Despair and Sacrifice in the Lenten Season

So as I continue down my Lenten journey, I feel like I have connected with God, and I continue to seek yet a deeper connection. God has shown me 2 instances of despair and sacrifice that normally I wouldn't of thought much of, but sense I have been trying to be more receptive to what God has for me, I believe He has revealed these stories to me...

The first one was a few days ago, I went to a restaraunt for breakfast and to get some studying done. I asked the waitress to sit me back where it was fairly quiet, that didn't last long, as a large family piled in right next to my table. As I was slightly distracted by the family setteling into their table I overheard a little old man telling the waitress that they were all gathering to honor his grandson with a meal because he was returning over seas to fulfill his duty to the marine corps today. The first thought that came into my mind, was wow, what a sacrifice, what a great sacrifice for lent, how brave of that man, how scary for that family, how scary for me, this man, younger than me was sacrificing the possibility of his life for not only me but for possibly all of our lives and for his country, how humbling is that?! and I sit here and reflect on my piddly sacrifices...




This picture is not very clear, but it begings my second story of Lenten despair. It was taken from my car while I was sitting at a stoplight, I was in between Kansas City and Independence. This man was dressed well, ironed clothes, decent shoes, a coat and a hat, he obviously spent some money on creating a sturdy sign that said that he was seeking employment and it gave his phone number. I am not sure how he lost his old job, or what lead him to standing on the street corner begging for employment. I have been in that spot, I was laid off shortly before Christmas 2008 and spent a while with out a job, but I never was so desperate as to stand on the street corner to ask for a job, I was blessed with a job, in fact I have had 4 jobs since I lost my job, and am what I consider myself extraordinarily blessed... I cannot imagine the despair this man is going through, how close he and or his family is to being homeless, food-less, electricity-less, etc... How brave, how scary, how humbling...

so as I wrap up these sacrifice and despair stories, my question is, What does God have planned for them? Why did God bring me these two instances? I find myself still asking...what does God has for me?, do I need to make a larger sacrifice?, do I need to humble myself into despair?? what oh God do you have for me?