From: jesus475073@webtv.net   
      
   To Give Me Hope   
      
         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.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)