Abundant Blessings

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runneth over."  ---Psalm 23:5

I have so much to be thankful for. I'm surrounded by family and friends who love me; I have more than enough food on the table; I have a nice home with heat and electricity. Not to mention that I get to breathe and think and wake up to see another beautiful day that's completely unique and different than any other day that came before. I've been blessed beyond measure---and many other people can say the same. 

However, being blessed with an abundance doesn't mean that all of this is ours to keep. 

"And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written:

'They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor;
    their righteousness endures forever.'

... You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God." 

---2 Corinthians 9:6-11

Since we have been blessed with much, we should also give away much. And I'm proud to say that I've been blessed with a church family who embraces the spirit of giving to others. My church family has been working on several projects to benefit the people of our community. The teen group built a blessings box for our churchyard, so that people in Summit who are in need can take food and supplies. Several members of our congregation, especially the young people, filled boxes with toys and goodies for children in need for Operation Christmas Child.

Kevin and Pastor Don at the pulpit. The boxes for Operation
Christmas Child are lined up at the altar.

Both of these endeavors are worthy causes, but the charity that I'm most thankful to my church for supporting is Warm Blessings. 

Warm Blessings is the local soup kitchen, located in E-town. They provide people who are needy or homeless with warm meals, food and care packages, blankets, clothes, and temporary shelter. They also help the people who come to them search for jobs and pay rent. My church strives to donate food and personal care items to Warm Blessings throughout the year, but in the winter, many people also give hats, gloves, and scarves. This year, we started up a collection box for a donation drive just before Thanksgiving. People brought winter gloves and hats, cans of food, boxes of non-perishables, and soap and shampoo. But the most exciting donation came from the adult Sunday School class: they donated $40 to our collection, and with it, we were able to buy 18 pairs of gloves, 8 blankets, and more than 10 packages of food all in one swoop. Two members of our congregation took the donations to Warm Blessings on Tuesday, and the people at Warm Blessings were so excited and thankful. 

The table of donations, ready to be taken to Warm Blessings.

 Not to mention that, when they arrived at Warm Blessings to give them the donations, there were already 7 people waiting there, before opening time, to get out of the cold.

The people of our community need us, and they call us to action. I'm proud---and thankful---that this week, my church has worked to answer that call.

I pray that everyone who reads this will also reflect on what you have been given and what you can give as well. How has God blessed you? And how can you continue to spread God's blessings and His light?

My hope is that this Thanksgiving will bring you a thousand blessings, and you have a thousand good wishes from me! 

"Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

---2 Corinthians 9:15

For more information on Warm Blessings, check out their website here: http://www.warmblessingsinc.com/

Or their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/WBSoupKitchen/

Some of the canned goods and non-perishable foods
that were collected for the soup kitchen.

In this photograph, you can see the blankets
and gloves that were collected as well.