a picture of a family's belongings who will soon move into one of our Transitional Housing units.

If anyone has caught the HGTV show “House Hunters”, you know that it generally consists of folks browsing thru various houses introduced to them by their realtor and settling on the one that has the most space,  located in a great neighborhood and possesses a fantastic view all for a price that is within budget.  Or you yourself have scoured through hotel websites in search of the perfect place in which to create your summer memories of salty sea air, wilderness, lakeside or bright lights/big city vacation.  A good size room with fluffy pillows and a view that doesn’t involve the dumpster outside or the air conditioning unit.  All for a remarkably great price.  Or you are a student, leaving home for the first time, ready to embark on this new journey called college.   You enter your dorm room and excitedly put away your treasures from home and begin to settle into the unknown, feeling confident that numerous  possibilities await you!

Now imagine, a family who only the night before had spent a frigid night in their vehicle with no home to call their own.  This family walks into The Salvation Army not in search of the perfect home with a spacious backyard.  Not on the hunt for one of the most amazing vacation spots on earth or checking out the temporary digs offered to students at colleges and universities around the world. No, this family enters our doors out of necessity.

They seek a hand up out of the ditch they have found themselves in and know that we can help with our transitional housing program designed for families and single women.  This family has been advised on our program via referrals on how it will help a family get off the street and assist in transitioning them into a home of their own.  A case manager conducts the tour of the facility and introduces them to their room.  It contains a bedroom combined with a living room, a private shower, a small nook that consists of a microwave, small fridge, sink and cabinet space.  They are shown the area where you can do your laundry and a family room where children can watch TV or play games.  The family is then led downstairs to see the vast dining room area where all of the families come together for an evening meal.  The case manager shares with them each detail of the program and as she speaks, the mother’s eyes wildly scan everything around her, not believing for a moment she would have ever ended up here.  She does realize though, that she is at a stopping off point on her way from some difficult circumstances and moving forward in the direction of hope and change.

The rooms here aren’t fancy, they aren’t plush but what they do possess is a view.  A view of God’s hand at work.  An opportunity to shake off destructive and chaotic decisions along with life circumstances beyond your control and begin anew.  People have a chance to view love, grace, mercy and hope at the core of the programs we offer.  We guide, we encourage, we help to establish self discipline, we help to grow and cultivate the gifts within each person.  The Salvation Army is also here to allow one to experience a new view of themselves.  To understand that we all have a past, but with God leading the way, we can advance beyond the clouds and into the light of a new day!

“He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”~ Revelations 21:5

All of the above is amazing and magical yet generally comes with a price and responsibility.  The fame and fortune can either destroy who we are as a person or it can be used to benefit the world in one form or another.  It can be used in a selfish manner to achieve all our hearts desire or it can be used to benefit the life of another.  Many celebrities spiral into a life of utter chaos and loss while others choose to utilize their fame as a platform designed to implement change in the world.  Many celebrities opt to back well know organizations like The Salvation Army, American Red Cross, UNICEF or Doctor’s Without Broders, while others choose to form their own foundations or non profits such as, Bono who co-founded ONE and (RED), Matthew McConaughey who founded J.K. Livin Foundation,  Angelina Jolie along with Brad Pitt who founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, and our local friend of “the Army” here in Nashville, Jimmy Wayne who birthed Project Meet Me Halfway.

The great news is, one doesn’t have to be a celebrity to make a difference.  We all have access to an audience, individuals that look to us and listen to the words we speak and pay attention to our actions on a daily basis.  We have the opportunity to be a influence and we can either use that for selfish reasons and personal gain or we can speak life to those around us.  We can show love in everything we do.  We can share how Christ has been an intricate part of our lives and as St Francis of Assisi wrote “….use words when necessary.”

We have our very own Red Carpet rolled out to us every day and it’s up to us as the cameras roll and the microphones line up as to what it is we’ll say and how will we behave.  All of us testify to different people and we all need one another to reach those who are lost, confused and alone, broken and in a state of despair.  We all have access to so many people from so many backgrounds  and with this access we can be a part of life change.  So what will you do?

Get ready……it’s time for your close-up!  Lights, Camera, Action!

I set the broom handle against the wall and take a seat on the peeling yellow railing that once served as a boundary between the thoroughfare that volunteers used to collect gifts for families and the “Forgotten Angel Shop.”  I can still see long white tables lined up with handmade signs signifying ages and clothing sizes for our precious angels.  Of the 5000 families we served many angels were not adopted or shopped for so the Forgotten Angel Shop, items donated via Daily’s Convenience Store and Toy Field, etc. served as a resource for us to pick age appropriate items for each child or senior citizen so that no angel was ever left behind!

As the noon day sun tries to stream through the various cracks in the wall of the warehouse, I make my way to it’s center and kneel down to scrape away at the left over duct tape that helped mark the many white paper lines that held 30 bags a piece.  Each red and silver plastic bag adorned a label with the family’s name and inside were gifts and stockings compliments of this amazing community.  I can still feel the hustle and bustle of days when hundreds of volunteers made their way through each bag, inspecting it to make sure that every angel was accounted for.  The whoosh of our grocery carts that families, friends and co-workers would push feverishly back and forth from angel tree bags to the Forgotten Angel Shop and back.  I glance up and stare at the bay doors that on any given day were opened and closed as gifts continued to pour in.

I switch off the lights and exit through the side door.  As I head in the direction of my car,I’m taken back to the 3rd week of December and can suddenly hear peals of laughter coming from vehicles as children who were waiting inside see the large bags being carried out by a volunteer to their car.  The beautiful faces of girls and boys of all ages, covering their eyes with mittened hands, promising not to look.  Parents quickly placing the bags in the trunks and floorboards of cars that were battered and worn.  I can still feel the many hugs received and see the thousands of tears that fell from grateful moms, dads, grandparents, aunts and uncles.  Some were unable to speak as their lips trembled and they wiped away the dampness from their cheeks, but we knew and embraced them; letting them know they are not alone and that God will see them thru this.

For the next few months, items will be boxed up, the warehouse will remain vacant and locked but it’s only temporary….soon enough the planning will begin, the logistics will kick in, the information will be dispersed and another season of Christmas joy will be shared with families who are seeking hope, light and love!  It’s closing time for now as it pertains to the Angel Tree program but the connections, the friendships, the stories, the lives impacted and changed will continue on……….

“Cast off all bonds of prejudice and custom, and let the love of Christ, which is in you, have free course to run out in all conceivable schemes and methods of labour for the souls of men.” Catherine Booth

At The Salvation Army Center of Hope, lives are being renewed through the many programs and resources we offer.  Families remain together via our Transitional Housing program, child care is provided for their children as well as opportunities to find employment.  Families are offered free classes thru our Life Skills Learning program such as GED, financial peace, budgeting, help with resumes and health/wellness.  Our Emergency Services Center provides assistance with food boxes, and rent/utility assistance. We also serve our street family a freshly prepared meal every Tuesday morning with our Breakfast Brigade and on Friday nights with our Soup Wagon.

“Thanks to The Bed & Bread Club®friends like you, year-round we offer meals and groceries to almost 25,000 people and shelter 20,100 individuals.  When a homeless person comes in for food or shelter, we make sure they understand that we are prepared to help them make the changes that will remedy their problems. We offer them a hand-up, not just
a hand-out. We provide support and encouragement by preaching the word of Jesus Christ.

By becoming a The Bed & Bread Club®member and sending as little as $10 each month to The Salvation Army, you can be assured that your gift is being used right here in our community to help someone who wants to change their life for the better.  When you join, we have a little gift for you that we hope you will keep in a visible place in your home. It’s a coaster that has the The Bed & Bread Club® logo on it and its purpose is to remind you that you are making a difference in the life of someone in need. Every time you set a cup or glass on it, we hope you’ll think of Christ’s words when He said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:40

Right now, we have many generous people who live in our community . . . and their compassion makes this program work. It’s based on a simple premise:

You pledge to give $10 or more each month — or $120 per year — to help provide food, shelter and  their necessities so struggling people can get back on their feet.

• $10 pays part of the cost of providing one person with a meal and a clean bed to sleep in for two nights
•  $15 pays part of the cost for three nights and so on.

We realize we’re asking you to make a special commitment to this particular program, but The Salvation Army earmarks this money just for men, women and children right here in Middle Tennessee. And we can only give from what we receive.  Please prayerfully consider becoming a Bed & Bread Club member by making a monthly pledge of at least $10, or — if you prefer — by making a one-time gift of $120 or more.”

Just as we wait patiently for the bread to rise so it can be prepared and served to our families, so we ask the community to rise to the occasion and meet the needs of those who are hungry, those without shelter, those who are lost; “Rise up, this matter is in your hands.  We will support you, so take courage and do it.” Ezra 10:4

For more information or to make a donation, please contact Jennifer Eldridge at 615-242-0411 or email jennifer_eldridge@uss.salvationarmy.org

Voting is happening now and all votes need to be in by January 15, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. PST.  Coastal.com will choose the top 10 charities with the most votes and will set them up on their very own fundraising page by January 24th.  For every donation of $50.00 that’s raised, Coastal.com will match it up to $5000!  The charity that raises the most money will receive an additional amount of $5000 by Coastal.com!

Help us spread the word!  Share this with your friends via Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and email!

Together, we can make a difference and restore vision and hope to others!

Ready to start!  Just email Coastal.com  charity@coastal.com
and let ‘em know you vote for The Salvation Army!

Thank you so much!!!!

I snapped this pic of a butterfly that rested for a moment on the edge of a recycling bin full of dirty glass bottles. Amidst the rusted bin and the broken glass was this example of God's masterpiece!

That’s what we all strive to be as we make our way thru this life.  To appear flawless, to have it all together, to be pain free, to be highly intelligent, beautiful and charismatic.  When people view us, we want them to see someone who has a problematic free life; someone who lives according to the law and does everything with ease without the slightest hint of stumbling, poor choices or obstacles.  But if any one of us were to achieve this, who would it benefit?  Only us!

To be perfect means, we would miss out on truly living and experiencing life.  Pain, loss, hurt, brokenness and scars are a part of this life just as bliss, love, hope and joy.  To have one, you must have the other in order to appreciate it.  When we are broken, we ache for a release from the pain; we look to God for strength and thru Him we are able to carry on and soon enough experience the breakthrough in our life that God specifically designed just for us.  Its from this testimony that we are now able to help someone else who may be going thru a similar situation.  We all have this unique opportunity.  Just like no one thumb print is the same, neither are our personal journeys, but there are similarities and it’s from these walks that we each can testify, empower and lift up one another.

Every day we need to be growing and seeking ways of meeting the needs of someone who is lost, grieving, hurt, betrayed and alone.  Looking at them, you would guess, their smile represents happiness and their successes represent wisdom, contentment and joy, but if you were to venture inward, you would see their issues.  Issues stemming from years of keeping it under wraps and carefully guarded, after all what what would something think of me or say to me if they knew who I really was, what I’d done or been thru. And if you are struggling, realize you are not alone, God is there and desires to help you let go of anger, guilt, resentment and loss.  He wants you utilize resources and seek ways to work thru what has been buried for so long and rise above the ashes like a phoenix!

At The Salvation Army, we don’t work with perfect people, we don’t serve perfect people.  With arms open wide, we welcome those with imperfections; blemishes that have resulted from life.  We don’t judge, we don’t criticize we don’t ignore, we don’t overlook. In the name of Jesus, we look at the heart, the core of a person and with the providing of Christ, love, resources and opportunities, we help show others the way to realize their full potential.  We’re here to allow them to see, we all make mistakes but God holds our future and thru him our life has meaning and purpose.  You may be scarred and broken but God is able to weave you back together in a way that goes beyond  your wildest imagination.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.” ~2 Corinthians 12:9

photo courtesy of Donna Rae Dunn

What have you resolved to do differently in 2012? What are ways in which you can not only better yourself personally but also the lives of those around you?  As we approach 2012, there is great opportunity to be a part of new lives, individuals you have never met but have the ability to bless.  Whether it’s time you donate to a cause, someone you give rides to and from work, holding the door open for them or just giving someone a call sharing that you are thinking about them.

Serving and being there for others should be our goal in 2012.  We need to provide for our own personal needs, yes, but that should only be a part of the equation, we should also seek to better the lives of those who have fallen thru the cracks.  Individuals who believe they are alone and forgotten.  People who feel old, used up and worthless.  We have the opportunity to make them feel “new” once again, to allow them to see how amazing they are and that they are indeed worth it!

As you map out your resolutions, I encourage you to jot down ideas that would lead to impacting someone’s life.  Each day pray and ask God to present you with situations that will allow you to be a blessing in His name! This indeed is a goal worth sticking to!

“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” ~ II Chronicles 15:7

No, we’re not talking about a membership to the Jelly of the Month Club, but rather, the Re-Gifting of one’s blessings to The Salvation Army-Nashville!

So many of us have been blessed and are able to enjoy the comforts of a warm bed, a home, a job, family, food on the table and clothes on our back.  But for many this is a luxury; a far fetched concept that deviates from their current state of reality.  As the end of the year approaches, you have one more amazing opportunity to donate your blessings to someone who could use the “gift” of hope, love and opportunity!

YOUR donation will help a family that has fallen into homelessness transition into a home of their own.  YOUR donation will help individuals attain their GED, learn financial responsibility, how to better manage their health and find a job.  YOUR donation will help provide a safe environment for children and teens to gather and learn team building skills, sports and leadership.  YOUR donation will feed hundreds of men and women; members of our “street family” who long for not just a hot meal but conversation, understanding and love.  YOUR donation will meet the need at the time of need when disaster strikes and will provide, food, something to drink, clothing and a shoulder to cry upon; hands to hold and pray with.

Re-Gift to Re-Store Lives!  YOUR donation will help impact and change lives throughout the year and beyond!

We have included a link to the IRS regarding end of year charitable donations to answer any questions you may have.  We appreciate the gift and consider it a blessing that you choose to donate to The Salvation Army here in Nashville!

Click here

Here are a couple of examples of our many gifts, wrapped with love!  A father who had registered his two children ages 10 and 11, their only Christmas wish, they each wanted to attend the Madagascar Ice at Gaylord Opryland.  As someone mentioned when I shared this with them, “they wished for an experience not a tangible gift!”  The amazing folks at Gaylord Opryland came through and provided 4 complimentary tickets for this family.  The day arrived for this family to pick up their gifts.  I had made a notation for this case to “see me” when they arrived.  At first, he thought something might have been wrong with his application but I advised, I wanted to personally retrieve his gifts from our warehouse and hand him something I didn’t want lost in the bag.  We walked out to his car and as we set his bag inside the torn interior of his vehicle, I handed him the 4 tickets to ICE.  His eyes welled up with tears and he shook his head in disbelief.  He kept repeating bless you, bless you all.  He gave me the tightest hug and said to please thank everyone involved! I promised I would!

The Ochoa family, husband and wife are deaf, eldest son who is 12 is autistic, 11 yr old Sabrina is the “mother hen” as her mother affectionately calls her, is the translator and carries a lot upon her tiny shoulders.  There is 8 year old “Hopi” and baby Savannah.  We delivered gifts to this family along with dishes and glasses to replace the tv trays they had been washing over and over again and reusing.  Their home was modest and small in size with just a couple pieces of furniture per room.  Their stockings were nailed to the wall all in sequence and their glorious pink Christmas tree atop a small table was a magnificent sight.  This family amidst some difficult circumstances and obstacles are a unit; a strong team and when asked what their ultimate Christmas wish would be, Joseph, the father quickly answered “for the family to stay together.”

There are so many wonderful stories to share, people whose lives were impacted because of YOU! We are grateful to everyone who supported this years Angel Tree program either by purchasing gifts for families, volunteering your precious time, supporting our efforts by spreading the word and encouraging others to participate or praying for the program itself and those we have the honor of serving.

From all of us here at The Salvation Army, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year!

Below is Briggette and Joseph Ochoa sending you their personal Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in sign language.

• Message me as to which angel you want
• Jot down the code (i.e 2456A)
• shop for your angel
• deliver to our warehouse by December 12th (700 Cowan Street, Nashville)

It’s that simple and you will have the opportunity to make a difference, and provide some hope and light into a child’s life!

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Here are the angels: