We got our week started off in a good way by sharing breakfast with our community. Momma T and her kitchen crew cooked up goodies enjoyed by all. We enjoyed French toast, bacon, strawberry and blueberry toppings, yummy! One more breakfast this year! December 21, don't miss it!
Following breakfast we broke up into our groups. We visited our guys in the camps, all doing fine. Met some new friends and old friends have returned. Robert has joined Brad at his camp. Matt talked about their visits into the neighborhood, sharing a story about a gentleman they met. He said, the churches are upset with us. Doing things in the neighborhood for the folks, providing food for our neighbors, chapel times. We have tried for years to build relationships with the churches but have not made a connection yet. But we can't wait, God is pushing us forward. In His time, we will all come together and tremendous things will happen.
We finished our visits with stopping by to check on Smokey. He showed us into his apartment and the first thing he did was to reach out his cane and push on the Christmas lights on his new tree! He was so proud of his Christmas tree. The first one he has had in 35 years! All because of you all. He feels like this is his home now, welcomed into our community, a place where he can rest, share his stories, be cared for and lvoed. His smile never left him while we visited with him. Amazing to see God at work in this man. One other story about Smokey, with the help of Hat and Karl, he feels now it is the time to contact his family in Illinois. He says they do not know if he is alive or not, so he is in the process of creating a journal/letter to them about his life and where he is now.
Our last week of afternoon activities before the Thanksgiving break went by in a hurry. The children run over when they see our college students drive up, wanting to be with them as soon as they arrive! Great to see and hear the interactions of them all.
Tuesday evening, Brother Elbert led us in our mens Bible fellowship reading from Ephesians 4, talking about anger and forgiveness. If our hearts are full of anger or bitterness, there is no room for the lvoe of Jesus. We need to get rid of it by turning it all over to God. We had a challenge offered to the men, who do we need to forgive this week, do it and feel the peace of Christ come upon you. A challenge we all need to take on.
We had our annual Thanksgiving meal Thursday evening. What a great evening.
We had the honor of our first lady pastor to share the Word for us. A young lady who is going through seminary and interning at Grace, Kelly Berne. She did a great job and hoping to get her back in the coming year. We knew she was coming but did not have any musician lined up, so mr brian was trying to put something together on the computer. Not doing a very good job and getting frustrated, after Kelly walks in, one of the musicians from Grace comes in and says I am here to play and sing! So we were treated to have Mickie play her guitar and led us in worship. Did I say God is good! Always providing!
Through the hard work of Lisa and Abbey all week, they had everything prepared to make everything run smoothly for the evening. We had a great meal provided by some of our old friends, lots of good help in the kitchen, groceries were all bagged up ready to go and then the community had their personal shoppers as they were treated to more goodies in the Friendship Room.
We had the medical van in the parking lot checking on our community, we had children's church going on and Momma T and her girls Bible study was all happening! What an evening. Many thanks to all for making it all such a special evening.
We will be having our meal Thanksgiving day at our regular time. A simple meal of soup and bread will be provided for those who might need a meal. If you want to join us, please do so. It is a good time to sit down with each other and visit.
Don't forget this Sunday, the Ackermans will be hosting their monthly supper at 6.
Continue to lift up William. Matt took him to the Rescue Mission and he was settling in there, but now he has been transported to a rehab unit behind LSU hospital. Joey asked for prayers to him and Allison. Both will be preaching this Sunday. Joey at a church in Bossier and Allison in her church in Atlanta, very cool! We had an old friend show up Thursday and he asked for prayers, Richard is back! Richard is now living with his daughter. He is glad to be off the streets, but is struggling with his living arrangements. Keep warm thoughts going our way, as a cold front approaches us, with very cold temperatures, for our guys living outside.
As I was driving around in a neighborhood this week, I started to notice holiday banners on the light posts. Very nice at first. The banners were colorful, saying Peace, Joy, Happy Holidays, Holiday Traditions. As I drove around, I started looking for the Merry Christmas banner? I didn't drive the entire complex but of the 20 or so banners I saw, didn't see a Merry Christmas banner!
As we all know for many years now, people have been wanting to take Christ out of Christmas. But it hit me in seeing the banners and looking for the Merry Christmas banner, if it weren't for Christ there would be no Christmas. It all starts with Christ. This week we were asked to get rid of our bad thoughts. How do you do that, through Christ. We are told to forgive, but we can't on our own, only through Christ can we forgive. We ask our neighbors to stop fighting, shooting each other, stealing, using drugs. Change will come when Christ enters their hearts. How do we not let our addictions control our lives, through Christ. How do we lvoe one another, through the lvoe of Christ.
By taking Christ out of Christmas, we are taking the one thing away that will change the world. It all starts with Christ and it will all end with His coming. We see it all the time as new people come and visit our community, they see something or they feel something, they do not see or feel in any other place. It is not because of us, but because of Christ. Christ is first, now and forever! Amen.
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving week with family and friends. Don't forget to put Christ first in everything you do this week!
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