i love these people. last night was amazing. i'll start with a confession. i was a little worried. a little stressed. as far as i knew at 2 yesterday, there were going to be 3 of us. and as i laid down on the couch to shut my eyes for 15 minutes, i talked to God... rather He talked to me a little. when i finally allowed myself to slow down and stop moving, He simply reminded me of a great many things. it was like he was chuckling at me. like i was talking really fast, and He listened patiently and then gently said "are you finished?" so when i finally said "yes", He gently but firmly reminded me that this thing we do on Sunday nights has never been something i have been in control of. i've never had to worry about who would be there or who would drive or how we would get all the food cooked or where we would cook... these have all been non-issues. He has always propelled this thing... not me and not lindsay and not anyone else. and so i gave it back to Him and trusted Him to do immeasurably more than all i ask or imagine. and He did. the 3 people i had anticipated, turned into 11. and the food got cooked. and we had plenty of drivers. and holly was amazing to take reigns in the kitchen. and it all worked beautifully. probably because we weren't driving it. He was... and He does all things well.
even before we left, i had a great time. i had an amazing time of fellowship last night with friends. i don't know what made it so great, but it was restful and enjoyable and meaningful. i laughed... and of all the things i do on a regular basis, that's one of my very favorites. i'm not sure what it was that was so enjoyable, but perhaps it's simple. perhaps our hearts are growing together by the way we are serving alongside each other. i kind of love the idea that rather than laughing, quoting some movie we just saw together, we'll laugh quoting some joke earl made at the park last night. maybe i'm weird, but i love that.
we cooked jambalaya, collard greens, cornbread, and cookies last night. we packed it up. and we went downtown. saturday was our friend, john's birthday. so we took him a cupcake and lit a candle and had him make a wish. and in all my years of experience going to birthday parties, i've never seen someone wish so hard and so sincerely. so we sang. that one song you sing when it's someone's birthday. and we laughed with him and hugged him and wished with him. and we continued to spread ourselves out over the park and spend time with the other people there. we saw old friends and made new ones. i was asked for my hand in marriage. i was begged for my hand in marriage. i assured the man that i would cause him more trouble than he wanted and he would later regret the rash decision. he promised to ask me again in 10 years. i feel like we rejoiced with people last night. i met maria, who had been hit by a car recently and has arthritis in her legs. she found a shopping cart to help her get around. she had seen the doctor and was getting her medicine this week. so i made sure she had bus fare to get it... and we rejoiced. john had a birthday birthday and told us about the few days of work he'd had last week and the promise of work for this week... and we rejoiced. and i met alfonzo who had just discovered he would be getting his SSI check on june 1... and we rejoiced. and then i talked to my good friend tex, who told me he got a job in cumming for the next month that would guarantee him to get his much needed glasses which, in turn, guarantees him more work... and we rejoiced. and nancy liked my collard greens and we made plans together for her upcoming week to find work... and we rejoiced. and earl... well earl made me laugh more than anyone else yesterday. and i met perez at the church who explained what his life used to be like, and how he came to sleep on the steps of the church, and how he is working hard to set right the mistakes of the past... and he and i rejoiced together that our Gods are the same God. that He's faithful and full of grace. and i shared how He has been that way in my life, and he shared how God's been those things to him. and we rejoiced.
and there is still great need. and we learn more of it every week. and at the core of me, i want to fix it all. but i got in the car with my friends at the end of the night and i rejoiced with them. i looked at and listened to each of them and i loved them each so much. we told our own stories from the evening, and realized that we're doing something right. john calls us his guardian angels. nancy is moved by our taking time to make good meals... not just sandwiches like everyone else. and quiet cordell got a thank you card and got a bunch of people to sign it for us. and when i went to hug him and tell him thank you for the card, he simply said "life works both ways." and he really summed it all up right there. we're not just going there to offer them something out of our abundance... they have so many things to offer us as well. the people i've met over the last couple of months are much more interesting that i may ever be... and there are things to be learned from them. and they can minister to us too.
and so what started out to be a stressful and tiring afternoon, turned into one of the most peaceful and rewarding nights i've had in a long time. thanks to all who came, all who prayed, and all who wanted to be there but couldn't. thanks to all who encourage us and love us and support us. we're going to just simply keep doing this. and if, for some reason, one day we can't do this... we will still do this in other ways in our lives. i am convinced that each of us has and will be forever changed. praise God!
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