Ich Habe Genug

Last night a few of us went out for a ride with the Seattle Gospel Mission’s Rescue Van. Basically, this van pulls into areas of the city where the homeless sleep to hand out hygiene supplies and food.

Last night, we had blanket, socks, underwear, hand warmers and beanies. We made 90 baked potatoes, including all the fixings. (Yes, even BACON BITS!) There were also sandwiches, chips, cupcakes, cookies. Water, hot chocolate, coffee. All the good stuff.

None of us had any idea what to expect, but I think it’s fair to say that we were all pleasantly surprised. The people were pleasant, grateful, congenial. Most of them didn’t seem to notice that they were down on their luck a bit. They didn’t act like we were a charity. They acted like...Well, like we were old friends that had just dropped by with dinner. They walked up with smiles on their faces and asked if we had any blankets. “Can I have a potato for my dad? He can’t get up right now.”

We handed out our goodies generously. We chatted with them. Asked how their days were going. The thing they seem to appreciate the most was when they had gathered too many things to carry and you offered to walk a blanket and a sandwich back to their “home” for them. They shook your hands and asked you to pray with them. They asked God to bless us for helping them. And the most amazing thing was to hear them pray. Almost every sentence began with “Bless those who are in greater need than us.”

Shivers.

I know these things always seem to affect me more than most. I'm a real bleeding heart for the human condition, the way so many people are about trees or kittens. But there’s something about people in need that I always relate to. I always think about how easily it could be me, if nobody had come to my rescue.

So, I go home and I get tears in my eyes just seeing my children nestled in their warm beds. I kiss them each and promise to always love them unconditionally and without expectations.

But something new struck me about this night, in particular: I was continuously impressed by how often I heard the words, "No, thanks. I already have one." Where nobody would have blamed them for being greedy, very few were.

I think I was primed for this realization because I have been bouncing a certain phrase around in my head for the last few weeks. Ich Habe Genug is German for I have enough. I’m not exactly sure where I saw it first, but from the moment I heard it, something struck home, probably because I find myself constantly fighting a losing battle against consumerism. As Americans, I think we are conditioned to always want more and to never be satisfied. While there are certain merits to that, consumerism is not one of them. We are world-renown for our wastefulness, and it’s something I see as a personal weakness of character. I know that I shouldn’t need the latest and greatest to feel good about myself, but somehow, I always find myself back in that Nordstrom check out line.

So the next time I notice that those red heels are incredibly lovely, skinny jeans are no longer the craze, or my bike brakes are a little squeaky? No. Ich Habe Genug. I have enough.

I do. Really, I do. Infact, I have MORE than enough.

Don't you?

Total Mileage: 6.54