The "Neighbor" in "Love Thy Neighbor" is Everyone

We are entering that time of year where it's so easy to get caught up in THINGS. Things you are buying other people, things on your own Christmas list. Things. Nice things, who bought the best things, is my house decorated with the prettiest things.

We're all guilty of it. I like to get gifts too. Which is why I am so glad my holiday season unofficially kicked off this weekend with an awesome food drive!

I am on the board of this little organization called The Divine Intervention. Our mission is to provide spiritual guidance and comfort to those suffering from illness or addition, going through a tough time, or just in need of a listening ear. We provide these services free of charge. We also help other local organizations that exist to benefit the needy. And it is that last thing we were working on this weekend.

There is an organization in our county called Eastern Cabell County Humanities Organization (ECCHO). They serve the poorest of the poor in the eastern part of the county in which I live. They serve about 420 families a month. FOUR HUNDRED AND TWENTY in one small part of one county. They provide food, clothing, and other basic essentials at no cost. And they are staffed solely by volunteers. Needless to say, they are always in desperate need of food. So my Divine Intervention friends and I coordinated a food drive. Not only are we a small organization, but we are a new-ish one, so when we began planning this food drive we were afraid we might not get too many donations.

Boy were we wrong.

So, so wrong.

We stood outside from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, accepting donations. Our goal was to "Fill Father Jim's Truck!" Well, Father Jim's truck was too small.

Much, much too small.

We filled FIVE trucks. Five truckloads of food were donated this weekend. Donated by a bunch of regular people who did what they could -- sacrificially gave so that others wouldn't go hungry.

It was an amazing sight to see. I was bowled over by everyone's generosity. It was the PERFECT kickoff to my holiday season. An event that helped show a selfish person like myself the true meaning of how to love others as you love yourself. I read on Amy's blog once that she decided to host an orphan for Christmas when she realized that she didn't want herself sitting alone in an orphanage on Christmas ... and THAT is what the Golden Rule really means.

The shelves at ECCHO were practically bare, and this donation barely made a dent in the need that is out there. There is so, so, so much need. But a few more people will not go hungry tonight. And you can't put a price tag on that.