A Tug of the Heart

Over the last couple of months, I have thought about what I would write of our time in Laurel. Now, as I put pen to paper, I am struggling to find the words I thought I would write.

We arrived in Laurel in mid-October. When we had left our southern friends in April of Season 3, we planned to return in the fall to help the Glory House during one of their busy seasons. We also made plans to help our friends Michael and Cornise with their new church. To say we were excited to return was an understatement. Yet, our hearts were heavy as we drove into town on that October day. We arrived trusting that we were following God’s plan regardless of the sacrifice. It is fair to say returning here was what kept us going in between those spring and fall days. Serving has become a huge source of joy when life isn’t joyous. We were ready to get started.

The first task on hand was the Glory House Fall Festival – an annual event held at the local mall. Children from the community come dressed in their costumes, ready to play games and get lots of candy. The mall was full of decorations, games and face painting. The movie, It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, was continually playing. Busy little ones stopped for a moment to watch and eat some popcorn before rushing away to play more games. Jim and I walked back and forth in that mall for what seemed like miles. We pulled a wagon with water and candy to fill empty buckets and make sure everyone was kept hydrated. We had a blast watching the excited little ones. Some may not have had more than a Walmart bag for trick or treating. Others would not have received a warm welcome to trick-or-treat in certain neighborhoods. But that night, everyone saw what love looks like. It was a joyous evening!

That night also turned into the moment we started to see what a community in need truly looked like.

As we progressed through the Thanksgiving season, we continued to help the Glory House, growing our friendship with Hope and Grant. Jim would spend his Saturdays helping Michael with tasks at his church, and even more time becoming good friends. Cornise and I spent our time doing fun girl stuff, including attending a fantastic play, White Christmas, complete with falling snow! We were welcomed into the lives of others with open arms. Something we didn’t realize we needed at the time but now know how much our hearts needed them.

As Christmas quickly approached, things were getting very busy at the Glory House. Once again, they were hosting their annual Christmas store. For a week, parents in need could shop for gifts for their children free of charge. Donations helped provide six gifts for each child. The gifts included pajamas, undergarments, socks and three fun gifts. What set this “store” apart was that the parents could actually shop for their children. They were able to choose from what seemed like thousands of items. They would then bring those gifts to the wrapping station. While “Santa’s Elves” wrapped each gift, the parents were led to a hospitality area where, they could enjoy cookies and beverages while visiting with volunteers. Once the presents were wrapped, the family chose a large blanket before they led a volunteer to their car to pack everything snugly in the vehicle. 

I chose to serve in the gift staging area. My task was to “shop” for little items and combine them into a larger gift package. I loved searching for like items like Frozen or Mickey Mouse. Or, for older girls and boys, make-up or cologne. I was in my glory and now have a very good understanding of who PJ Masks, Stitch, Peppa Pig, LOL and Squishmallows are. I also have a clear understanding (I think) of the difference between DC and Marvel. I am sad to report Barbie and Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head are no longer cool.

Jim had the pleasure of visiting with the parents and helping bring gifts to their car. I later learned in his downtime he was entertaining the gift wrappers and eating one too many cookies! He did, though, have more touching stories than cookies. The hugs from the parents (or grandparents) were overwhelming. They felt grateful to have gifts to give their children. Until that day, many did not know if they would have gifts for Christmas. The Christmas store made it possible for them. 

Toward the end of the week Hope asked me to shop with a family that was very special to her. I was very excited for my new assignment. As part of the shopping experience, parents are greeted by a pastoral volunteer who prays with them. It just so turned out that the parents I would shop with had just accepted Jesus! That day I made lifelong friends. From the minute I met them, it felt like I had known them my whole life. It didn’t take long to learn they were NFL fans and happened to like arch rivals to our beloved Steelers. Jim and I had a blast talking football with them, and despite their preference in an NFL team, still love them dearly! The week of the Christmas store was tiring but one we will never forget and one we hope we can serve at again!

It wasn’t all work and no play during our stay in Laurel. We had many a dinner with friends (including Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve) and despite my insistence that Jim and I were going to get fit in Season 4, we were informed, you don’t come to the south to get fit, you come to get fat! We reluctantly (or willingly) obliged. As I write this, I am still having sugar withdrawals! 

We took some time to visit Hattiesburg and some very cool spots in Laurel’s neighboring city. We were referred to some highlights of the city and weren’t disappointed. We enjoyed walking around the city, observing the historical buildings and train depot, but I have to say the coolest sights were at the Lucky Rabbit and the Pocket Museum. The Lucky Rabbit is located in two old building and is filled with unique and nostalgic memorabilia and recreations of scenes from famous movies. The Pocket Museum was simply, an alley. Artists from all over the country took a normal, unseen alley and turned it into art. It was a challenge to make sure we saw everything. One particular art piece was designed by someone local to our hometown region! Such a cool idea to make an otherwise unappealing alley – into an art museum.

We again visited the local Prancer Path, a Christmas tree display that we first went to when we visited Laurel three years ago. The number of trees had grown (no pun intended), and they were simply beautiful! They know how to decorate trees in the south! We enjoyed great food that night – a salad but it was delicious. And since we ate so well, we finished our dinner with fried cheesecake! We were also treated to hearing Christmas songs from a fantastic saxophone player and the soulful sounds of our friend Grant. 

We finished out the holiday festivities at the inaugural Merry on the Midway. This event, hosted at the local fairgrounds, was filled with rows of Christmas lights. It was beautiful! We actually went twice, once with the Glory House Christmas store crew and lastly with the children of the very friends we met at the Christmas store. We loved being able to give those beautiful girls the opportunity to experience something that we enjoyed. 

I mentioned earlier that I was struggling to find the words to describe the time we spent in Laurel. It is easy to share the tangible things we experienced but how our stay affected our hearts is another matter. So, I guess I will share our hearts. We now consider Laurel our second home (or 3rd if you count the RV), not because of the actual town, but because of the people we now call family and the need we left behind.   

Three years ago, when we visited Laurel, we learned the term generational poverty and its role in this community. This visit opened our eyes wider to the multiple struggles of a life without. I liken it to children. If a child is behaving badly and are told they are bad, they will continue to make bad decisions, sometimes into their adult life. If we believe someone’s color makes them less than someone of another color, both colors will believe it as truth. If opportunity isn’t offered to someone who is destitute, they will continue in what they know to be true – living with less than. If we do not offer the same educational opportunities to all, some will not learn the opportunities that are waiting for them. If we live our lives as we always have, we will notice what is wrong with society but will not be able to make a difference.  If we do not open our eyes, others will not be seen. If we do not love others, others will not feel loved. 

Despite the need, Laurel is also a place where there is light. Where people have given up the life they knew to help the lost. Where God’s church is opening the doors of a small firehouse to anyone who wants to find hope. Where people are truly sacrificing everything in their life to make the lives of those in need better, even to the point of neglecting their own life.  

Jim and I understand these stories aren’t limited to one town and that some of these very stories may even exist in our hometown. However, what we now understand is that although one of our goals in this journey was to learn, four seasons later we realize there is so much more to comprehend. We are confident that this was our calling, but we have only scratched the surface. At times it may seem that we are not doing enough but we remind ourselves God says it is enough. To see where our journey will go or how we will sustain it isn’t as important as it once was. Continuing to take steps forward is all that matters. And we pray that future opportunities, like our time in Laurel, will be revealed to us. 

For now, we move on from our 2nd home, leaving part of our heart there. We pray God will continue to bless those in the darkness and those shining His light.