I got something very much like this one in e-mail recently. I thought I'd share it here instead of starting another thread name. Seemed appropo:

"About three weeks ago on a cold Saturday evening, we were on our way home from watching my youngest daughter play basketball. As I was passing an intersection about a mile from my house, I noticed a man standing on the corner. Now this particular corner is somewhat out by its self. Nothing around except sage brush and an occasional jack rabbit. It is considered a busy intersection because lots of traffic passes by. However, it is unusual to see anyone standing there.

As we passed, something spoke to me, almost an obvious voice, and I said to Patti "Something is wrong. I don't know what it is. But something isn't right with that guy. He is in trouble." Well, we continued home because it was getting late and I was not about to stop with my family in the car. I was going to just drop them off and run out for a Saturday night video. It was about 5:00. I pulled out of my driveway and decided that I would go back up to the intersection and see if that guy was still there. If not, I was just wrong.

As I approached I saw that he was still there. So I pulled over, rolled down my window and asked if he was all right. He came over to my passenger side of the car and looked into the window. Immediately I knew what the problem was.

Looking into the window of my car was the face of a very frightened man. A man that was developmentally disabled. Even though his age was about 50, his eyes were that of a child.

He opened the door and I asked him if he was all right. Looking at me he said "No, I am cold" so I offered him the warmth of my car. He got in and said "My name is Larry, Larry Lane. L-A-N-E!"

" Well Larry, my name is Doug. Do you need help?"

Larry looked at me and a smile that ran from one side of his face to the other opened. "YES ! I am lost. I would like it if you could help me." With those few words I was about to receive a blessing that still lasts today.

As I questioned Larry, it was soon apparent that he was truly very lost, and had been all day. I asked him were he lived. Digging down into the deepest part of his mind he suddenly looked up at me and said, " I live in a house! And there is a green car in the drive way! My Auntie lives there."

Unfortunately that was all that Larry knew.

Well, I did the only thing I could do and took him to the Sheriff station. He was well kept and clean. Obviously someone was taking care of him and would be looking for him. On the way, Larry began to tell my about himself. He was born two days after Christmas, December 27, 1948, (Christmas is his favorite holiday. Because it is Jesus' birthday and almost his) he told how he had just moved to town and lived with his auntie and cousin. That he had taken a shower that morning and had put on a clean shirt, clean pants, clean socks and even clean drawers. But he forgot to put his wallet back in his pocket.

Then he started to tell me jokes. Jokes that I have not heard since my children told me them when they were about 4 or 5 years old. I found that hearing them from Larry was just as wonderful as when they had told them. Maybe it was because Larry really enjoyed telling them, or maybe it was because Larry had a way of telling them that said "look at the world through my eyes." Whatever it was I knew that I was being blessed by his presence.

We pulled up to a stop sign and Larry took my hand and said "Let me shake your hand". So we shook hands, then he looked straight into my face and said "God bless you. God bless your family. God bless you for ever and ever and for the rest of your life." I was to find out later that this was Larry's highest form of praise. He said "I was cold and you were the only one that stopped. You are my friend! Do you want to hear another joke?"

When we got to the sheriff station I told him to wait while I explained to the deputy what the problem was. So he sat on a bench and I went to the counter. While the deputy was looking him up in the computer to see if there was a record of missing person, I turned and looked at Larry. There, in the middle of the lobby of the station on a hard bench sat Larry, head bowed. His hands folded together and eyes closed. Quietly praying, asking God to help him find his way home. It was truly one of the most humbling moments of my life.

I heard him say "Amen" then he looked up at me and smiled. He was sure that his prayers would be answered. I thought to myself "if one only has the faith of a child". It made me ashamed of my own faith. Turning I saw the deputy had witnessed the same sight. Neither of us would have admitted it, but we both needed to wipe our eyes.

Well, to make a long story short, the Sheriff Department could not help us. After about two hours, we ended up at the hospital. This was my last hope. I had decided that if they could not help then Larry was going to come home with me. I was not sure what Patti would say if I brought a stray, but Larry was not staying in the Homeless shelter.

The hospital did have a record of Larry as well as a telephone number of his aunt. I called her. Needless to say, they had been worried sick. Apparently Larry had gotten upset earlier in the morning and had gone for a walk. Only he had gotten lost because he was new to the area. His aunt said that she was just on her way to her church to get more help. I told where Larry was, and she came right over and picked him up. A happy ending.

On my way home and ever since then, the thought of Larry stayed with me. What a blessing to spend a few hours with him. I was blessed to see simple faith at work. To see his trust not in me, but his Lord. It was something that I have known others to spend a lifetime trying to develop. Yet this simple man possessed it. Possibly because Larry is not hampered with all the clutter of life that I tend to get caught up in.

All I know is that never before have I ever received a more sincere blessing, than what he gave me over and over that night. "God bless you, God bless your family, God bless you for ever and ever and for the rest of your life!"