Can't see beyond the turkey!

We begin to prepare for the Free Market "Thanks & Giving" dinner, with parameters put on the night before the night even begins. We(the church) where TG will be held, is expecting 400+ guests, "The Problem" is that there are Too many volunteers!!!!!! Have you ever heard of such ludicrous behavior? I have never in my lifetime turned away a single volunteers, to block what God has laid on their heart and to tell them...No we got it. All I can think about is when Jesus is feeding the 5000 and a a follower of Jesus thinks there is not going to be enough food, he tells Jesus, "send them home" Jesus says "No"..'where is your faith, there will be plenty.' We are not even worried about feeding them, we are worried they will be in the way, or it will be confusing...my heart is so sick with how we miss the big picture because we are so focused on the details that are blocking God's vision. I just got a message that a bus of St. Catherine's girls are coming! Can you imagine they want to spend their time giving and we tell them "NO". So funny...what is going to happen? I'm afraid for the volunteers who have given their time and love in hope of displaying what Gods teaching us to do...Love others...just simply love them.I pray the NM powers that be, will not show their fannies. But we want to tell God what we will do. Pray with me, for a night filled with love and Thanksgiving, Don't let it fail b/c of others shortsightedness. OH I'm nervous. I'm not telling my volunteers NOT to come...Bring it on! Not blocking God's blessings for anyone.

Bag Lady who stinks

Free Market:Meet Barbara

I met Barbara about 6 months ago, God has amazing timing. I met her through an individual who works with group home folks, Barbara was with her, I assumed by her demeanor and her dress and odor, she was from a group home. Barbara is in her 70's most likely, she dresses in layers of clothing, always bulky, very quiet, no eye contact, and always wearing the same denim skirt. We ran into each other at a meeting again in Church Hill at St. Stephens church. I wondered...what is "she" doing here? I just listened and barely participated, all new ground for me, still Barbara puzzled me.
One month later I attended another event for a local one time "Free Market" at the United Methodist Church and there was "Barbara" again. Same skirt, unkempt, little odor, greasy hair, a bit hunched over, just not a character I would probably spend much time with...Again...Who is talking to me about her? Could this be God nudging me?
I overheard her speaking fluent Spanish...I was so intrigued. We began to talk, I asked her about her languages, she did not "appear" Latin in decent. She quietly stated she was a missionary in Mexico for 23 years, I was shocked. I asked her many questions, she only answered a few. She remembered me from the FreeMarket, and I invited her to help me sometime....she came.

We spent more time together, I shared with her my son's struggles in Spanish, she offered to help. I took her up on it, ask her if she needed anything from me, she asked if she could take a shower and wash four items at my home. Barbara lives on Pope ave in Ginter Park, one of the most exclusive streets of it's day. She has no water, no heat, she receives $300 plus dollars from SS. per month, she hoards everything she finds, she sneaks out on Wednesday nights just to rummage through the recycle bins for the newspapers. She was left a home she cannot afford. Her neighbors have tried many times to get rid of her. She doesn't blend, she doesn't keep her yard pristine, she's different, she's a child of God.
Barbara is brilliant, she loves to read, she can tell me every verse I ask her about in the Bible. We have become fast friends. My kids are amazed at her intelligence, they don't judge her like I did. This story is not really about Barbara, it's about what God has shown me...my perceptions, it could have been Jesus, she has loved me without a single question, I have so much to learn. When will I love like Christ? Do what Christ calls me to do everyday I'm alive?

She gave her whole life to Christ, she has a BS in English and a Master's in Spanish, she has since helped me tutor VCU students in Women of the Bible...she was really tutoring me.
Serving Christ, has helped me, fills my soul with real love, there is nothing like loving others just because God says so, knowing there is nothing in it for me, nothing but His love. He is teaching ME.
Becoming missions driven with my family, serving a long side my husband has been one of the biggest surprising blessings of all, the gifts are amazing.
Barbara is amazing. I look forward to her being a part of our family, she has blessed our home.

Poverty Awareness

 

James the Electrician

Meet James, he's an Electrician. Graduated from John Marshall, has an associates degree from J. Sarge, 4 years from electrical trade school, and worked at The Federal Reserve for 23 years as a Electrician.Left the Federal Res. b/c it was monotonous, worked as a free contactor, his mother became ill ah he quit his job to take care of her. She dies, James never goes back to work. He was married twice, no children, her parents and sister are all deceased now, he has no relationship with his brother-n-law, he feels he has no one, "I like it that way...I'm a loner." James will turn 55 on Oct 23, that is what he is waiting for, his pension. He begins to draw stipends on Nov. 23(so he says). I met James last Christmas, that's when I recall meeting him him. He barely spoke, wanted coffee, maybe a new shirt, few items of food for his backpack and nothing more, no conversation, when he did, he was vague. Today,6 months later, James has been sleeping near by for the last 35 days, hanging out all day at the FreeMarket while I work. He's painted, odd jobs at the church, helps the music minister & the church custodian. No pay, but all the coffee he can drink and a place to wash his clothes and get a little bit of food. If he's lucky, someone will give him money for cigarettes...that's what he loves...cigarettes and coffee. James asked me for money..I asked how much...$20.00, I said "one time"..he asked for more later on..I said "no"...He's asked for money from lots of folks, asked if he could work for money, the church said "no". James is Homeless...has been since I've known him, he says it's been like 6 weeks...not by my calculations. James doesn't look homeless. Whatever homeless looks like. Nevertheless he's homeless.The preacher wants him to go to a shelter..."I don't want to go to a shelter with crack heads and drug addicts"...he'd rather sleep on the street. I struck a deal with James, if we go look for scrap metal and recycle it, I'd give James 1/2 of the money. He needs to find it too...and help me when I find it. We've cleaned out the entire church together, he's worked so hard, we find trash, go recycle it, he gets half the cash. At least we have begun a relationship that involves a mutual understanding, I understand him, it's not what I'd want for me, but that is what God is teaching me, He is NOT me. I feel like God is teaching me, I'm no better, can I just love him for who he is? Can I? Do I have to try to change him to be more like me..because I live in a home? I'm trying not to...at the end of the day, I'm grateful, to have worked with James and hung out with him, to drop him off at his favorite sleeping spot, and to drive on home to my warm bed. I've invited James to spend the night..."No thanks...I don't want to intrude." We are waiting for Ken" to call, he has a lot of copper. God has amazing ways of humbling me. He's teaching me HIS ways, one person at a time.

Happy Birthday Marie

Marie turns 72....With a crowded room full of friends, we celebrate Marie's 72 birthday while she beams on. We are so moved by loving her, our(my) lives are changed. I have learned so much over the last year and have so much more to learn. Trying to be so careful to not be so "superior" over folks who are "poor"...THEY are teaching me. It has helped me to question every move I make.
I met Marie a year ago at the freemarket, she came because she was in need, of course, food and "stuff". I got to know her a little and invited her to come back and help, now she's a member of NM, comes daily, she's the "Opener", gets there first and opens up for me and the rest..she loves that job. She's in charge of the linen room on Sat. and she always gets hospitality ready..I love her...Marie was orphaned by her mother, a story that is often repeated in our friends, giving children "away". Marie's father died when she was 7, she quit school in the 7th grade to begin working. She never married, never had children, and she was "adopted" by a family friend and has lived there ever since.
In the beginning of our working together Marie would hide things she'd find in the bathroom and then take them home, she thought I didn't know. The rule is when you volunteer, you can't take...Marie doesn't have the need to hoard when she volunteers anymore. She still loves "stuff."....plastic flowers, crafts from others, the crocheted toilet roll dolly that sits on the back of the toilet...just awaiting to be useful. Just like me, we look for things to fill our lives, when I'm not careful, serving will replace my relationship for God. I fill my lives with things too...just not stuff. I'm trying hard to be more like Marie(Mary), and trust God for all I need. Loving Marie..she calls me"Boo". I love that.