Hot Dog Wagon

I have learned a lot today. I have been convicted and transformed. All because of a hot dog wagon.

A few months ago, my husband and I felt a direct prompting of the Holy Spirit to move to a different church. We had been in our previous church about 2 years, the kids were very involoved in their youth group, my hubby worked building and grounds and life was good. This was a very large, very active church. We were not unhappy but God was laying groundwork for something more.

Our children were on a mission trip in Florida and Philip and I just felt a prompting of the Spirit to visit a very small church about 2 miles from our house. From the moment we walked in, God made it very clear that He was about to move in our lives if we would allow it. To make a long story short, after much prayer, family discussions and much more prayer, we were obedient to God and moved to our present church.This church has a small youth group and they (the youth) are trying very hard to raise monies to do youth group things.

So let me ask, how many times have you went to Wal Mart and walked by those kids working in a tiny, hot, hot dog wagon, begging you to buy a hot dog? Come on...be honest....me too. I have walked by thinking, "Uh...if I want a hot dog, I'll go home and fix one. No thanks." So with my "sympathetic" (or maybe rather pathetic) smile on my face, I shake my head no and walk on by. But no more....

My own children, along with 8-10 other teens and a lot of parents were out at 9 this morning selling hot dogs.."Hot dogs!! 50cents!!" "Hot dog and Coke, $1" "Please by a hot dog, support our youth". People walking by, too busy or too uncaring to hand over 50 cents to a youth group. But ohhh...drive by the Bingo halls.......(sorry...big soap box issue for me!!)...Anyway, around noon, I climbed in that hot dog wagon and began my 'shift' of making and wrapping hot dogs. It was so much fun and the fellowship was great!! The discouragment on our kids faces though got me to thinking....These kids are working hard to raise money for something they believe in..their youth group. They love each other and Jesus Christ and they want to raise money so that others can fall in love with Jesus and see that Christian teens can have fun too.

Now don't misunderstand, a lot of wonderful people stopped and bought hot dogs and some even made a donation without taking a hot dog. God bless them...
I had to leave to come home and take care of some things, but I'm anxious to see what the earnings are for the day....all for the glory of God!!

I will never walk by a hot dog wagon and look at it the same again. As long as they are raising money for something that will not go against the Word of God, think I'll stop and enjoy a hot dog...or two...How about you??

Blessings...