The Glory of God

It seems like I just sat down and wrote this note. Can't believe it has been a week. Wow, hope your journey this week was full of joy and blessings. God is good!

We will start our adventure this week with a rainy Saturday morning. It seems like the last several U2 Saturdays, the weather has not cooperated. But being adventurers, Momma T and her gang were troopers and went with the flow. Ms Lisa led a group of folks from Airline, Brookwood and our community in setting up in the fellowship hall. Tables were full of activities, prizes and fun things to do. We had a good group come from the community to participate. Ms Lisa has added pictures of the morning on CG's Facebook page.

Mr Scott drove us around as we tried to miss the rain showers on our visits. Unfortunately we got soaked a couple of times, but we all survived. Turner is back. Richard was not there. Smokey and his camp continues to grow, so lots of folks joined us there. With Dale and Tim leaving from under the bridge, other guys have moved in and they meet us at Smokey's camp. Smokey was concerned about Catfish. Catfish showed up Friday night at Smokey's camp feeling no pain. Smokey tried to keep him at the camp, but Catfish ran off. Dale and Tim were doing ok. Staying dry for the most part. Another tree had fallen on part of the covering, but Tim was able to get it off and get the tarp back up before all the rain hit.

After we went by Big D to see Dave and Travis, who were not there, we talked about going out to Danny's old camp to see if Catfish was there. So we drove out to the west part of Shreveport and found Catfish and his dogs. Catfish's demeanor was not good. He was embarrassed he had started drinking again. He had been sober for over a year. We tried to reassure him, we all fail everyday. We just have to pray to God to help us get back on track and move on.

As we were heading home, Mr Scott noticed from the interstate, there was Richard sitting at his gas station. So Mr Scott drove Ms Dawn and I and we visited with Richard. Richard had been beaten up a couple of weeks ago. He had stitches over his right eye. He said he could not see out of it. He was doing the best he could but had nothing. We gave him some clothes and a some food we had left. Ms Dawn and I took it inside to his bed area. I had been inside before, but not when it was raining. The roof of the station has holes all in it and it was as wet inside as it was outside. The only saving grace for Richard is the sheet rock over his bed area was still hanging protecting him from the rain. Terrible, terrible conditions.

With us making two more stops than normal, we were late in arriving back at the center, so we decided to postpone our neighborhood walks. We will continue that tradition Saturday at 11:30. Come and join us.

We again had two more graduations on Saturday. We had Lauren graduating from University of Arkansas and Allison graduating from Hendrix College. Ms Lauren joined us several years ago one summer. Her joyful smile, her unlimited energy was a magnet for the children. They all lvoed Ms Lauren. Lauren continues to come by when she is in town and hopefully will be able to join us a little this summer.

Ms Allison, aka Zigzag as the children call her, totally rocked our world when she joined our family. Her smile, her undying energy, her huge heart for the least of them has transformed us all. Allison is in Philadelphia at the moment helping the inner city youth. Hopefully she will be able to be around a little this summer. She is preparing to leave us in the fall for her pastoral studies in Atlanta. You never know, but maybe one day, she will come back to us and be our resident pastor? Two special ladies, that God has brought to our community and will always have a special place in our hearts.

Tuesday evening was another special night for our men. We continue to have new faces join us and share their stories with us. We read from 1st Peter talking about living a life of God. Peter pointed out to us, how Jesus made sacrifices for us, we should do the same for others. We talked about, how lonely it is sometimes when you turn away from your friends or even your family, when you start living a life for Christ. Peter reminded us, it is ok to suffer because if you suffer for doing good, and you are patient, then God is pleased.

Also on Tuesday evening we got to experience the smile of one of our long time friends, William. I will say, I am not sure William came to Bible study to read, but to smile and smile and smile. A picture is up on Face book of his smile and his new set of teeth.

To finish off our Tuesday evening of remarkable events, we got to see and talk with Gus. Gus spent the night as he has finished with school and was headed down to south to spend time with his parents. He will be back with us at some point this summer after spending time with Lomax in California.

Early Thursday afternoon, I get a phone call from our construction person, Dan Poole. Dan is working with Dr Phil to get the Building Common Ground up and running. Dan and his company have gone beyond what we asked of them and have worked tirelessly to make this dream a reality. Dan attended a city meeting on our behalf, several months ago to get two pieces of our property rezoned. This whole process takes time and lots of patience. Dan called to tell us, after talking with all the city agencies, we have been approved and we are good to go in the starting of building new homes and giving new life to our neighborhood. Can I have an Amen!

What a Thursday afternoon we had. I guess we can call it, A Picnic in Garden! Ms Patty and her crew, Joey and his guys, Ms Abbie and her ladies, moved food, juice, tables and chairs and we had our meal in the garden. It was great. mr brian grilled hamburgers and the smoke and smell attracted new friends and neighbors to join us. Ms Patty brought flowers for the tables and everybody seemed to have a good time.

As I was cooking the hamburgers, I got a tap on my shoulder, turned around and you will never guess who appeared, . . .  Willie Jackson! Pastor Jackson was the pastor appointed to Cedar Grove United Methodist church back in 1998. The Methodist conference changed the name of the church to Faith United Methodist church when Pastor moved there. Pastor Willie has a heart for missions and has been gone too long from where he is destined to be. I turned over the grilling to David Leeth and we showed him what God has been doing with the center since he has left. More about our visit.

Also on Thursday, Beth, Charley and Hat attended a graduation of one of our outdoor friends, Robert. Beth has put pictures on Face book. Robert has been studying for over a year and has persevered to accomplish the task of getting his GED. What I find remarkable is Robert did not pass all of parts of the tests and had to continue to study and retake the test. Robert did not give up, like so many of us do when obstacles get in front of us. Through the encouragement of many of you and others, Robert was able to go forth and now can say he is a high school graduate. Praise God!

One more event on Thursday that will thrill those you who have been working on the kitchen our plumber and his helpers showed up and began the process of running new water and gas lines.

Prayers for Catfish as he deals with life and how to best handle his demons. Prayers for Krysten as she travels. Prayers for Mary and her adventures in India. Prayers for Lomax and his group in Haiti. Prayers for family relationships. Life is too short to be mad at each other. Lvoe, lvoe, lvoe.

Walking through the center with Pastor Willie was very emotional for both of us. Showing Pastor, where his office use to be is now a library. We walked into the room where the old library use to be. Where the leak in the roof had caused mold and mildew, now it is a room, bright with color, where children are learning how to read. You forget. Walking into the fellowship hall where it was dark and depressing, is now bright and full of life, you forget. Walking through the second story with Willie, remembering what use to happen and what is going to happening, you forget from where it all started and how far we have come.

Ms Lisa was looking through the pictures that we use to have hanging in the Bright House. She was asking who is this, don't remember them, seeing the dedication of the garden with Rob and Pastor Willie praying for us, you forget. Dealing with the obstacles of today, you forget about the journeys we have taken already.

The one thought Pastor and I said over and over in our walk through the center, God is good. Look what God is doing. Isn't God amazing. God is at work here. God is Good!

As we move forward in our journeys, we need to remember, it is not about us but about God. It is about God working in and through us, that all of what we have accomplished so far. We talked about Tuesday night, how do we share with others, it is not about us but about God. Especially when we have the opportunity to share our story with others, folks will come up to us and say, man you are doing great things over there. That phrase almost most me sick, because I have not done my job in expressing to others it is not me but the Christ that lives within me.

As we continue to reach out to our neighbors, it is not about us but it is about sharing the lvoe of Jesus with others, giving God all the glory. As we start building a new community of home owners, it is not about what we do, but about God receiving all the praise He so richly deserves. As we talk about funding for our future, we need to talk about how do we do so in that God receives the glory. God has blessed our community in ways that defies description. All that we do, all that we are, all that we hope to be, all accolades, all praises, needs to go to God. As Paul said so many times, it is not me but the Christ within me.

If we focus on God, it takes the focus of us. We will become less selfish, more giving. We will become less prideful more humble. We will become less jealous more compassionate. We will have less stress and more peace. May our week and the weeks ahead of us, be filled with the grace of God, the joy of knowing Him and humbleness of realizing it is not about us but about Him. Amen.