Advent 2016: Brrrrr

Readings: Psalm 146:5-10; Ruth 4:13-17; 2 Peter 3: 11-18

The temperatures in Seattle this week have been cold.

Yes, I know it’s almost winter and that we are sort of wimpy about it all up here in the Pacific Northwest, compared to most other places. But did YOU know that one of the reasons why we have such a high homeless population in the PNW is because of our fairly moderate temperatures?

But joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He made heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them.
He keeps every promise forever.
He gives justice to the oppressed
and food to the hungry.
The Lord frees the prisoners.
The Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down.
The Lord loves the godly.
The Lord protects the foreigners among us.
He cares for the orphans and widows,
but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.
10 The Lord will reign forever.
He will be your God, O Jerusalem, throughout the generations.
Praise the Lord!

When the temperatures turn cold, I begin to worry for those who sleep on the street and out in the open at night. I worry for their health. I worry for bad decisions that they might make in an attempt to simply get warm. I worry for their spirits that may become downtrodden due to the overwhelming sadness that can come with desperation.

As a person who has struggled with PTSD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and Depression, I have always worried about living on the street. It is part of the anxiety disorder and is made real to me every time I befriend a homeless person who never thought they’d live on the street when they were young and strong.

If you have any means, large or small, to give back today, I wish you would go to www.marysplaceseattle.org

[embedyt] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eg04MD-wrjQ[/embedyt]

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.