To Save a Star

The Starfish Story

Original Story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach when he noticed
a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean. 

Approaching the boy, he asked, "What are you doing?"

The youth replied, "Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up and the tide is going out.  If I don't throw them back, they'll die.""Son," the man said, "don"t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can't make a difference!"

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish,
and threw it back into the surf.  Then, smiling at the man, he said,
"I made a difference for that one."

As I've been working on a book project, interviewing the homeless in my town as I run the Blanket Ministry for the homeless at the same time, I am compiling quite a few stories along with a photo album.
I mainly listen to them share their story, giving them a voice, praying as I do, they will feel the love of Christ from me.  I remember their names, I give them hugs, a listening ear and share Jesus with them. 

Some would say that I cannot save all these people.  I never intended to save them.  That job was given to someone else.  I was just told to be a light in a dark world, to share love and compassion and give a blanket for warmth. And so, that is my desire.

I had the priveledge of praying the sinners prayer with the first man in this album.  What a joy, a delight, a thrill, and a gift. . .for him and for me! God came in and saved this man through His son Jesus Christ.  And I was able to partake in this holy moment.   If I had not been on this "beach", I would have missed this miraculous moment. 

Look at these faces. . .

What do you see?  Do you think they need the love of Jesus spoken to them?  Or should they just be left to die? What about the ones around you?  Don't leave them there.  Throw them a line, throw out the light on them, throw them into the arms of Jesus. . .and let Him do the saving.  Would you really want these "stars" to die on a dry, parched beach? I didn't think so. 

What stars has God put in your path?  You may not make a difference to all of them, but is it not worth it for that one that you could?

Next week is National Hunger and Homelessness Week.  Please look at my post before this one to see what you can do.  Google this title in your home state and city and find what you can do where you live.

Pick up that star and pray.  God will show you what to do.
Thank you.

NATIONAL HUNGER & HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK

NATIONAL HUNGER AND HOMELESSNESS AWARENESS WEEK

NOVEMBER 12-19

Think it is not a big problem?  There are 3.5 million Americans experiencing homelessness right now.

770,000 homeless children are enrolled in public schools.

hundreds homeless just in our Warren County!

What can you do?

Much we can do. . .

   please consider donating blankets, sleeping bags to the homeless and needy
              donating food to the food banks
                  donating money to charities
                       praying for the people who are down and out
                           smiling at the strangers who are in your path
                                offering handshakes and hugs
                                   offer lunch to someone who is going hungry
                                       get out of your comfort zone and do something bold
                                          ask God what it is He would have you do for Him and your city

If you are in the Bowling Green Area, check out this website. . http://www.wku.edu/alive/hunger_and_homelessness_awarness_week.php

Dine Out to Help Out

When: Wed, Nov. 16, 2011
Where: Various Locations, Bowling Green, Ky
Come and Dine out during Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week. Participating Restaurants include T.G.I Friday’s, Chick-Fil-A, Mariah’s Resturant, Verdi, The CatFish House,Taste of Europe, Anna’s Authentic Greek Food, Fazoli’s, Chickadee’s.
The resturants above are donating a percentage of their sales to Hotel INC to provide critical services to the hungry and homeless in Warren County.

For more information call 270-782-1263 or visit http://www.hotelincbg.com/ 

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?  Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3:17-18

A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.
Proverbs22:9

Please Remember Them!

God Bless You!

                                                                                                                  
                               

                                                                      

Home Sweet Home!

After being homeless with nothing but a shed to stay in. . .no electricity, no running water, no bathroom, no air-conditioning, no heat, no lights, no windows, no appliances, no light switches, nothing to sit on or lay on but a concrete floor. . .God has answered many prayers and today we were able to have a moving party and say................."Welcome Home Greg!"

He has a front door!

He has all the above and more.

It's very nice and cozy.

Tonight he will take a shower in his own bathroom with all new things.

He will sleep in his very own queen bed with new sheets and comforter and pillows.

God has provided through wonderful people who have cared.

His mother drove down from Ohio to share this wonderful day.

She was so sweet and very moved.  She loves her son!

He and momma, Ms. Leigha and I stood in his home and held hands and prayed thanking God for all the provisions, for salvations, for His unending love and for strength to keep moving forward on this wonderful, glorious, grace-filled narrow path.

Sleep tight Greg.

If you would like to mail Greg a card, here is his address :

Greg Thompson

1740 Old Louiville Road, Apt. 19

Bowling Green, Kentucky 42101

Sadie

This was our dog Sadie's last trip to the pond.  She loved going out there with us.  She walked down the trails with us, would jump quail from the tall grasses, go to the water for drinks, and just enjoyed the outdoors with us.

She was the best of pets.  She was an in/out dog.  If we were out she wanted to be out, if we were in, she wanted to be in.  She never hurt anything in the house, and never was a problem, except for that strawberry, blonde hair she would leave behind.  She had such a sweet nature about her and wouldn't hurt a flea.

Sadie began to really show her age of 15  years this year, really going down hill in just the last month.  She was losing her strength in her legs and we had to eventually raise her up ourselves for her to get up off the floor.  She could not walk at all on the wooden floors anymore.  She could not get up the steps anymore.  She just didn't want to eat anymore and lost a lot of weight. 

I knew what was coming, but I didn't want to  think about it for awhile.  But when I had to get on the floor and start holding up her water dish so she could drink, when she would not take her doggie treats anymore that she alway loved, when her ears drooped and she kept looking at me with those sad, brown eyes, not even lifting her head for me anymore, I knew. 

If dogs meet their Maker, she met hers today.  She'll be strong again and I think if their is a pond where she went, she'll be there having the time of her life.  Maybe she'll be waiting for us.  Rejoice in your new home Sadie, we'll be there some day and you can meet us and show us your new stomping grounds.  And we'll go walking together again.

We loved you Sadie!  Be happy. . .

Happy Anniversary to Ponderings!

WOW!  I can't believe it's been one year since the birth of Ponderings.  I could not believe anyone would really be interested in what I had to say.  But I heard "Write" in my head  until I thought I would explode, and so I did.

I asked the Lord to bless this blog and use it to be a blessing to whoever came by.  I wanted it to bring Him glory and honor.  The blog took off more than I could have ever imagined.  In one year the blog has received 118 followers with many more readers who just have not hit that "follow" button.  Ponderings has almost 20,000 hits.  I have made good friends and have been blessed with faithful prayer warriors from all over the United States and the World; the Carribean, Africa, the Netherlands, Phillipines, and India.

I know that it is not my writings that bring people here, cause I ain't no writer, but I believe it has everything to do with God and how he works in all our lives and that is the connection.  He is connecting us through blog land where we might not otherwise have connected.  Many have identified with my prodigal issues, we present and past homeschoolers identify with each other, we all identify with our walk with the Lord, and many have shown such an interest in the homeless stories.  Because of the plarn post, many have started plarn where they live.  People are considering starting their own blanket ministries.  I have seen people pray for each other through blog land; sorrowing with one another over the death of a fellow blogger, praying earnestly for those with cancer and other life threatning illnesses, praying for ones who cannot sleep, suffering with pain and many other causes and rejoicing to anwered prayer whether that answer was a yes or no. I have seen many of you in your acts of service to the Lord and it has encouraged me and others.

We may never meet each other in person, but the love is just as real.  One day we will meet whether on this side of Heaven or the other.  I asked the Lord to use this blog as a blessing to others.  I had no idea how the blessings would flow through the computer back to me.  I want to say "Thank You" to each follower and for each one that has come to visit me here at the pond.  Thank you to each one that has left a comment and to each one that has prayed for me and my loved ones.

If I could, I would reach through the screen and give everyone of you a great big hug.  How about closing your eyes right now.  I'm hugging you with my heart. . .feel it?

I can't wait to see what God has in store for this next year. . .for you and me both.  So ya all come back now ya hear?  And let's keep sharing, keep loving, keep serving.

I love you guys!
Kristin  (Kris)