Our week got started off early but participating in a fun event Friday night. Lots of nice presents were brought, met new friends and lots of great exposure for our community. Saturday was no different. We had a group of girl scouts join us on our visits. Our outdoor friends always like meeting new people and sharing their stories with them. Saturday we also had our first? But unfortunately we can't reveal it quite yet?! You will have to wait until next week! Lots of bread was wrapped and stored away. Our Geaux Bags ministry was in full swing with lots of helpers. Lots of Joy on Saturday.
We said goodbye to our school children Wednesday afternoon for their holiday break. The noise level was pretty high as games, snacks and presents were presented to them all! Joyful laughter was all around the center.
Tuesday evening the men and women of the community gathered for Bible fellowship. The men read from Mark 4: 36 - 41, talking about Jesus calming the rough seas. Hard to find Joy when we are going through our storms but knowing God is by our side, Joy will be there.
Pastor Doyle and his church came Thursday evening and brought Joy to us all. Pastor and Ms Abbie led our chapel time, the rest of the congregation served our food, worked in the clothing room, helped in the Market, cleaned the tables and visited with our community. Joy was everywhere Thursday night.
Don't forget to wish our Momma T a very Happy, happy, happy birthday today! She is on the road to find Joy with being with Georgette. May the force be with you all!
For those of you in town, the crew is gathering this morning to turn our center into a festival of lights and gifts. Your help is needed and will be greatly appreciated. Then at 8am Saturday morning, the fun will begin, the Christmas Market will open. Please pray for us all, to remember to have Joy in our hearts as our patience runs out!
I will admit, Joy this week has been hard to find. We have experienced two close deaths. Several of us will go through the holidays without family members. Challenges of life that brings uncertainties. Joy is not the word I would first use.
Last Friday around 2:30, Ardis was notified she was no longer employed by her company. Never, ever good to loose your job, but especially at this time of year. Many of us live from paycheck to paycheck, if we miss one, our world begins to crumble. Ardis is the sole provider with little outside resources, so God will have to carry her through this valley. Prayers will be needed and much appreciated. Joy is not a word I would use in this case, but seeing Ardis turn her life over to Jesus, knowing He has a plan for her, brings Joy to my heart.
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We have lived in our neighborhood since 1977. Many of our neighbors have come and gone but not the man down at the corner. He was always outside working in his yard. We would stop and talk as we pushed our stroller down the sidewalk. As we got to know him, he began to tell us his story. He was always wanting to share Joy with others. Several times during the year, he would dress up as a clown and go visit the children at Shriner's Hospital bringing Joy to the little ones. For 25 years or so, each 4th of July, he would organize a parade around the neighborhood. He had friends at the Fire Department and Sheriff's office. Leading our parades were fire trucks and patrol cars. All the children would decorate their bikes, trikes, wagons, even their dogs and we would all walk behind the blaring sirens and flashlights. Following the parade, we would gather on his manicured lawn for watermelon and hot dogs. In those early years, our homes were full of young children. For several years during Christmas week, he would walk door to door, ring the bell and magically Santa Claus would appear! Our son was so full of Joy as Santa would walk in, give our son a big hug, then ask him, David, just checking to be sure you were a good little boy before I brought your presents to you! A hug and off to the next house, what Joy he would bring to all the children! We lost our neighbor last week. When I drive by his house, I still look to see if I see him. His family, his friends, his neighbors have lost a great person, but knowing he is with his Father, brings Joy to us all.
For the first time, our family will not have the patriarch of the family with us this Holiday season. Our young neice who tragically died will not be with her young children and husband this Christmas season. We are celebrating the life of another neighbor this weekend, who unexpectedly died last week. There are love ones in your families, who will not be with you and your families. Hard to find Joy if we just look at our loss. But if we look at where they are, who they are with, and not having to hurt anymore, then our Joy will return. May we take time to find the Joy in our lives when it is hard to find. Amen.
As we begin the week of the birth of our Savior, Love will be our focus. Love is not hard to find, as long as we focus on the One where our Lvoe comes from! Hope to see you around the center this weekend. Lvoe will be there!
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