Making a Difference on Day 117

It has been a lovely day!

Church was really awesome.  We are always focused on serving and helping people, but this weekend was even more so than usual.  We collected money on Saturday and Sunday to provide Thanksgiving meals to those in our congregation and local community who are struggling right now.  We also held a vitamin drive for our 2011 mission trips to mexico and brazil. And then there's the shoes.

We're working with a ministry dedicated to getting gently-used shoes onto the feet of adults and children around the world who don't have even one decent pair. Our folks were challenged to leave their shoes behind today. Many people were prepared and brought a pair of shoes to donate. And then there were those of us who brought a pair and also left the shoes we were wearing.  And then there were those who had no intention of leaving their shoes, but ended up so overcome with the desire to help that they left them anyway. Thousands of people left church today barefoot in Chicagoland in November. Amazing!

At the end of the day, more that 6,000 pairs of shoes were left and will be finding their way to people who desperately need them. How wonderful to be able to make even this small difference in the lives of people. ;-)

Some of our pastors had some fun with the whole serving theme and did a remake of Justin Timerlake's "Bringin' Sexy Back."  Only they did "Bringing Serving Back," and it's totally hysterical! Take a minute to check it out...I think you'll enjoy it!



It's also been a great day food-wise.  We went to Outback for lunch...they have some really good choices for this new life I'm living.  I had a fantastic 6 oz. sirloin, the most amazing steamed veggies I've ever had, and a serving of awesome green beans in place of potatoes. Their menu suggested that you could request that nothing be prepared with butter, which I did.  The calorie count for lunch was a paltry 319 calories, but was filling and so, so delicious!

I'm finishing the day at 1,020 calories, and 80 oz. of water.  We walked alot yesterday and today, which has become my very favorite form of exercise.

I'm hoping for a good night's sleep so I can be rested and ready to hit it tomorrow. It looks to be a busy week!  Wishing you a boatload of love, joy, and much success this coming week.

Good night and God bless...