This is touching.

[Judy Harder]

Breakfast at McDonald's

This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):

I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.
The last class I had to take was Sociology.

The teacher ! was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.

Her last project of the term was called, "Smile."

The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.

I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake,
literally.

Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.

It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.

We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then
even my husband did.

I did not move an inch... an overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.

As I turned around I smelled a horrible "dirty body" smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.

As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was "smiling".

His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance.

He said, "Good day" as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.

The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.

I held my tears as I stood there with them.

The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.

He said, "Coffee is all Miss" because that was all they could afford. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).

Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.

That is when I noticed all eyes in the restaurant were set on me, judging my every action.

I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.

I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.

He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, "Thank you."

I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, "I did not do this for you. God is here working through me to give you hope."

I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, "That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope."

We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.

We are not church goers, but we are believers.

That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.

I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.

I turned in "my project" and the instructor read it.

Then she looked up at me and said, "Can I share this?"

I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.

She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.

In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on
the last night I spent as a college student.

I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Much love and compassion is sent to each and every person who may read this and learn how to
LOVE PEOPLE AND USE THINGS - NOT LOVE THINGS AND USE
PEOPLE.

There is an Angel sent to watch over you. 

[Wilma]

"As ye do unto the least of these, ye do unto me"  I can't tell you what the Scripture is, but I know it is there.

[emptynest]

Wilma,
That is Matthew 25: verse 40. 

[Wilma]

I knew you would know.

[Diane Amberg]

 Can you stand to hear one more? In 1961, during summer vacation, my mom, sister and I went to Kansas to visit her father for several weeks. We wanted to go to Colorado also, but Grand Pa couldn't go, so we took the Continental Trailways bus from Topeka to Denver....a long trip. Somewhere "out back of beyond" the bus stopped at a cafeteria for the evening meal. There was a skinny young man, late 20s I expect, not well dressed, counting out change to see what he could afford. He chose a cup of coffee and a small side dish of string beans. A nice lady went to him and offered to pay for more, but he refused. Some of us, who saw what was happening, started quietly putting together some money and insisted he have more. He ended up with meat loaf, mashed potatoes and gravy, a salad, roll and butter, a big glass of milk, his beans, coffee, a piece of cherry pie and a few extra $ in his pocket. Turns out he hadn't eaten all day because his bus ticket cost more that he expected. He had a place to stay and a job waiting once he got to Denver. He was very grateful and we told him do something nice for someone else some day.  You Kansas folks have always been very special people.      

[flo]

My sister-in-law sent me Judy's story a few weeks ago.  Yes, I wish people were more tolerent of those less fortunate.  But for the grace of God . . . . .

[Judy Harder]

please understand this story is NOT about me........it was a sweet story that someone forwarded to me and I just had to share it.

I am not sure if I would act as this lady did or not. It shames me to say that most likely I wouldn't without some prompting from some one else.......

Yep, I am guilty of judging before thinking.............sorry if I caused you all to think this story was about me.
God bless us all

[flo]

Judy, I knew it wasn't about you, but glad you posted it anyhow.  There is a lesson in there to be learned.  We think we all, at times, judge too quick.  I'm guilty also, but try to look beyond the outside. 

[Janet Harrington]

This is a "Pay It Forward" story.  This story that Judy shared has been on the Internet for some time.  However; we can reflect on how we act towards people in circumstances that are not as good as ours.  This is the way I want to serve God which is by never judging people because of the circumstances that they are in.  As Flo said, "There but for the Grace of God go I."

[Teresa]

Judy e-mailed me and ask em if I could find a way to put up this information about this fellow that was born without legs or arms..
It should be an inspiration for all of us..

VIDEO LINK