There's a lot to be thankful for on Thanksgiving Day. I got an extra helping of thankfulness this year by spending a few hours at The Waterfront Rescue Mission in Mobile, AL. It's been over thirty years since I spent any amount of time at the Mission. I used to go there with our church youth group and sing hymns for the folks in attendance who, for some reason or another, found themselves at a tough place in their lives and, with no home of their own, turned to the mission for shelter and some comfort through the Gospel.

Today was no different. I saw well over 130 or so faces who knew they could depend on the Waterfront ministry to provide words of hope & comfort and a hot turkey dinner, too. But I also saw the faces of the volunteers. These amazing people were joyfully giving their time to serve others, and isn't that how it should be? Haven't we all been down & out at some point in our lives and felt the reassuring support of people around us? My job was simple...I passed out plates to everyone who went through the line. Some would just look down at the floor as they took a plate. You could almost see the weight of their problems pushing down on their shoulders. But, one of the mission chaplains was always close at hand to say, "Happy Thanksgiving. God bless you!" Others in line would look into my eyes as I handed them a plate and say, "Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving." Hope was still there for them. As I glanced down the serving line, I watched the other volunteers place food on the plates, smiling and sharing the day with their new family members.

As I often do wherever I go, I made some new friends. A couple of the volunteers who really stood out were two young girls, Rebecca (14) and Rachel (11). I was prepared to take them both back home with me until their mother informed me that I would have to pay for their college tuition. In addition to helping out those who are less fortunate than themselves, both of the girls enjoy singing. I couldn't get a song out of them this time, but I fully expect to be treated to a full concert the next time I see them.

All-in-all, this was a good day. While this is certainly a busy season for the mission, it shouldn't be forgotten that they provide food and shelter to the homeless 365 days a year. Last year alone, they provided over 53,000 meals and all without government subsidies and ludicrous bail-outs. Look around your own town and see where the needs are and do yourself a really big favor: Volunteer. You'll walk away with bigger blessings, along with your own Rebeccas and Rachels that will put a smile on your face every time.