Shantytown

Back in October I had the opportunity to go with work and help clean up a section of the Jordan River that had been taken over by homeless encampments.  These encampments had been well established and been there for a very long time.  The police had already given notice that this would happen so there were no homeless people on site when we were there.

However, the conditions of it left me very emotional.  Perhaps somber and contemplative would be better words.  Definitely reflective.

I am so incredibly grateful for the blessings in my life that have allowed me so much luxury.  A home.  Food.  Clothing.  Shelter, security, warmth, love, and hope. 

It was an experience that I will never forget.

The Time I Tried To Help A Pan Handler.

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Generally speaking, when it comes to pan handlers I tell my kids to not feel like they have to hand out money.

Because we do our part.  We donate clothes to the shelter and donate food on every food drive, and being active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormon) we pay our fast offering every month which specifically goes to humanity efforts.

So every single month we're giving money along with the donations of clothes and food through out the year.

We support programs that are there to give food, shelter, warmth, and hope to people who have found themselves down and out (or perhaps a lifestyle as they know nothing different... there's many reasons).  Because we have been blessed with so much abundance in life and I know this.  And I know that were much is given, much is expected and so I really try to give and donate often out of gratitude for my own life.

So for the pan handler standing on the corner, or on the freeway exit if you will, I tell my kids that there's just no way of knowing who they are and why they're there.  People scam.  People trick and lie. And even if they're sincere I don't know that supporting pan handlers on the road is really helping anyone, not even them.

But yesterday while on an errand with a co-worker we saw a man standing on our freeway exit with a sign.  And I found myself reading it, "This is degrading.  I lost my job.  I have a baby and he's almost out of diapers (size 1) and formula.  I promise to pay it forward."

And it hit me with a force.

I looked at my co-worker and said, "I need to get diapers and formula for that man."

And my co-worker, whom I admire and respect, and I talked back and forth about this situation.  He's an investigator and he picks up on things and mulls them over and he said to me, "the thing that gets me is that he put the diaper size on there.  Like, he's not really just asking for money, but hoping for size one diapers."  And with that it was decided that after our errand we would stop at a store and go back to that freeway exit.

At the store I grabbed two packs of diapers, two containers of formula, and then on a whim grabbed some cans of soup and some instant potatoes and checked out.

And then I wrote The Man's number on the back of the receipt with a note saying he may be hiring.

And we hit the freeway, and came off the exit, even pulling along side the shoulder until we could hit a yellow light at the bottom of the ramp and be stopped near where he was standing.

And when we got to the bottom of the ramp... he was gone.

It had only been 40 minutes.

And I'm kind of confused by the incident because I never do something like this for someone standing on the side of the road, and it struck me so strongly that I just wanted to help him.

And then I couldn't.

If only he'd waited just 45 minutes more.

Now all I can do is hope that he finds a way to get by.

I could be judgy and wonder why he isn't looking for a job instead of standing on a street corner, but frankly I don't know the dynamics of his situation so it isn't my place to be judgy.

It is only my place to be the best person that I can be.  And in this situation I felt I could help with diapers and formula.

Plus, I had a cop with me if anything went awry which made me feel a little more brave.

For reasons I can't explain, my heart goes out to the that man asking only for size 1 diapers.

I hope he finds his help. Because really, there are so many places to find it.  WIC for example.  I think the first thing I would do if I lost my job and had no income would be to hit up State assistance, because there's no shame in that if you need that boost until you find another job.  Maybe he has, I don't know.

As for me, I guess all I can do now is take these diapers and containers of formula, and the sack of food to the shelter.

And hope that I still get "credit" for trying.

However that works.

This Season

Here's a taste of what the Christmas season has been around our house.

With the dinning room being under construction, and the fireplace being in the dinning room, stockings have been hung up the railing with care.

And scotch tape.

And the star is too heavy for the top of our tree...

I helped a co-worker drop clothes off at the Homeless Shelter.

This weekend the kids and I will be cleaning out their closets and their toys.  We'll clean out our blanket closet and go buy a bunch of new socks.

And then, with the kids, we'll take their used clothes and toys (all cleaned up) down to the Homeless shelter.

In a hopes to instill in my children how rich of a life they live, and thus have a responsibility to help others.

I got to eat lunch at the Capitol yesterday with my co-workers for our AG Christmas lunch.

I love that building.

I love downtown.

Jayme made this beautiful rag tree that I've kept under the big tree.

And probably will for every year.

"Wrap yourself in the holiday spirit."

I got my Christmas craft on for our neighborhood Christmas breakfast at the church.

With a huge, huge thanks to my girls.  Those lollipops are a two man job.

You have to put the cellophane on the floor, put the balloon on the cellophane, and then hold the tube (sometimes tubes, sometimes rolled up posterboard) on the balloon.  They would hold it while I gathered and hot glued the cellophane around to the tube so we could secure the balloon in without popping it with the hot glue.  I couldn't have done it with out the extra sets of hands.

And Cali got to see Santa again.

Our friends introduced us to the most awesome, magical Christmas house.

There are so many blow up decorations, covering every inch of their yard, up in their trees, hanging on wires in the air, sitting on their roof...

You just can't see it all with one visit.

I've been three times this week and I still find a new blow up that I hadn't noticed before.

Like the mooning Santa:

And the bear with his tongue stuck to a pole:

And Santa in the outhouse, which sadly, I don't have a picture of.

This weekend will be focused on donating to the Homeless Shelter.  I'm hoping that will set the mood for giving with our Circus.  For giving for the simple fact that it creates joy for someone else, and that alone creates the greatest feeling in ourselves.

We have so very much in this life.

We must reach out to those who need a helping hand.

Because when we give what we have, we always seem to have what we need.