June 17, 2007

• Breakfast at McDonald’s
  

   

  This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way
  through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting
  facts!):

   

  
  I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently
  completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The
  teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human
  being had been graced with.

   

  
  Her last project of the term was called, “Smile.” The
  class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their
  reactions.

   

  
  I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone
  and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake, literally.
  

   

  
  Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband,
  youngest son, and I went out to McDonald’s one crisp March morning. It was just
  our way of sharing special playtime with our son. We were standing in line,
  waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back
  away, and then even my husband did.

   

  
  I did not move an inch… an overwhelming feeling of panic
  welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

   

  
  As I turned around I smelled a horrible “dirty body”
  smell, and there standing behind me were two! poor homeless men. As I looked
  down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was “smiling”. His beautiful sky
  blue eyes were full of God’s Light as he searched for acceptance.

   

  
  He said, “Good day” as he counted the few coins he had
  been clutching.

   

  
  The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind
  his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed
  gentleman was his salvation.

   

  
  I held my tears as I stood there with them. The young lady
  at the counter asked him what they wanted.

   

  
  He said, “Coffee is all Miss” because that was all they
  could afford.
  (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had
  to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

   

  
  Then I really felt it – the compulsion was so great I
  almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes. That is when
  I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.
  

   

  
  I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to
  give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

   

  
  I then walked around the corner to the table that the men
  had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on
  the blue-eyed gentleman’s cold hand.

   

  
  He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said,
  “Thank you.”

   

  
  I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, “I did not
  do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope.”

   

  
  I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and
  son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, “That is why God gave you
  to me, Honey, to give me hope.”

   

  
  We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that
  only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give. We are
  not church goers, but we are believers.

   

  
  That day showed me the pure Light of God’s sweet love.
  

   

  
  I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with
  this story in hand.

   

  
  I turned in “my project” and the instructor read it.
  

   

  
  Then she looked up at me and said, “Can I share this?”
  

   

  
  I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.
  

   

  
  She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human
  beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
  

   

  
  In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald’s, my
  husband, son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last
  night I spent as a college student.

   

  
  I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever
  learn: UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

   

  
  Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person
  who may read this and learn how to LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS – NOT LOVE THINGS
  AND USE PEOPLE.

  *This is not written by me, but I wanted to share it. It is important to remember that there are two strengths- we must know and understand the truth: Jesus IS the only way, He died for us so that we could be united with God again and our sins would be washed away. The Bible is left for us to understand salvation- it is the complete Word of God. We can’t throw it out the window and say “Just love, and you’ll be fine”. BUT, we can’t allow laws and rules, self-righteousness and a petty need for security to cause us to neglect Jesus commandment to LOVE others as we love ourselves! That is what this story reminds me of.
  

  • 12:16 pm
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