Just an Old Fashion Love Song, coming down in 3 part Harmony.........

I was reading an article from the Mountain Times this week and I really really had my heart burdened. My heart was burdened to the point I almost came to tears........in the office! In fact there were a few articles in that paper about the tough times we've all been having. One was about a Food Pantry in the High Country of NC that has run OUT of food. Another, the one that pulled so hard, was about a Homeless Shelter in Boone. They interviewed this guy who is/was a heating and air worker that is now homeless. They talked about how they have 20 beds and a fire code of 17. Many nights this shelter has to break the law to help people live. The shelter will allow those that have absolutely no place to go stay first, then those who live in cars, and then those that can find a place with someone. Every night the shelter has to turn people away. Have you ever experienced the weather in Boone during the winter??? As I read the articles I noticed the weather advertisement on the page...... At lunchtime that day when it was nice and toasty in the 50's in Charlotte, Boone was topping out at 28! Anyone that has been to Boone in the winter also knows about the unforgiving winds they have. The cold wind hunts you down and haunts you....there is no escape. Boone has already had several snows this year and severely cold temperatures. I guess it just sunk in, that in Boone the homeless don't have the programs folks in the Piedmont have and I know the struggles they have. Those in the same situation in Boone are basically out there to Die! How difficult would it be to turn people away on a night the reached single digit temperatures? In fact every time folks are picked to fill the shelter, others are inadvertently picked to face death. Jesus Commanded us to "Love our neighbors as we love ourselves"....... where is this love? Jesus said, in Matthew 25:34-40 (NKJV), 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
I just know I'm not doing enough. I know God has burdened my heart for a reason. That reason may be to call everyone that reads this to action. Maybe God has burdened your heart with this as well and has given you an idea to help (let me know what you have..). Maybe this is to bring you and me together to work as a team!? Please contact me with anything that God puts on your heart! I'm just at a loss right now! Please join with me in prayer as well so that God will put on our hearts the solution He wants us to work on. I hope you're reading this and you're drinking a hot cup of coffee, eating breakfast, and listening to the heat come on inside your house....... Just so you can remember those that don't have any of that.
Thank you for reading and God Bless you,
Lee


As I write this, it is 31 degrees in Cornelius NC. It's currently 23 in Boone with a High Wind Warning and a Winter Weather Advisory.
http://www.mountaintimes.com/ ( the paper I referenced in this blog)