In Luke 14:15-24, Jesus told a parable in which a man invited all his friends to a party but they all made flimsy excuses. The would-be host then brought society's rejects to enjoy the feast, the homeless and handicapped people. When he still had room left, the man sent his servant out and told him, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.”

One of the most intimidating tasks I've had to tackle since my mother's death has been cleaning out her house. Ninety years of accumulated “treasures” filled every corner of the attic, stuffed every closet and cupboard beyond capacity, and covered every surface.

After disposing of all the broken or otherwise useless items and donating the clothes to local ministries, I organized everything else. There were many items still in wrappers, barely used kitchen appliances, anitque vases and picture frames that I didn't want to get crushed or lost in a donation box somewhere.

Then I called all my friends who, when my mother passed, so generously offered, “If you need help with anything, anything at all, just call me.” And I told them that I needed help clearing out the house. They each came by, and each left with boxes filled with clocks, tools, dishes, coffee makers, etc., and a few of them left with furniture.

And yet, when all were done, there was still so much stuff in the house that I could barely move from room to room. So I pleaded with my friends to come and take some more things, but, now that they'd gotten what they wanted, they forgot about their offers to help me. (Not all of them, lest I offend someone, just most of them!) Since my “helpers” were nowhere to be found, I was left alone with a house filled with more furniture and hangers and vases than any human being should ever need. It was overwhelming.

“Abandoned” by my friends, I vowed to give the things away to strangers. I discovered a wonderful website that allows people to put up classified ads for no charge, and I began taking pictures of the items and listing them on the site for free or very low prices. I never expected the response I got.

I started out listing only the “good” stuff, thinking I would find some other way to dispose of the rest, but when people came to pick up their treasures, they would ask me, “Are you getting rid of that, too?” So I began listing anything and everything.

It baffles me why anyone would want 13 pairs of used prescription glasses, but I was inundated with requests within 5 minutes of putting up the ad. People have laid claim to used paint buckets, non-working ceiling fans, and cheap hangers.

And I have met some wonderfully diverse, interesting people in the process, people of every tongue and every race, from every walk of life.

There was the grieving biker who bought a cremation urn (unused- don't ask) for a friend he'd just lost. The next day he emailed me a picture of the urn displayed at his friend's memorial service. There was the well-dressed lady who picked up a couple of cheap shoe racks and will probably end up being the realtor who helps me sell my mom's house. There was a young man who requested the hangers because “he and his wife were just starting out”. I learned he was a seminary student who'd just moved here from Florida, so I invited him to take whatever furniture he thought they'd need, and I felt more blessed than him when he left because I was finally able to see the floor in that house.

The most interesting encounter was the lady who requested the empty paint buckets. She turned out to be beautiful, tiny lady from Uganda, and she and her American husband were missionaries. She explained that they were going to cover the buckets with fabric and make them into “drums” for children, and I was so excited to be a small part of that, and am now following their ministry to see if God wants me to be involved in some other way.

I'm so glad God allowed me to reach out to the “highways and hedges” for help. Not only have I nearly accomplished my goal of clearing the house, I've really enjoyed meeting this slice of Houston that I never knew was there, and hopefully I've shared a little of God's love with each of them. Because they've certainly brightened my days!