I am overwhelmed these past few days with the people God has placed in my life to love me the unique way they all do. I woke up this morning on my "official" birthday feeling more than blessed if there is such a thing and really so grateful for the life God has allowed me to have. I am always aware of everything in my life being the fruit of following Jesus , without him I would be dead, literally and figuratively. Today as I went to the mission God blew me out of the water again. Doesn't he always.
I was greeted by Michelle a student who is interning with us who was holding a cake and cupcakes to share with our friends and a bouquet of flowers. I thanked her and said she didn't need to do that and she responded by saying, " I am so happy to be able to do my hours here and I am grateful for it. Thanks for letting me be a part of it." She has no idea what a blessings she is to us and yet she is another example of how God draws people to places and spaces and tugs at their heart to love his people......those people we think are so unlovable. Just before we opened my friend Abby stopped by with her mom and I was so glad to see her on my birthday, we have known Abby for almost 9 years now and I haven't seen her all summer. They wished me a happy birthday and gave me a hug and we shared a cupcake while she told me about her new outfit for school, Oh how I miss seeing her since her mom had to find a new place further away from the mission-what a treat for my birthday! I was wearing my Birthday Girl button but most already knew it was my birthday before they got there. Of course having cake was a big hit and real cream for their coffee was pretty awesome too-no powdered stuff. We started running low on cake and Sandi rides her bike INTO the door of the mission out of breath and says "close your eyes Helen and put out your hand" I have to be honest there were times in my relationship with Sandi that I wouldn't dare do that but God has so radically redeemed her life I knew it was safe. She placed a red velvet cake in my hand and said with tears in her eyes and a shaky voice" I was trying to get here before you opened so we could all sing happy birthday to you sorry I was late". I hugged and kissed her and told her how much i loved her and she told me the same and wished me a happy birthday. She is a true walking talking miracle from God. How incredible it is to witness her life. She said cut the cake!! SO we did and had even more to share with our friends. Jill came in asking for a loonie to buy her cat some food before her cheque came and I reminded her that we cannot give out money then I remembered the cat food left over from Sandi looking after the stray we had a few days ago so I gave it to her, enough to last for a while. She was so grateful and returned about an hour later with some roses. Beautiful pink full roses that smelled amazing. "Happy Birthday Helen " I gave her a hug and thanked her for the flowers and looked down at the broken stem that had been twisted and turned from its bush from someones garden and given to me as a gift. Lovely broken roses from a lovely lady who had no money left for a few days but wanted to give me something. Those roses sit in a beautiful vase at my table and they are broken but so lovely, just like Jill. Tammy saw the flowers and said "hey its your birthday I didn't know why didn't anyone tell me?!?!?" She ran back to the store side of the mission and returned with something wrapped simply in a plastic bag and said " here happy birthday I got you something." I unwrapped the bag and it was cup with a strange handle that didn't seem like it was meant for it and it had the words TEA written all over it. Someone had just donated it. Tammy said " I know you like tea so I wanted you to have it." Spoken like a friend who had shopped all day for that something special for your birthday. It was imperfect but lovely just like Tammy. That tea cup is now washed and ready to go on my counter for tomorrow mornings breakfast and I cant wait to sit and enjoy a cup and look at my roses. Beautiful gifts from some beautiful woman to me.....me . A broken and imperfect woman like them.
My last few days have been filled with so many beautiful things. Parties cards friends cake and gifts. Today God brought me back to place of remembering that broken and imperfect is all we have here as we wait for the coming of the perfect One who sees our lovely through it all.
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