Belly Up

I shopped yesterday for last minute groceries needed for all of my traditional dishes that I'll serve my family on Thanksgiving. The Safeway was mobbed --as one might expect on the day prior to Turkey Day -- with moms and older couples picking up their last-minute items, too. Carissa was my helper today; we divided the list in half and each went in search of our designated goodies.
Afterward, a quick trip to Hallmark for nice dinner napkins and then down to Lower Stanley Village for drive-through Taco Bell. Well, I rationalized, the fridge and the freezer are both stuffed with the turkey, the green-bean casserole, my mother's fancy raspberry jello mold, fancy devilled eggs (Bruce's favorite) sweet potato pie, brie cheese and onion dip, a gallon of cider, twelve-packs of Fresca, Dr. Pepper and Diet Coke (caffeine free). And there's more coming. Oh, much more. Because Danielle is a good cook and she's bringing homemade bread and the desserts, as well. And the dishes are all washed and ready for serving and I don't want to wash another mixing bowl, skillet, or utensils.
So, the day before Thanksgiving we load our stomachs with chalupas, burritos and tacos and wash them down with Diet Cokes.
Our tummies are full.
In fact, my tummy is always full after a meal.
I eat three full-bellied meals each day.
I include plenty of protein, carbohydrates, fats, and vegies and fruits.
It is an understatement to say that I am well-nourished.
And just in case I'm missing some key nutrient, I also swallow tons of vitamin supplements.
The day after my family and I feast, Bruce and I will go down to Longmont's Our Center to help prepare food to be served at lunch for some of the town's neediest.
On Thursday I will be grateful.
On Friday (at the Our Center) I will be even more grateful to God for the richness of his blessings to me.
That same day I will mail off a check to World Vision for our sponsored child and an additional check to buy 5 ducks, two chickens, and aid to help rescue a young girl from prostitution in some terrible place where girls are not loved.
And I will be reminded again that those people who need the ducks, or the girl who needs to not be a prostitute anymore could have been me. God loves those people just as much as he loves me. Why in the world am I so blessed?
I don't understand. I probably never will.
But God has blessed me and I would like to turn that blessing around. Hopefully I'll be able to keep buying more chickens and ducks and helping little girls escape horror.
Because I'm very grateful. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You, God!