SPARE SACKS
Written by Deborah
3.15.04
My husband, Eddie, has worked in the railroad transportation industry for over 30 years. He's worked the rails from dozens of perspectives and he's carried a sack lunch to work for the past 15 years. A literal "sack" lunch is what he carries. Not in a lunch bucket or a brown lunch bag or lunch box or satchel, but in a plastic disposable bag--like a shopping bag from a local store. He always double or triple bags his lunch sack from home, thus carrying a number of spare sacks with him. Periodically those spare sacks are precisely what is needed to minister to someone in need.
Occasionally when Eddie has had a "bad beard day" (the man has no "bad hair days", he can grow hair like a well watered lawn), he may go to work with his many 'layered spare sack lunch sack' and face a reality check.
Hobos still ride the rails in record numbers, regardless of stricter laws or regulations. Hobos go along with trains like icing goes with cake. Countless numbers of hobos have approached Eddie (the engineer--he runs the train and blows the whistle) and asked him to hitch a ride. Since it's against regulations to carry passengers on freight trains, he typically looks the other way as they climb aboard an empty freight car. It can be dangerous business as there are criminal hobos that regularly ride the rails from one side of this great country to the other.
More often than not, those spare sacks come in "handy", that's the perfect southern word for them. Eddie will slip an outside bag off and drop some of his homemade lunch inside and leave it in an obvious spot for those in need. Most recently, he found a 25-ish young man sleeping in the rear engine who hadn't eaten for a day. One of those spare sacks came off and Eddie freely shared some of his homemade/sent sandwiches, fruit and dessert with this lost and wandering soul. At times like those, one gains great clarity about what matters in life, as well as receives a wake-up call for a thankful attitude. Eddie's contact with these men are but for a moment and then it's time to move on down the tracks of life. But the love of God that is freely manifested can last a lifetime.
I am reminded of how important our influence is upon the lives of birthmothers that reach out to us within Christian Adoption. They often are confused and scared, ashamed and baffled by the circumstances surrounding them with an unplanned pregnancy. When I speak with sobbing or apprehensive or timid or screaming birthmoms, I'm aware that I may only have a few moments to effect their lives. When we're out and about in life, we too, have but moments to influence the people around us with the love of God. Waiting in line, passing others in doorways, heading through a parking lot, checking out with a clerk, strolling across a hallway, walking a pet--all moments, golden moments really, to reach out with the love of God. I continue to remind myself about Eddie's spare sacks and the need to pull one off and fill it with homemade goodness to share with someone else. I hope you'll now be reminded to do the same--spare sacks are to be shared.
For more information please read Yellow and Universe. We encourage you to prayerfully consider registering with our service, and/or writing to us.
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