys’ size 6.5/7
                Boys’ size 4.5
Clothes hangers

You wanna know something funny?  This whole thing started with me saying that our Sunday School class could probably get together enough money to buy her a kitchen table, chairs, and a high chair.  Now look where we are.  You know all those Christian quotes about God’s laughter or anger or whatever when we make our own plans and he takes us in another direction?  I’ve never quite been in a situation where I’ve made what I thought was a pretty good plan, and He’s carried me in that same direction…but 20 times further than I thought I would go.  With the exception of the items listed above, God has used us to ALMOST get Cynthia back on her feet. 

Here are a few tidbits about the kids: the youngest little girl who is 5 has the mental capacity of maybe a 15-month-old, but she is capable of laughing and imitating.  Precious.  She thought it was funny when her big sister got in trouble.

Cynthia disciplines her children appropriately.  There is structure in the family, and the children are mannerly.  The 11-year-old little boy reached out to shake my coworker, Leigh’s, hand when we dropped off Cynthia’s bed and said, “Thank you so much for helping us.  Thank you for helping my mom.”  That same little boy was THRILLED with his new clothes and the dresser in which he has them carefully folded and organized.  I guarantee you that your drawers are more full than his, but he was still amazed at how full his drawers were.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you.  Today I am thankful for all of you and for the love of Christ that I have seen blanketing this deserving family.