There, but for the Grace of GOD

Any who read this, read my post about "rehabbing" and the story of little Yin Yin the black pug that I fostered from the homeless shelter.
Well Yin Yin's owner got the dog back at the end of my post . The story did not end there, it started.
Valerie (pug's owner) went to her folks home up north for Christmas and took her little dog with her. When she got back, the job she had was no more. The man for whom she was live-in night nurse had passed while she was gone, and she was back at the homeless shelter again. I picked her up at the airport and she told me what had happened. She asked me if I would care for her dog again, which, of course, I did.
In the meantime, between figuring how to talk her into giving up her pet, and trying to figure out what was going on with her, I began to see the woman under the "homeless" preconception. A woman who had all her possesions neatly packed in many brand new rubbermaid bins. A woman who had antiques among her things, and a Loius Vitton bag, ( rather amusing, I thought)
I met her partner, and he is the sweetest little man ever, just endearing, he is. Stuck at a rehab by medicaid because they have no permanent address... sad. Val and I spent an afternoon there and he was complaining about the food. I asked him what he would like to eat, if he could have anything. He wanted a hot dog, with kraut and catsup. He has a roommate from NY, so I asked him if he would like a Nathan's hot dog. You should have seen his face. So I left Val there and ran to the hot dog wagon around the corner, and bought a hot dog party for everyone (me too!)
Just that simple act made those two old guys' day. They ate those hot dogs and just kept on saying how good they were....... But I digress

Valerie is disabled from a car accident and has a really bum leg and has to manage her pain with daily meds. She has been sleeping on the floor for weeks, now, I have been caring for her dog, and allowing her to visit several times a week. We have gotten acquainted. Without her "hubby's" disability check to add to hers, she cannot afford a place,; and without a place medicaid will not let him leave the rehab. A "catch 22" for homeless.
Well when blessings fall, honey, they fall, and I got to be there to see it.
I have a friend who has recently made her "roomers" leave for various reasons, and now has two bedrooms empty. I asked her to meet Val and to think about renting her a room. After saying she would need a week to think about it, she called the next day and said "she will need to get herself a bed" I assumed she had made up her mind. Val agreed to do all the cleaning needing to be done and I took her over there to start, while I scouted a bed for her.
I went to a lot of thrift stores and finally found what I needed.
I explained her situation to the floor manager, and here's what happened. He priced a like new box springs and mattress at $40, the frame $10, then I found a lovely small rocker recliner upholstered in light peach raw silk-another $10 (can you believe it?) now I am serious, none of this stuff had one stain or tear from use, it was perfectly clean! At the goodwill, I found a custom made dust ruffle in the same type of raw silk, fully lined and as perfect a piece as I have ever seen, $2! I contributed a mattress pad and set of sheets from a discount (Ross) for $10 each. For the grand total of $82 my little friend and her dog have a nice room, all cozy and clean !
Val and I set about putting her room together , we scrubbed and hauled and shoved all that stuff upstairs
God has blessed her this week, and I have no doubt He will continue. She has gone to the Legal Aid Society, and they have assigned her a case worker to help her get the two of them straightened out. The place where she is living has a bus route that goes right to the rehab her hubby is in (she went today) I took her to buy her groceries when she got back.
Tonight she is "HOME" with a clean bed, doing her laundry, cooking her dinner, watching TV. Kind of like what you and I did tonight.Two days ago she was sleeping on the floor,asking God what she had done so wrong to deserve such bad "luck".
Now when I tell you this I want you to understand that any of us can wind up just like my friend.
While she and I were talking, this occurred to me. If I somehow become unable to work, I do not have the resources to cover my expenses for even two months. Everything that has happened to her could just as easily happen to me. This is a wake up call. I am more thankful today for everything God has given me, including a strong mind and body, than I have ever been.
I am thankful that I got to help this woman (who is the same age as me) get the creature comforts everyone of us expects to have.
Thank you Anita for having the heart you have, to take her under your roof.
Thank you, little dog, for bringing us together.
Thank you God, for using me in Your plan
But for the grace of God, there go I