For a few years my husband I were nearly nomads. If you define, “moving,” as packing up your worldly possessions and shifting them from one domicile to another then we moved nine times in a five year span. We shifted cities and we shifted continents. I learned a lot from those moves.
I learned my husband has the patience of a saint. I learned you ALWAYS pack and move your jewelry and personal electronics yourself. I learned to set up your bedroom first. And I learned to have some food on hand for breakfast that first morning in your new home.
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Did you know “They” have only been saying that since the 1920’s or so? It is believed that all social classes began eating breakfast by the 1700’s but it wasn’t a widespread practice until the Industrial Revolution (mid 1800’s). Factory workers began to eat an early meal to help sustain them through their workday. Who knew?
Last week Habitat Cabarrus had a pretty special breakfast, our 2015 Annual Breakfast, to share how much we’ve accomplished during the year. If you attended – Thank you. If you forgot, or had a scheduling conflict… wow you missed a great time! We had blocks, raffles, history, coffee, stories, and community all wrapped around the theme of Dedication. Whew!
It takes a lot of people to build a house. And a Habitat home, because we rely on volunteers, probably requires more people than “normal”. We rely on community and dedication to build each home. And frankly it shouldn’t work.
Have you ever been on a Habitat for Humanity work site? People from very diverse backgrounds (banking, racing, energy, retail, food service, military, male, female, young, old) come together to work for a day. On a stranger’s house. With little or even no construction experience. It sounds like a recipe for disaster.
And yet.
And yet.
If you have ever been inside a completed Habitat Cabarrus home you know they are solid. Habitat homes are clean, pretty and sound. Call it a miracle if you like (I do). But time and again the result is greater than the parts.
In October Heather Collier’s home will be completed. Heather will pack, shift, and unpack her family’s belongings. Then one sweet morning the Collier’s will wake up in a space that amateurs, strangers, volunteers, built with love and dedication and they will eat their first breakfast in their kitchen in their home.
Habitat Cabarrus’ September breakfast helps make the Collier’s October breakfast possible. YOU help make it possible too. Your purchases from ReStore, your time on construction sites, and your generous financial support will help us to serve 42 families this year through new builds, transitional housing, and repairs.
Jesus took a boy’s simple lunch and fed thousands. He took what was freely given and transformed it into something bigger than disciples’ dreams. We trust He will bless both your offerings and our simple breakfast and transform them into something greater than our dreams too.
