the snow is falling like forgiveness from the sky

my roomie and i put up our Christmas tree last night.  it looks quite cozy in our little living room.  if only we had a fire burning.  and snow fell this morning, our first snow that stuck.

i heard yesterday that 30% of the US homeless is youth- 18 years and under.  that's a lot.  most of them are with their mothers, but then some are runaways or castaways.  sometimes i just think about how many people are suffering and how great the need is for people who care in the world.  i imagine if every single person just cared about one other person, how amazing that would be....  and then i get overwhelmed, and then i remember that i'm only being obedient, and i can only do what God has given me to do.

i remember a few years ago i heard about a prayer that asks, "let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God."  i began praying that earnestly after i heard it, and my heart has been breaking ever since.  but it reminds me of two things: how incredibly broken the heart of our Father must be and how grateful i am that we have hope beyond here, beyond feeding the hungry and rescuing the oppressed and housing the orphans.  those are only temporary fixes and the hurt goes so much deeper.  only Jesus can mend those hurts, and i am so thankful that He can and does.