We got our week started off, by shivering, trying to stay dry, and visiting our friends. We heated up some soup and loaves of bread and took it with us to the camps, it was a welcomed addition to our visits. As we walked to Turner's camp, a few snow flakes started falling. I was reminded, how crazy are these people, getting up early in the morning, walking on frozen ground, dodging snowflakes to go visit our guys. It makes no sense to those who would rather stay home, but we are out there, lvoing others as God as lvoed us.
The camps were cold and wet. The guys were doing the best they could. One of our friends, was shaking so bad, he had a hard time drinking his hot chocolate. The sad part of this past week, the temperatures never got very high, so you could never warm up. Two camps had fires burning in their fire pits, which helped, but when you moved away from the fires, you got cold. We asked if we could take them to a shelter and they said thanks but no.
The morning visits ended up at Smokey's apartment. We were cold, wet, hungry and in need of some warmth. What has become a tradition of sorts, we walked into Smokey's apartment, with him getting out of his oven, hot cornbread muffins, ham and bean soup simmering in his pot and a delicious deer meat casserole! Some of the guys from around the complex was coming by to eat a little and Smokey said to them, ya'll need to come back at 12:30, we need to let the church people eat first! What a treat, what a servant of God!
Sunday, our guys who live outside were treated to a special Holiday meal by our friends from Christ United Methodist church. Sara LaFortune and her youth group went around to all the camps, picked up the guys and brought them to the church. They played games, had a great meal, were treated to some nice gifts and got to visit with Santa! Even Turner was there, Sara got a great picture of him with Santa! I asked the guys about it and they went on and on about, who did what, who got that prize, can't believe that guy won! It was great to hear the excitement of the afternoon in their voices.
Our afternoon activities continue to stay strong, with lots of help and children willing to learn. Missing some of Centenary students, God provided unexpected others filling in for them. It is a blessing to see each child having their own helper and enjoying each other's company.
Tuesday evening, our men's fellowship was led by Tim. A big group, talking about the fear of God. Some translations talk about, respect of God, others said the reverence of God. When we start to know God, we begin to understand what God is all about. He lvoes us, only wants what is best for us, nothing more. Those who don't know God may have a fear of Him because they don't know Him. Do you know God? Does God know you?
Thursday our chapel time and meal was provided by our friends at Cypress Baptist church. What a treat to have them all with us, the youth helping with children's church, serving our meal and cleaning up after wards. We had a big crowd, even Santa showed up and visited with everybody! It was a good evening, with some challenges but with God's help we got through it all.
Prayers for my wife who continues to struggle to get to feeling better. She goes back to the doctor Thursday, so hopefully after the visit she be able to get to feeling stronger. Prayers for Ms Dorothy. She has moved in with her sister. She has come down with a bad cold, along with all the other struggles she is going through, not doing well. Prayers for our upcoming Christmas Market, those who will be helping and those who will be coming. Prayers for those traveling during the holidays.
We have a birthday this coming week. Momma T has her big day Wednesday. Happy birthday Momma T, you are a blessing to us all!
We will have an unexpected visit this week from a group of college students from Ohio. Friends of the Fuller foundation, who will be visiting us on Wednesday. We hope to put them to work, doing some painting around the center.
Don't forget our Christmas Market will be next Saturday, the 21st. Set up will be Friday evening. We can use your help and your smiles.
Due to the Market being set up, we will not have our breakfast on the 21st. Please join us in January and get the new year started off right!
Next Thursday we will have our Christmas meal. Lots of good food, Santa will visit, medical van will be with us, come and enjoy.
Lvoe and love. Had someone ask me, did you know you misspelled "lvoe". I remember several years ago, after Sarah and the youth finished painting the Bright House, one of the youth put lvoe on the breaker box, facing Ms Abbie's house. Ms Abbie asked me, did you see they misspelled love! You need to fix it mr brian.
During the summers when we have visiting youth groups, we show them around and purposely do not say anything about the spelling. Usually by the time they leave someone will ask, why did you misspell love. With all our new folks, some of you may not know what the spelling all means.
Many years ago, most of our correspondence among us was done by emails. This was before there was a common ground, before there was a center, before there was a garden, before there was a Bright House, before there was Ms Abbie's house, we just had each other and dreams. In this age of fast paced talking, information gained with a click of a mouse, we would share with each other through emails and texts. One of our folks, typed faster than her brain could react and would always typed lvoe instead of love. When you read her emails, you knew it was from her because of her spelling of love.
Gradually over the years, the spelling of love because second nature with us and we all began to spell love, lvoe. Then we started to say, maybe our lvoe is different than the love we have known for all these years. Now it has become to symbolize our recognition of God's lvoe in us and through us lvoing others as God has lvoed us.
Our lvoe should be unconditional, should be compassionate, should be nonjudgmental, should be with joy, should be respectful. God has done the same for us, He wants us to do the same for others.
Let us celebrate the birth of our Savior this season and then the coming year with lvoe in our hearts, filling our community with the light of Christ, breaking down barriers and starting new relationships with all who we meet. Amen and amen!
Peace and joy to all this week, Praising God in all we do and say in our days ahead!
No comments:
Post a Comment