We got started off the week, by having our monthly breakfast gathering. It had been awhile since we have been able to cook in our new kitchen, so it was treat to come together and share good food and friendships. The table were full of old and new friends. Tim, Joey and Sinotra all helped cook our biscuits, bacon, eggs and hash browns. We had enough left over to take with us on our visits. What a great way to start the new year, having breakfasts on the third Saturdays. Put it on your calendars, we need you there!
We had more new friends join us Saturday morning as we went around visiting our friends. Turner and Richard were doing fine. Richard shared two stories with us! Robert was not in the camp. Robert continues to clean up the area and it is looking so nice. Tim, Noel and Matt went to visit other camps. The rest of us went by to see Smokey. Smokey was still in bed when we got there, recovering from an ear procedure he had done at the VA hospital. Won't tell you what happened, too gross, but it took a lot out of Smokey. He is still not back to 100%, so keep him your prayers this week.
While we were having fun, Karl stayed behind and continued working in the center. All the damaged sheet rock has been repaired and almost ready for painting. Karl is doing a great job and tireless in his efforts to help us around the center.
We also visited with Dave, Willie and Travis working on the JJ house. It is almost completed! Yeaa! Tile floors are in, cabinets are up, bathroom is done, water is on and running, all the painting is done, it looks gorgeous. Touch ups are being done and should be completed this week. Dr Phil has dreamed of this happening for many years, to see it come to completion is truly amazing. We need to have an open house party or something and show off what God can do.
Monday was a holiday, so we had no school activities. We did have kids, Tuesday and Wednesday. Wednesday, Ms Lisa took the children across the street to help clean up some trash someone had left behind. Pretty cool seeing the children begin to take ownership of the grounds and help it stay clean around the center.
Tuesday evening, we gathered for our mens Bible fellowship. Mr Matt read from James Chapter 2, one of our favorite books of the Bible. First part was talking about not showing favoritism to the rich and forgetting the poor. Then the other part was talking about, faith without deeds. We have a responsibility to open our hearts to all we come in contact with, not showing partiality to anyone.
Wednesday did not get started off to the kind of day we wanted by hearing the news of the passing of one of our friends. We met Dale under the bridge many years ago, with another friend Aaron. Dale had an opinion on everything. He loved to read, especially westerns. He would fuss at Mr Kevin for not bringing him books on our Saturday visits. Life under a bridge or in the woods, is a hard life and it took a toll on Dale, leaving us too early. But we now know Dale is not hurting and is at peace. Tim is working on having a memorial service in the next week or so. More information will come.
We got to finish Wednesday on a better note, as Joey, Krysten, Lomax and Emily hosted our family gathering. Pizzas of various shapes and sizes, along with Ms Ardis's salad was served. As I told Joey, not to show partiality, I was forced to eat two kinds of brownies provided by Ms Hat and Momma T! We then read from one of Lomax's favorite chapters in Isaiah, chapter 40 talking about the awesomeness of God and the compassion of God. One who created the mountains and earth, also holds us in the palm of His hands. God is soo good!
We had a very special Thursday. It got started off by having Ms Abbie back, playing the piano and Ms Dorothy singing. Nothing better. We had Pastor Jackson sitting with us and having the Spirit in him to lead us in song. Then Pastor Eddie shared the Word about What's Love got to do with it ?! It was very nice of Pastor Eddie to come because his wife's brother was in the hospital and very sick. Please keep them in your prayers this week. It is all about lvoe. God's lvoe, not ours. God lvoed us so much He sent His son to die for us! No greater lvoe than that.
Our Thursday meal was prepared and served by our new friends from Kings Highway Christian church. What a great group of young people, they cooked, they served, they washed the dishes, they cleaned the tables, what a blessing. After they were finished with their chores, we took them around the center and shared our story with them. They plan on helping on Thursdays as much as they can and hope to come visit with us this summer.
As we were sharing our story with the young people Thursday night, we talked about where we have come from, where we are now and where we are going. It got me to thinking, we are just at the beginning, the tip of the ice berg of the building of God's Kingdom, how exciting! We have experienced many, many things in our journeys so far. Getting to know new friends, new family members joining our community, new challenges we have faced, community becoming community, all these things are such a blessing. But in the same breath, we are about to step out in new and challenging directions. Learning all the time, what faith, patience and obedience is all about.
We all like to feel comfortable. We all like to know what's around the next corner. We don't want obstacles put in our paths, just let us go with the flow, Lord! Where does your faith come in to play, if we let our lives go with the flow? But that is not what all this is about. The building of God's Kingdom is challenging, precarious, unsettling. How do we get past our apprehension to reach out, our fears to meet new friends, our reluctance to accept new ways? By leaning on the one who knows all the answers. The one who can make a way out of no way. If we put our faith in our Lord, our faiths will grow. If we learn to listen to His quiet voice our relationships will become stronger. And God's Kingdom will prosper! Isn't that exciting!
We are at the doorstep of God's Kingdom. We have the opportunities to participate in something that no man can tear apart. Exciting times are ahead of us. With all of us working together, we have the opportunity to see things we have only dreamed about! God is good!
Here we go! Have a great week! Amen and amen.
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