The Faith of James

I wish I had the faith of James.

A few months ago, we received a call from a prospective donor.  The family was planning to remodel their kitchen and wondered if we wanted their existing, perfectly-good kitchen cabinets and a few appliances.

My first impression was – that is a nice gesture (especially since I had recently visited the Holy Family Home and saw their cabinets were in disrepair).  But how will we get the cabinets out of one house and then neatly installed in another?  To this weekend handyman, that sounded like a herculean task.

But, the caller who is associated with Faith Works said that their volunteer group might be able to take care of the physical labor – and their team was capable of doing a fine job.

My next thought was: what are the chances that those cabinets can be reconfigured into another home?  Slim.

A day later, tape measure in hand, I went to the Holy Family Home in West Bloomfield and took some measurements.

As always, the four residents of the home – Brian, James, Lennie, and Marcus – met me at the door and accompanied me to the kitchen.

As I measured, James asked what I was doing.

I replied “I had no promises, but a kind person may provide new kitchen cabinets, and I was measuring to see it they might fit.”

Without hesitation he replied: “They will fit.  I have faith and I know they will fit.”

Now sometimes in our lives, we hear someone make a comment like this and you feel its axiomatic.  When James said it, it was with conviction.

Today, those cabinets are in the kitchen at Holy Family.

The beauty of that kitchen is surpassed by the beauty of the faith that James had even before the construction began.

We hope this story brings joy to your day and inspires that same faith in you.


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