Here's Your Sign

Wow it's been a long time since I have updated this!! SOOO much has happened since October...In November, we started thinking about what we could do for Christmas. I wanted to make sure that all of the children that came were able to get a gift. At first, I was going to give them a stocking with goodies in it but that just didn't seem like that was enough. After some discussion, we decided to let families sign up and put how many children they had and their ages and we would buy them one thing. We ended up having around 30 children sign up!! Now what was I going to do?? Our money would never stretch that far and we still had to feed them. Then it hit me one morning...what about the girls at work "adopting" the children and that way we wouldn't have to deplete our funds!! Boy did they ever step up!!! They bought and bought and bought for those kids! Each child had one gift under the Christmas tree that Santa personally handed to them and then they had a bag full of gifts for the family to take home and do what they wanted to with. We also read the Christmas story to them to make sure they knew the real reason for the season. The party was awesome and I could not have asked for a better turnout!! We had it on a Saturday so that the parents and grandparents could come. The only thing different for next Christmas is we are going to have to run the families thru and make sure they have not signed up for Christmas with any other organization. We would have done that this time but I never thought we would have the turnout we did!!!

We have continued to serve every Monday. Attendance dropped for a few weeks after the first of the year. This was very discouraging for me but we contributed it to the cold weather we were having. Attendance is back up now to 25-30 people eating in and sometimes just as many take-outs. We also applied for special project funds thru the Etowah Baptist Association and were awarded $250 each quarter!!

The last couple of weeks, I have to admit I have been asking God and wondering if I am still supposed to be doing this ministry. I don't know why. Frustration, tired, wondering if we are really making a difference or wasting our time, has our time come that we have served our purpose with this ministry....It really had me down and thinking a lot about it. My prayer was
for God to show me a sign to let me know that I am still doing what I am supposed to be doing. This past Sunday, a church member gave me a book titled, "Same Kind of Different As Me" which is about a lady that has a passion for helping homeless people and making a difference in people's lives. She and another lady told me when they read the book, they thought about me. Then last night, a lady from the EBA called me. She said there is a local church that wanted a couple of people to come and speak about going on mission trips and how it had changed their lives. She said they thought it would be great if I could come and speak about 12 Baskets...I've never been asked to come speak....but of course I am going...

"Here's your sign." - God

WOW!!!

Today at 12 Baskets, we had a local church sponsor the meal. This was our first Saturday meal and WOW was it a success!!!! We fed 50 people today!! The church cooked hot dogs on the grill, soup, and cornbread. The ladies of their church are also learning to crochet so they brought hats and berets for any women that might want them. They also had a lot of milk to hand out and Bibles. As if that wasn't enough, they raised a substantial amount of money for the soup kitchen and gave it to us today. I just stood back in amazement as I watched them scurry around to get things ready. It was kind of weird for me to not do anything because I am so used to working while I am there. Everything went smooth and we had a lot of new people and kids come in.

As I watched them today, I thought about how far this dream has come already. It is so overwhelming to see your dream come true.....If it wasn't for God, none of this would be possible. I am truly overwhelmed by it all.

Oh yeah....they also brought coats for us to hand out.... WOW!!!!!!

"Thank you for the food"

I can't believe it has been over 2 months since I have posted anything...I will try to do better.

Twelve Baskets is continuing to go well. We have been averaging around 30 each Monday. That includes the take outs to the ones that don't have a way or can't come.

Yesterday, I had an interesting message left on my phone from someone who had asked us to bring some food to her because she did not have a way. She does live a little bit out of the way from where we are but I decided we could take her some this time. On one particular call, she left a message and after it she called me and the workers a couple of colorful adjectives and then said, "They won't hear that." and hung up. I let my good friends in the rubber room at work listen to it and they were shocked!!! (As was I...) I wasn't mad about it really...just didn't quite know how to respond to it. My friends gave me some advice about how they would handle the situation if it was them. About 20 minutes later, she called again. I told her that I wanted her to know that I did hear what she said on my voicemail and that we were there to help her. I told her I realize it can get frustrating when I can't answer the phone every time she calls. I was very professional with her and not ugly in any way. She said she understood and hung up. I felt better about it and that I handled it well. Later, you guessed it, she called back two more times. The last time she just wanted to tell me "thank you for the food."

I know when you are involved in a ministry like this, there will be people that try to take advantage of what you are doing. This is my first expierence with this type of situation happening with this ministry. I know it will probably not be the last either. Even though that may happen, the number of people that truly appreciate what we are doing is a blessing!! We may not feed hundreds of people every Monday and that is ok. God knows what we can handle and who needs to be there on what day. We will continue to do what we know God has called us to do and stay faithful!!

A sign on a local church caught my attention the other day and on that particular day, I really needed to see it....God provides all our needs one day at a time. Love it!!!!

I almost forgot to mention.....this Saturday Green Valley Baptist's youth will be coming to serve a special Saturday meal at Twelve Baskets. I am so excited to see another church willing to come out & be part of this ministry.The Alabama Baptist also interviewed me a couple of weeks ago and the story will be in this week's issue!!!

Till next time.....

Still being blessed...

I have got to get back in the swing of updating this thing!!! We went to Disney World last week and took our daughter for her first trip. I must say we all thoroughly enjoyed it!!

The soup kitchen served spaghetti and fed 22 people. The mayor of Attalla sent the Fire Chief to the building to see what all was going on. He said everything looked good to him and to keep on feeding. WHEW!!!!

Yesterday we served chili dogs. We had 25 come to the building and fixed about 15 to go plates so we served around 40. The numbers continue to increase week by week.

Some of you may already know but we are looking at serving on Saturdays as well as Mondays. No other organization feeds on Saturdays. We talked about possibly starting that after September. Tonight, I received a call from someone that works with a local youth group that has done a homeless project. She said they slept in cardboard boxes Saturday night and then got up and went to church on Sunday. I think that idea is awesome and love the reality of it!! Anyway, she told me they wanted to sponsor and work at a meal (on Saturday, of course) and had $350 to donate!!! She said there was another Sunday School class at her church that she thinks has around $200 they wanted to donate! God is SOOOO good!!!!!!! You would think by now I would not be amazed when people call me with this kind of information. Never will I not be amazed by the power and works of our God. He continues to surprise me and show me that He is in control. It helps me know that we are doing the right thing and that He is all up in our business =).

Meal Two

Meal two was a success!! We had double the amount of people as last week. 17 total!! We also took BBQ around the neighborhood. The Gadsden Times also came by and interviewed me. Can't say that I have ever been interviewed before...(except by the State at work and that doesn't count). We asked for suggestions on days to serve next month. The consensus was Saturdays. That is the only day that none else serves a meal. I have been thinking about doing Saturdays from the beginning. That way, anybody that would like to help but can't because they work would be able to. We'll see!!

I also want to say a big thank you to my good friend Lois and SSS. They donated a lot of baby food for the kitchen. Three little babies would like to say thank you to them for their meal yesterday!! :o)

Also thank you to my friend Gracie for my first blog award!!!!!!

Next week's meal.....spaghetti.

Meal one

We did it!! We served our first meal on Monday and loved it!!! We had a family of 5 adults and two small children come to eat. They were very thankful and said they would be back next week and tell everybody they knew about it. We had about 15 church members (not including their children) come to help. We sent 3 groups of 2 out to the neighborhood next door, the projects, and around town to pass out hot dogs and more fliers. What a great response we had!! One group had to come back for more hot dogs!! I also had the opportunity to give food to a homeless man by the interstate. This type of ministry is so close to my heart....I can't believe God has given me the chance to do this.

We had some people tell us they would love to come but they don't have any way to get there. Please be in prayer for a door somewhere to open up that would allow us to pick people up and take them back home. We already have one idea but just be in prayer for that.

While we were giving out food, the Attalla Housing Authority called me and said they had received a flier and they would put our information in their newsletter and pass out more fliers. I also had a woman call me Monday night and tell me that she had missed today's meal but would she still be eligible to come next week. I told her everyone was welcome and to come on!!!

God continues to open doors...a lady called me on Tuesday that is the director of the jail ministries here in town and also works at a local clothes closet. She told me if I would bring some fliers to her, she would be glad to pass them out to the people that came to her place. We also had some more money donated today but I do no know how much yet.

Continue to be in prayer for us. Next week's menu consist of smoked butts, homemade BBQ sauce, slaw, beans, and a dessert. YUM!!!

I can't believe it

Well...the time has arrived. In less than 12 hours, we will be cooking hot dogs, making beans, making tea, and filling up cups with ice. I can not believe it!! Even as I sit here typing, it seems so surreal to me. My dream that I have had for as long as I can remember is coming true. How many people can actually say that? I know that it may not last and may fizzle out but even if it does, I can say I tried!!

We went to the building tonight and did a few last minute things. The place looks great and I can't wait to get there in the morning. Even if no one shows up to eat, we are going to take the hot dogs and hand them out in the neighborhoods.

Please be in prayer for us tomorrow. I will update you as soon as I can.

Twelve Baskets Full is in business!!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!!!!

I can't believe it.....