Last Saturday, we started off the morning by hosting a talk in the chapel given by Dr. Julie Dodge. She was being sponsored by First Methodist Church talking about social justice and the realities of poverty. We visited our friends living outside. One of our friends, now living inside, made the comment, I don't need a water jug, I now have water that comes out of the wall! Wow, things we take for granted! Another stop reminded me of how blessed some of us are. We found our friends, sitting on cardboard boxes underneath a tree with their dog trying to get out of the heat. Sad, sad! To my amazement, their dispositions were great, excited to see us! We are very blessed!
Monday was a "spooky" afternoon filled with fun and games! Many of our tutors and children dressed up in costumes, competing for prizes and treats! We had a dance off! Sorry to say Joey did not make the finals! Mother may I was a hit, with Lisa! Chuck confused the kids as he called out green light, red light! Not sure who had the most fun, the kids or the tutors!
Tuesday evening, the men of the community gathered for Bible fellowship. Brother George led the discussions from Ephesians.
Thursday got started off with a huge rummage sale in the green area. Didn't realize we had so much stuff in the two story! Everything was 25 cents at the beginning until darkness set in, then it was all you can take! We made room for our Christmas Market items beginning to come in. Chapel was led by a new friend of ours and of course the playing of the piano and singing of Ms Abbie. Z's supper was the best. The Market was busy. We had lots of help from the students from several Centenary sport teams. A great evening.
Congratulations to all our Chicago Cub fans!
Don't forget to move back your clocks Sunday morning.
Prayers for Hat and Karl. Hat is home with a broken leg. Prayers for Michele Sauls and her family as they deal with the health of her mom.
How many times have we heard, God has a plan for your life. Yea right, if he does, what is it, some of us would say. God's timing is perfect, wait on it, I have been told. My lack of patience prevents me from doing that! God will make a way for us, if we just believe and have faith. Sounds good, but is it really true?
Last weekend I was looking through some old pictures and videos of the past of Common Ground. There are pictures of before there was a Common Ground! We often think things are going so slowly in our hopes and dreams for the future of our community. But looking at the reminders of the past, you think, wow, we have come a long ways in a short amount of time. Maybe there is something to this idea of God's timing and waiting on Him?!
As I was watching a video of one of our first Christmas parties, taken in 2005, I saw a face in the crowd that startled me. I continued to watch the video, but I kept thinking about that face and wondering, did I really see that person? I finished watching the video and then replayed it, stopping at the moment of this amazing capture. Yes, there it was, a face I knew now, but not 11 years ago.
I began to wonder, I don't know her story? Why didn't she say something to me, when I met her for the first time, that she had been to Common Ground before? My mind started to ask questions of all sorts of things.
So I brought the video to the office Monday for Joey to see if he recognized our friend, he did immediately! Chuck walks in, he watches the video, he immediately agrees! We were all amazed at what we are seeing! We ask each other, did you know, have you heard, what do you think??? It was agreed, when our "old" friend gets to the center we will ask her the 30 questions we have about her past! Not too long after that, she arrives and we escort her into the office to show her the video. She was not sure what was going on, walking into the office with some concern for her safety! Then Joey plays the video!
About midway through the video showing people sitting at the tables, enjoying the Christmas meal having a good time, she blurts out, there's my mother, my aunt, my cousin, look there's my oldest son, oh know there I am! With a huge smile on her face, she sees herself and her family helping us serve our Christmas meal! I look at her, a smile indescribable, tears in her eyes, words can not express the expression of amazement!
Tuesday evening, the men of the community read in Ephesians 1: 5 . . . he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will. . . then in 11: In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will . . . Folks, I don't know if you believe about all of this predestined theories or not, but as of last Monday, I am a believer!
Oh yea, I forgot to say, our "old" friend is Z Washington! She had just moved back to Shreveport. She came with her Aunt to help us out that night. She was so amazed at the video, she took a picture of her family and called her Aunt to ask about that night, she doesn't remember! Her Aunt even told her, her son got a present from Common Ground, something that was on his Christmas list!
Several months ago, Z had the opportunity to accept a new job. The pay was good with benefits, but she chose to stay with us, saying she felt she was in the place God wanted her to be. Well she was right! God was preparing her a place, 11 years ago, a place where she could do God's work and bless us all by her presence!
You have a place in God's Kingdom. He has prepared a way for you. If you don't know what your place is and where it is, you need to ask Him! He will bless you beyond your imagination! Ask Z her story, she will gladly share how God prepared a way for her to us! Amen
Have a great week. God is good! All the time, these past 11 years and more to come!
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