The Towel

A worn towel changed my outlook forever.
One day it was my turn to deliver donations to Unity House, an apartment complex for women who had come through drug detox. Most were setting up homes from scratch and lacked basic supplies.

"Mary", one of the women called, "here's a towel for you."
A new resident of Unity House, Mary dashed forward and took the frayed towel with eager hands.
"Thank You!" she said joyfully. "This morning I wanted to take a shower, but I didn't have a towel." She caressed the terry cloth as though it was made of gold.

I thought with shame of my linen closet - so full that towels fell out on my head. Every closet in my house was the same. Why should I stash things away when these women needed them?

I went home and cleaned out the linen closet. Then my clothes closet and kitchen cabinets. Perfectly good items I hadn't used in years came to light. It took three trips to get everything to Unity House.

God has blessed me abundantly. Now I know why: so I can share. Good stewardship doesn't lie in stashing and saving, but in giving. A priceless lesson from an old towel.

Taken from Focus On The Family Bulletin - November 2008

I have kept this on my refrigerator since I clipped it a year ago and do my best to live by it. Clothes, toys, books. We only need so much, others have so little. We truly are abundantly blessed. And I am thankful.

And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshipped God, saying: Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to OUR GOD forever and ever. Amen
Revelation 7:11-12

May you all have a very happy, blessed Thanksgiving!