Worship

Don't know what it is, but this time of year seems so nice. Last week, following our golf game, one of the guys said, I am going home and take a shower, but really I don't have to! We weren't ringing wet from the hot weather we have had all summer long. The air has a crispness in it that makes you want to get out. The cool mornings are spectacular. Don't think I have ever seen such blue skies. Just a very nice time of year.

These cool mornings make it great for visiting our friends who live outside. You notice a change in their demeanors. More laughing, more joking around with them. We had good visits with them this past week, seeing around 40 or so. Learning new names and seeing old smiles is a blessing. Mr Scott performed eye surgery on one of our friends, by putting in eye drops. You just never know what you will run into. Always fun to be around and lend a hand.

Monday we had more children than we did tutors and Tuesday we had more tutors than we did kids. Guess which day was the quietest?  Ms Sarah and her youth, the Centenary friends, all are coming and helping out. It is really a blessing to see new relationships being formed. Thursday afternoon, with the nice weather, we moved some table and chairs outside and did some homework outside. Then Mary and the others played games with them until it was time to leave. Very nice.

Wednesday, we were invited to a Volunteer Fair at LSUS. Ms Sarah and a new friend Ms Abbey started us off, Mr Brian showed up at 11 and then Ms Lisa closed us out. When I got there, Ms Sarah and Ms Abbey had three sheets filled with young people wanting to come by and help. Listening to Ms Sarah and Ms Abbey talk about Common Ground, I wanted to sign up! It was great to see the ladies in action talking about what our community is about and watching the young people expressions of awe. It was also good to walk around and make contacts with other agencies and maybe work together with them.

As I pulled up to the center Wednesday afternoon, I hear a voice from across the street, Mr Brian - Mr Brian! Before I could turn around, our Stephanie comes running over for a big hug. It was great to see after being away from us for over a year. She looks good, she feels good and full of energy with her usual big smile. She will be completing her masters degree shortly and will be soon looking for a job. I told her, we have a place for her to stay, if she could find a job here in Shreveport! Seeing our family come by for visits is like family members who maybe live far away and you don't see them for a year or so. Your conversations pick up from where you last saw them and everything seems right with the world.

This Saturday will be a busy one for us all. Mr Scott will lead our visits. Brookwood will be coming to help out around the center and Momma T and Ms Patty will be leading our first U 2 Saturday. Please come and join in the fun.

Our gathering was smaller for our meal on Wednesday. Being the first of the month, not unusual. The Grace youth passed out our latest newsletter and a flyer for our U 2 Saturday. We talked about our upcoming change of days for our meal and working towards opening up the chapel. One image I remember from the evening, was watching one of young ones, CJ passing out the drinks. He had one drink in each hand, walking to the tables and placing them by our folks with a smile and then skipping back to the drink counter for more. What an image of a little one  performing a menial task but doing it with such enthusiasm and joy.

Following our meal, John Sauls and I met with John Williams and others of the Koiania Sunday school class at Grace. They are planning a work day, Saturday October 22. That is the same day of the book fair, but they will be arriving early and will pretty much be self sustaining once they get going. We gave them lots of projects to do and they will decide which ones they can accomplish. Great group of people willing to help us out. Beth and Charley are a part of the class.

When I walked into the fellowship hall Thursday evening, it smelled like I was in a Mexican restaurant. Joey was preparing chicken tahittas. they were great. Momma T brought salad and desert. We had two new faces join us. Our Stephanie was able to come and a new friend Dawn. She is a friend of Dr Phil's. Dawn came by Wednesday afternoon for our meal and she jumped right in and helped with everything. She was one of the last to leave, having cleaned up the kitchen. We read from Acts completing Chapter 16. We read about how Paul and Silas were in prison, praising God and all of sudden, God makes the earth shake and the chains were broken. We talked about how they were worshiping God, in prison, not asking to be freed, but praising God for all His glory and God blesses them by releasing their chains. A good example of how we should live our lives. I find myself asking God for this or that, what I feel like I need, when I should be living by the Spirit, seeking God's Kingdom, praising Him through my trials and tribulations, understanding God is with me and will provide a way for me.

We talked about how God talks to us. Several folks relating amazing stories of God's presence in their lives. How do we know it is God or just our own person talking? Most all agree, God speaks in a quiet voice, not usually by a burning bush, so how do we hear Him? We all need to spend more time alone with Him. Quiet time, time for listening, not talking but hearing what is being spoken. We all to often think we have to be talking to God, but how can we hear what He is saying if we are talking and not listening. I remember seeing John Wesley's house in London I think, where he would go into a closet, shut the door, with nothing in there other than him and God. Jesus, from time to time would leave his disciples and go to the mountain to be alone with his father. Can't we do the same? If we are sincere about our relationship with God, we need to be as diligent. Don't give our left over time, but our first time to God.

Prayers for William and his bad neck ache. He mentioned last week, he has been sober for over 20 days, and hoping to keep it going. One of his longest stretches so far. Praise God. Continued prayers for Wes as he continues his adventures in China. Prayers for a decision by a doctor Dr Phil interviewed last week to join his staff at Shriners. Dawn asked for prayers to find a place to live close to our community. Prayers for Ms Ruby on 69 street. Her health is failing and financial troubles. Continued prayers for Chuck and his family. It is so hard to break the chain of poverty and despair. Chuck will need God's help in making that transition.

I was sitting at a red light the other day, must have been along Youree Drive, because I had plenty of time to read the electronic billboard at the intersection. There were two advertisements for churches. Come worship with us Sundays at 11am one said. Another said, were traditions continue Sundays at 8:30 and 10. Got me to thinking, Common Ground should place an ad and say, come worship with us, Saturday mornings at 9:30. Visit the least of them. Or Worship with us Thursday evenings at 5, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked. Or Join us for worship on Monday, Tuesday Thursdays as we care for the children. Join us as we worship together in our neighborhood meeting our neighbors on Saturdays. We need to come together and worship but don't let that be the end of our praising God. God has blessed us, we need to bless others and share His lvoe everyday. Thank you all for worshiping in unique and special ways.

Hope you all get out and enjoy the weather and the many blessings God has for us. Hope to see you this weekend or next week around the center. Amen.