January 14, 2009

It's a cold, January morning and I'm snuggled up in my apartment working on the computer before I set out for an afternoon and evening of helping at a soup kitchen. I don't know how to put into words what it means for me to be able to be here in NYC and doing the things that God has allowed. I get so much pleasure out of it that I almost feel guilty sometimes. I'm very thankful to all who make it possible for me to be here.

The economy is really bad all over. It seems to be magnified here in NYC. This place is so expensive, even for those who are 'comfortable' or affluent. For those just getting by, one missed hour of minimum wage a week can mean a missed meal. Restaurants are closing, others are cutting back on hours. People are looking for jobs all over. Broadway shows are closing. Even the Rainbow Room atop the Rockefeller Center building is cutting back from a restaurant to a bar and laying off servers and cooks until the economy gets better. Everything happens quickly. People are just out of luck. There is no grace period to figure out what to do.

Some of the agencies where we volunteer have had their resources cut and have had to lay off workers. I got an emergency email from the Grand Central Neighborhood Mainchance agency this week for volunteers. They had to layoff workers and needed volunteers to feed the homeless that come in for meals. Now the workers themselves may be homeless in a matter of weeks. It's just that quick.

With the feelings of desperation, comes the hunger for hope. The physical difficulties make the positive things more apparent. Christ's love shines brightest through the darkest situations. People are more aware and thankful for the life touches that they see and receive. It's very important for Christians to be diligent in all the ways, big and small, to let that light of hope shine and be noticed. And then to follow through with the explanation of where that light comes from.

My prayer is that as Believers we are all more watchful for the ways we can touch the life of another, even as we are going through our day wondering how to cope with our own 'disadvantages' and new hardships. Even in line at the grocery store, someone is depressed that they don't have enough money to buy enough healthy food for their family. It's sad to have to cut back. It's hard to tell your kids no, you can't afford some of their favorite snacks. And then there are those who have very little money for food at all. I see people asking for money on the streets all the time. Last night, there was a 30something guy who had just become newly unemployed on the corner who had trained his cat to climb up his clothes and sit on top of his head. He was performing trying to get some money for dinner. You can walk down the streets and see the 'usual' homeless types and not far from them the 'newly' disadvantaged. All competing for the same quarters and dollars to survive. It makes me realize how blessed I am, even though I struggle every month with finances, that I can at least sleep in a warm room and eat at every meal. Lord, please let me not get too used to seeing these people. Help to me to notice them and reach out to them in some way every time I see them.

I pray that for any of you who are saddened that you have to 'cut back' on your lifestyle will put everything in perspective and thank the Lord that you actually have places to cut back from without putting yourself and your families in jeopardy. We are so spoiled with all that we are allowed to accumulate and fill our lives with. Sometimes God needs to pare things down to where we can see how big He really is in our lives.

I'm thankful for the sparse, but comfortable life He allows me to live here in my crazy NY apartment. I'm thankful for public transportation. I'm thankful that I enjoy walking so much, because you have to do so much of that here. I'm thankful for the feeling of belonging to the anonymous crowd in NYC who are going through the same difficulties of existing here. Some of them have never known anything different. It's just a way of life. And there are still tons of things to be thankful for.

I'm thankful for every prayer that is lifted on my behalf. I'm thankful for every provision God supplies for me. I'm thankful for every challenge (even though I whine) to grow and become stronger in my faith.

I wish everyone some special time with God to analyze your life as you contemplate the hardships that this economy is doing to your lifestyle. Make the adjustments God is asking you to make. You'll never feel disadvantaged again.

Glory to Him who has created all and is the only one worthy to determine what is meaningful in each life.