We had our long time friends from Crowley, Louisiana come for the third visit this past Friday and Saturday. It was great to see them. They worked hard around the center Friday, went with us on our visits Saturday morning, visited the Hub Saturday afternoon, went to Grace Saturday night and back home Sunday morning! The highlight for me was taking them to visit Smokey Saturday morning. I told Smokey they wanted to come by, so he woke up at 4am, started cooking his beef stew and corn bread for us all, all 30 of us! The basketball team was being fed. John and Jim was hosting another sheet rock mudding party at the Bright House II, a busy morning!
Monday and Wednesdays continue to be a blast with our children in the afternoons. Monday, I tried to find a quiet place to read a book, but all the rooms were occupied with tutors and children! Great to see!
Tuesday evening, the men gathered for their Bible fellowship. Rickie read from Luke 18: 35 - 43, talking about the blind beggar receiving his sight. The boldness of his faith, the eagerness to meet Jesus, all leading him to receive his sight. We all need some of his boldness and eagerness!
Thursday evening was another fun night in the neighborhood. Willie and Ms Abbie got us started in chapel. Alison and Ms Abbie prepared the meal of soup, cornbread and banana pudding, friends helping us clean up, shoppers getting their groceries and clothing, a good night. We had a special surprise, the Luginbill family was passing through and stopped in for a visit. It was great to see Sarah and Scott, but even better to visit with their new pride and joy, Ms Gray.
Joey reminded me, this Saturday is our third Saturday breakfast time. Please join us at 8:30 for some hot coffee, good food and interesting conversations.
Monday, Abbey and her crew will host our Centenary students. Lots of kiddos are coming, so as many as you can come to help supervise and work, please come.
This coming Tuesday evening, the women and men Bible fellowship groups will host a viewing of the movie War Room starting at 6:30 in the chapel. If you haven't seen it or want to see it again, please come and join us.
Prayers for all who need healing and relief from stress. Prayers for those who are looking for God's direction in their lives.
A couple of weeks before Christmas Lomax calls me to see if there was anything going on around Common Ground. He had not been to Shreveport in a while and wanted to see everybody, wanted to see us his extended family. So he and his lady friend Stephanie arrives Friday evening, staying at Momma T's house, where else! They joins us for our visits Saturday morning, and visited with folks around the center.
Then Lomax says to me, you need to leave mr brian! Being as old as I am, I didn't hear that part, but watched as he and Stephanie run across the street to the big magnolia tree. As Lomax does, he began to climb up the tree, followed by Stephanie. I make my way across the street to video the action, so if they fall, I would have video evidence of the tumble! While I was filming, Lomax makes a jester to me to get out of here. Not realizing what he was doing, I continue to be a nuisance. Shortly I am joined by Momma T, Joey and Ardis.
I guess Lomax, seeing his family wasn't going anywhere, quietly reached in his pocket, leaned over to Stephanie and said will you marry me and gave her a ring!
Lomax had planned this event for a long time, to be in a tree, just the two of them, alone without any interruptions or a crowd, but there their family was! God has a way of doing that! Ardis had lost her job the day before, down in the valley of hurt and pain, and a few hours later, on a mountaintop celebrating with two of our children the most special day of their young lives. God has a way of taking away the pain.
Lomax could have chosen any tree in the world, but he chose ours! Lomax chose a place where he grew up, where God touched his life, where he has a family who lvoes him and supports him, a place where he has life long friends, he chose our tree because of all of you.
Lomax could have chosen to be alone with his new fiancee but he chose to be with family. He drove 4 hours to get here. He chose to visit his friends who live under bridges, he visited with those who struggle with life, not to condemn but to lvoe. Where did he learn to do that, from all of you.
Life is hard, it takes everything we have to make it. We loose a job, we get sick, loose a parent, struggle with finances, our relationships deteriorate, you wonder how we can take another step. You think to yourself, what do I have to offer, my life is a mess, nothing good can come of me. But as we got to see, God can take the bad and turn it into good, as we saw to young people agree to become one in the eyes of God.
God is a god of mercy and grace, don't give up. God is a god of patience and kindness, don't turn away. God is god of lvoe and peace, don't miss your blessing. You were created by God, in His image, to do amazing things in His Kingdom, do it! Amen
Hope to see you all for breakfast and next week around the center.
No comments:
Post a Comment