Crumb Snatchers

"Be grateful. While you are complaining about your one and only loaf of bread there's someone out there wishing they had but the crumbs from your lonely loaf."-  Pastor Remus Wright  Those words this morning shook me to my core, challenged and convicted me beyond reason. When I consider the things in my life that have concerned and caused me unnecessary grief, I am humbled. Be grateful. How often have I lacked the notion of showing adequate appreciation for every situation I find myself in. In all things I must decide to be thankful. So simplistic. So sincere.  As I sat in church this morning my complaints were quieted.  The confusion and questions within about any challenges I may be encountering can all be settled with that one divine directive, be grateful. Everyone please don't leave me out here hanging all alone.  Tell me there are a few others out there who have thankfulness issues. The good life can be summed up in discovering ways to truly find contentment in all things daily, the tiny things and huge things, in everything be thankful. Accept the life we have, love it, live it and leverage the limitations within it for the good.  Work with what you've got. I've heard this before as I am sure so many others have also, but somehow I tend to get off track.  Its all about perspective actually. Normally I try not to focus on the lives of others. I make every attempt to remain in my own lane.  However, Pastor Wright's words this Sunday morning stirred up something within me.  That "something" has caused me to look within and to look around me.  I look within and I see where I've dropped the ball. I see where I have failed to truly walk in appreciation for my place in my personal journey in life at this time.  I can clearly see where I have failed to make the most of the opportunities, connections, relationships, talents or time allotted to me. I've squandered some of my portion. I've cast my pearls before swine far too often. I've let some things go that I should've kept a close eye on.  I look around me and I see where, oh my goodness, things could be so much worse for me.  I look to my left and I am humbled.  I look to my right and my mouth is shut, my head is hangs low in utter shame.  Yes things could be far worse. I think of my wonderful son who is turning twenty-one in a matter of days. I think of the things that concern me most about him, things that I've cried over many nights. I recall the anxiety that I've held within wondering would he be okay? Will he thrive in this world? Did I fail him? After those crucial words spoken this morning, "be grateful" I could just slap myself to snap out of that mode.  I hold my son's face in my mind right now and I can see his smile, which makes me smile. I think beyond any doubt whatsoever, that there is indeed some mother somewhere who would gladly trade places with me. My concerns for my child, although they are very real and very valid are of no consequence to the mother who has absolutely no idea where her son is right now. There is a mom someplace who would trade places with me in a minute for my set of circumstances. She's more than likely on her knees trying to figure out how to raise the money to bail her son out of jail. Be thankful Terrea. Someone would give anything to have your portion. With this in mind, I'm making it my personal mission to make the most of everything that I have, to love it, live within it and to leverage whatever it is beyond the limitations.  Somehow along the way I've lost my hunger, my eagerness and thirst.  When you have that one loaf of bread you seem to lose an appreciation for it.  You lose your creative vision for that loaf of bread.  You forget all that what you can do with that loaf of bread.  You forget that you can make french toast, toast and jelly, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese sandwiches, or in the case of my dad, bread pudding.  He always has a habit of making bread pudding of the leftover bread, etc. Take what you've got, put what you can with it and create something yummy with it.  So what if all you have left are crumbs. There's something to be said of what one can do with crumbs. Crumbs are an indication that there is something left that you can work with. If you don't, trust me, someone else will. Yes someone else will, the crumb snatchers.  We all should adopt the mentality and enthusiasm of the crumb snatchers. That's my goal, to establish and maintain a crumb snatcher mentality.  As I sat in church that thought resonated within  me and I flipped in my Bible, yes my Bible, a book I'm a bit familiar with. I found the passage in Matthew chapter fifteen where it talked about this woman from Canaan who needed something desperately from Jesus.  This woman approaches Him and asks for help but she isn't from Jewish descent, the house of Israel, the group of people that this Messiah sent to. Jesus' response to her was something of the nature that "I'm unable to break you off any of the children's bread and cast it to the dogs." I loved this woman.  She answered Jesus in such a humble yet matter of fact tone by saying something sort of like, "Lord even the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the master's table." I love this!!!  My goodness she so got what she was after after that response.  When I read that I took it in wholeheartedly and said to myself, now that's the attitude I need to have going forth. The crumb snatcher's mentality says that "I will take whatever's left and work with it." Whatever's left of my pain I will transform into a platform to push me to where I want to go. I will learn to love every aspect of the leftovers. I will learn to take the leftovers of everything in my life, warm it and serve it in my finest china, enjoying every morsel.  A crumb snatcher is not to be played with. They are eager to seize the remnants of what other's have cast aside or ignored.  I guess its just the dog in them, but I'm choosing to connect with my inner canine and do the exact same thing.  Have you ever mistakenly dropped a piece of food near a dog? That dog more than likely did not sit there beside you and devour your piece of chicken.  More often than not, you're going to miss him if you don't watch closely. Before the piece of whatever food hits the floor you may catch a glimpse of the dog's tail as he jets out the door or under a table to enjoy his treat. Basically, this dog knew that you obviously weren't paying as close attention to the treat as you could have or should have been. A crumb snatcher will catch you slipping and will make the most of the luxuries you waste.  Yes, the luxuries are the things we possess that not everyone else does and we take for granted.  I want to be a crumb snatcher, always on the lookout for opportunities to take what others have discarded or disrespected and as Ray would say "make it do what it do." I come from a long line of crumb snatchers, I suppose I must reconnect with the dog in me. Its all a matter of gratitude. Gratitude savors and transforms the small things.  Even if you're seated at the table, please do not think of yourselves too highly. Be grateful. Always remember that the house you neglect and fret over, there's a crumb snatcher just waiting for a chance to get in there wash some windows and make a home out of what you hate to return to. Be grateful. The husband that you complain about, neglect and discount, there is a crumb snatcher wishing for just the remains of a man that you set aside. Don't get caught slipping, ever.  The woman that you overlook, disrespect and discourage will be swept away before the ink dries on the divorce papers by a crumb snatcher who's ready to appreciate every aspect of her. Be thankful. As for me, no more complaining and griping about the job, I'm thankful! In fact, on my way into the classroom on Tuesday I plan to excite myself beyond recognition by conjuring up all kinds of creative ways to transform what would otherwise drive me near insanity with those four year olds. Yes! I think I will figure out ways to capture the chaos and change it into something entirely different altogether. I will not take this opportunity and every one I encounter for granted but will make it work for me. I will be grateful.