man looking in binoculars

You never know what a day will bring!  Leaving my home this morning, I noticed a truck on the parking lot of our camp ground that I did not recognize.  On closer inspection I discovered a lady sitting in her truck which was completely packed with “stuff”.  My first assumption was that perhaps she was homeless.  She rolled down her window and I asked if I could help?  She said I am looking for my mother!  I can’t find my mom!  My first thought was this is going to be a mental health situation.  She told me her mother was in an assisted living facility here in Camby, Indiana.  She does know the name and does not where it is and she does not live on this side of town, therefore she can’t find her mom.  I did a quick search on my phone and discovered that there are three possible places where her mom could be in our town. Together we will find her, I heard myself say to her.  I got back into my car and she followed me.  Her mother was not at the first facility but  a call  was made by the lady at the front desk  and the missing mother was found.

My encounter today reminded me how vulnerable  people are and how vulnerable we all are at times!  This lady spent all night driving the highways and streets in our community looking for her mother.  How is it that no one saw this distressed lady all night?  Needy people are all around and everywhere!  I barely had to leave my driveway to discover this lady.  ‘No room’ is the cry of the Bethlehem Innkeeper.  The tendency is to blame him, and think I would have made room for Jesus had I been there!  We marvel that the Christ who created the world and made everything, when He came to earth there was no room for Him.  Yet, in our busyness and deadlines, we too have little room to notice the needs all around us.  We are so preoccupied with our concerns that the problems of others do not even register.  In my ears I still hear the words, “I can’t find mom.”  The world is lost, the things of value have been misplaced.  Everyone needs some help!  We all need some assistance and direction.  This Advent let us open our hearts and find room to be a blessing to someone today and every day.  No room for others means we have missed one of the main points of the coming of Christ.

 

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