6/27/11 Thirty-four dollars and thirty-six cents, Lord. $34.36. Not much for a church contribution, I guess. But, it could buy a nice mid-ranged dinner for two. It would be enough to get a car detailed. It wouldn't buy a tank of gas anymore, but it would pay for an oil change.

$34.36, Lord. You know where it came from, who gave it, and why. You were there when the children of Hemlock Courts, an inner city housing project development just down the street from us, collected their change to give to the homeless. These 25-30 children had sacrificed buying candy and cold drinks, toys and games, to give their change to You, first, and then, to the homeless. What a gift! What sweet hearts! What love and devotion!

In a ceremony to give You all the praise, they sang This Little Light of Mine and praised You at the top of their lungs. Beautiful children whom You created with purpose to love people unlike themselves. I'm reminded that it would be ... From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise ... Psa.8:2. The children in Jesus' day praised when He arrived in Jerusalem and the children praised when they gave all they had to the homeless.

Children in deep poverty giving all they had to those in deeper poverty. And their giving of themselves to others less fortunate is praise, to You, O Lord. Seems like there's a story somewhere of a widow whom Jesus praised, who ... out of her poverty put in all she had to live on. Luke 21:1-4, NIV.

Surely the widow must have been one of those little children once, who praised You. Lord, let the little children of Hemlock Courts grow into strong, loving human beings who reflect Your glory, like the widow who gave all.