Appreciate What You Have...

 

Our “across the street” neighbor lady likes to use sidewalk chalk to write messages on her drive.  Last week, she posted one that hit especially close to home for me.  The message?  “Appreciate what you have before it turns into what you had.”  In all probability, she got that quote from somewhere…where, I don’t know.  Nevertheless, it’s a great line and deserves to be explored.

 You may think you don’t have very much, or at the least it wouldn’t be a big deal if what little you may have became something you had.  If you’re thinking like that, you need to dig deeper.  “Appreciate what you have.”  Don’t think about only material things.  Think about the “other” things…friends, family, relationships, health, job, spouse…those things we often take for granted in life.  Think about those things and appreciate them, protect them, guard them because these things and these people are more precious than any material thing could ever be.

 And these things can easily be things you once had rather than currently have.  You can easily push friends away from you by inappropriate words or actions.  You can ruin family relationships and your relationship with others in the same ways.  You can throw away your health through unhealthy habits and actions.  You can lose your job and lose your spouse just by uttering words that should never be uttered or engaging in just one act of infidelity or disloyalty.

 Gaining the trust of friends and developing a love for others in deeper relationships are not easy or flippant processs.  Sometimes it takes years to more fully develop the kind of friendships and relationships that we all crave.  However, just a few misplaced and ill-timed spoken or written words can shatter that trust and faith, resulting in broken relationships and the prospect of having to rebuild…sometimes with great cost and difficulty…that trust and faith again.

 And just one act of infidelity, a one-night fling, can destroy or at least forever change the otherwise great relationship you have with your spouse or significant other.  It is so easy to slip into compromising situations…many times without even knowing what is happening until it’s almost too late.

 I can’t begin to tell you how often I’ve had to rebuild relationships or seek new ones over the years.  I also can’t begin to tell you how many times my friends, relatives, and my wife have overlooked and forgiven things I’ve said or done that might otherwise have resulted in a break in trust and faith in me.  It greatly saddens me to know that I have put these my friends, relatives, and yes, my wife through that pain.  Knowing this gives me an even greater resolve to think before I speak, consider before I act, and slow down before I rush headlong.

 Just changing two letters in a small word…turning “have” into “had”…means a life change…a forever difference…a future that will never be what had been.  Please stop and think before stepping off of the pier into the ocean.  Please take the time to weigh the consequences of your words and actions.  Consider who you hold dear before you flippantly or selfishly toss them aside in favor of something or someone you shouldn’t be involved with in the first place.

 Appreciate what you have before it turns into what you had.”  Blessings.

Tim and Clara

 Good morning !!   I was perusing YouTube yesterday during a break and came across this human interest, feel-good story.  You may have seen something about it a few years ago.  Rather than re-tell the story, I will mainly quote from a viral Facebook post about what happened on an airplane between a blind and deaf man named Tim and a young woman, then age 15, whose name is Clara Daly.  A woman named Lynette Scribner tells the story in a June 20, 2018 posting on her Facebook timeline.

Ms. Scribner writes, I saw this gentleman, Tim, in Boston’s Logan airport with his sister that he had been visiting.  It appeared he was both deaf and blind, as I observed her signing into his hand for him to feel her words.  When he came aboard the plane he had been assigned the middle seat of my row.  The kind gentleman named Eric, who had the aisle seat, graciously gave it up for Tim.

At this point, Tim was traveling alone.  The flight attendants sincerely wanted to assist him, but had no way to communicate.  I watched as they didn’t flinch when Tim reached out to touch their faces and arms.  They took his hand and tried so hard to communicate with him, but to no avail.

Tim had some verbal ability, but clearly could not understand them.  Eric did his best to assist him with things like opening coffee creamer and putting it in his coffee.  When Tim made the attempt to stand up and feel his way to the restroom, Eric immediately got up to help him.

The flight attendants were talking among themselves and someone suggested paging to see if anyone on board knew sign language.  They did page that request.  That’s when this lovely young woman, Clara Daly, came into the picture.  Fifteen years old, she learned ASL because she had dyslexia and it was the easiest foreign language for her to learn.

For the rest of the flight she attended to Tim and made sure his needs were met.  It was fascinating to watch as she signed one letter at a time into his hand.  He was able to read her signing and they carried on an animated conversation.  When he asked her if she was pretty, she blushed and laughed as Eric, who had learned a few signs, communicated an enthusiastic “Yes” to Tim.

I don’t know when I’ve ever seen so many people rally to take care of another human being.  All of us in the immediate rows were laughing and smiling and enjoying Tim’s obvious delight in having someone to talk to.  Huge kudos to the flight attendants of Alaska Airlines who went above and beyond to meet Tim’s needs.

I can’t say enough about this beautiful young woman named Clara who didn’t think twice about helping her fellow passenger, and Eric’s instant willingness to assist as well.

It was a beautiful reminder, in this time of too much awfulness, that there are still good, good people who are willing to look out for each other.

This is Jay again.

Can you visualize the scene?  Here’s a 15 year old young woman spending her flight time of about five hours seeing to the needs of a rather grizzled older man who can neither see or hear.  Additionally, a man seated next to him also is helping out as much as he can with the basic needs of this gentleman.

I don’t know Ms. Daly.  Nor do I know Eric or Tim.  I don’t know if these people are aware of Jesus’ teaching on who is their neighbor.  I don’t know if they are familiar with the story of the Good Samaritan or not.  What I do know is that they set an example for us all on being a neighbor to someone, especially someone in need.

If you ever begin wondering just who your neighbor is and what your responsibilities toward your neighbor are, just familiarize, or re-familiarize yourself with the story Jesus told about the Good Samaritan.  Also, review the story of Clara Daly, Eric, and others as they helped this man on a flight across the country.  Then do some soul-searching and come up with the answer that is blaring at you in bright flashing lights.  Then, love your neighbor as you love yourself.

 

Blessings.

I Feel So Dumb...

 I have become somewhat addicted to the East Idaho News videos on YouTube where the news staff has taken on the responsibility for handing out thousands of dollars in gifts to deserving people in the Eastern Idaho area, complements of an anonymous Secret Santa who evidently lives somewhere in the area.  This past Christmas, Secret Santa gave away one million dollars in cash and gifts, including cars, gift cards, cashier’s checks, and other gifts that truly make a difference and change the lives of these people and their families.

Nominations for beneficiaries of these gifts come in from the public and are vetted by the East Idaho News staff in consultation with the Secret Santa.  They together make the decision what to give.  Then the news crew finds the beneficiary and gives the gifts.

I recently watched one video where a woman with five children had just buried her husband following a protracted and painful illness.  Secret Santa decided to pay for the funeral, which had just occurred a few days before the visit by the news crew, give a five thousand dollar cashier's check, and provide several thousand dollars in gift cards.  The woman was stunned and truly grateful for the help.

There are usually many comments below the video.  Below this particular video, the comment at the top of the page was this:  “I feel dumb and ashamed when I complain about insignificant things. They just suffered a terrible loss. May our heavenly father watch over and be with this family. Give them comfort and love.”

I read the comments somewhat regularly.  This comment stopped me in my tracks.  “I feel dumb and ashamed when I complain about insignificant things...”  Many people posted replies to this comment, agreeing with it and commenting further.  The comment really hit a nerve for many.

What the woman who was the beneficiary of the Secret Santa gifts went through definitely would NOT be insignificant.  This woman cared for her ill husband for about 10 years...nursed him through a kidney transplant...and cared for him through his terminal cancer, all the while holding the family together and caring for five kids.  She had just finished the funeral memorial and didn't have the funds to pay for the funeral...the home agreed to put it on payments for her.  “I feel dumb and ashamed when I complain about insignificant things.”

When one looks at what this woman and family have gone through, most everything that we encounter in our lives looks more and more like the “insignificant things” that the woman referred to in her comment.  I know we all have issues in life.  I know things don’t always go our way, and for some of us, things are tough right now.  However, many of us complain loud and long about the most trivial of inconveniences in life.  We think that our few aches and pains, our temporary setbacks, our not being able to live our lives exactly as we had planned, our inability to turn the world around and make it all go our own self-centered way...we think we're the ones who are so abused.  We pout.  We get angry.  We push others out of the way.  We have pity parties for ourselves.  We complain loudly about the unfairness of it all.  We are concerned only with  ourselves and how we can get things to go our way again.

“I feel dumb and ashamed when I complain about insignificant things.”

I know it's tough to do, but I'm asking you right now to give an account of yourself when some “insignificant thing” comes into your life.  How do you react?  What do you do?  What do you say?  What do you think?  How do you act?  What kind of a person do you become?

The next time you're tempted to throw a pity party for yourself, throw everyone else under the bus in a fit of self=centeredness, or scream about the unfairness of it all, STOP.

Think of this one sentence.   “I feel dumb and ashamed when I complain about insignificant things.”

Blessings.

Think On These Things

 Just when you think things can't get any worse...just when you think that the world is going to hell in a hand basket...just when you think that greed, self-centeredness, hatred, jealousy and dissension have taken over humanity...you see the flowers of love, generosity, patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control grow and bloom...and once more you begin to recover your faith and choose not only to see the good and right, but you determine more than ever to emulate that good and right in your own life.

Now, that's a rather strong way to begin this Thursday thought.  I have become convinced, however, over the past weeks and months that there is far more good in the world than we are led to believe by social media, the news media, and the shrill voices spewing hatred and dissension.  There is a reason why the good is often tamped down, and the bad and evil are emphasized.  Darkness hates light.  Evil revels in and encourages chaos.  The bad seeks to recruit others into lives of greed and selfishness.

But turn off the negativity and darkness that is constantly invading your conscience, and look around you.  I've been working at doing that for some time now, and I can see the goodness, the gentleness, the generosity, and the kindness popping up all over.  And if you too turn off those voices of darkness...if you refuse to buy into the schlock that is constantly peddled, tune out the shrill shrieks of doom and fear, look outside of yourself and open your eyes, you'll see those things too.

You want some examples?  OK, here are some things I'm seeing right now...today...that give me hope and flesh out God's promise to renew His creation.

On a larger scale, I see a person in the Idaho Fall, Idaho area who is anonymously giving away one million dollars this year to deserving people and families.  This is the sixth or seventh year that this has been going on, and this person’s generosity is changing lives. 

I see a municipal court judge in Rhode Island who issues rulings with compassion and takes the time to see into someone’s life before issuing his rulings.  His court is one that should be an example for all who deal with matters of law and justice, tempered with mercy.

On a more local level, I see people going to work in jobs that would test the sanity of many of us.  School workers of all kinds, health care workers of all kinds, public servants of all kinds.  I particularly know of a psychologist for the Wichita Public Schools who gives her best even when faced with trauma and emotional issues that would be unbelievable for many.  I also know of a para for the 259 district and a bus monitor for 259 who both give their all for the kids they interact with on a daily basis, doing what they can to make their kids’ days the best they can possibly be.

I know of people within our congregation who look out for the elderly in our church family, who check up on and create social contact with those who can’t get out and around.  We have people who provide food and financial help for others, who go out of their way to provide transportation and comfort.  Most of these church members do these things quietly and without fanfare or recognition.

I know people who volunteer to work at the Lord’s Diner, at food pantries, in the schools, and in many, many other ways…each one doing just a little something to make that corner of the world a little better place.  And I know people who have formed non-profit organizations right here in Wichita to combat human trafficking, homelessness, prostitution, hunger, poverty, mental illness, and many other societal ills.  People such as Jennifer, Michelle, Julie, Rachel, Laura, and others who give selflessly of their time and treasure to make a difference.  One.  Person.  At. A. Time.

I know people serving in government, both in elected office as well as hourly or salaried employees who go to work every day, doing the right thing for the right reason.  Their work is often misunderstood, and they sometimes take a lot of rubbish from the public.  But they persist and prevail in redeeming the creation…or at least a small corner of it.

I see people paying it forward…they themselves having received from someone now giving back in some way.  Whether that be in the drive-up window line at a fast food place or in the check out line at a WalMart or Target…or maybe someone buying some fuel for someone else at a Quik Trip…people are paying it forward.

I see the generosity of my church family when I hear of a special need of someone in our church family…I ask others in the family to help out.  Sometimes the generosity of those people is much, much greater than the specific special need.

I see moms and dads raising kids…some who are special needs…and some of whom have great medical and emotional need.  I see good people adopting kids.  I see good people fostering kids.  I see people mentoring kids.  I see people being surrogate grandparents for kids.  I see people all over who are investing their lives…their time, energy, talent, and treasure into the next generations.

And the above examples are just a microcosm of the work going on in the world to make things better for others…to provide a brighter path for living…to bring hope to those who have no hope.

Look around.  Turn off the naysayers, the negative, the fearmongering.  Look instead for the goodness.  Begin to live there, in the meadowlands of hope, compassion, kindness, and gentleness instead of in the desert of hopelessness and fear.  As Paul the great Apostle says in his letter to the Philippian church, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Will You Join Us?

 Last Monday morning, I came into the office a little earlier than I normally do.  I had a meeting scheduled at 9am and wanted to be here in plenty of time in the event the person I was meeting came a little early.  I needn’t have come in early, however, because the person I was meeting was actually late getting here.  My Monday wasn’t starting out very well, it seemed.

A little later in the morning, our youth minister, CJ, came into the office.  He walked past my office door toward his office, and as he passed my door, he greeted me and asked me how I was doing.  CJ usually does this when he comes in, and I have begun to respond to him with something other than, “Fine,” or “I’m OK today,” or some other of the usual phrases that people give to that greeting.

That day, I was feeling kind of down.  The early arrival that day along with the late meeting didn’t help that any, but there were other things on my mind that were weighing me down that day.  We have a number in our congregation who are ill or fighting chronic health issues.  We just had a memorial service for a long-time member the week before and have other members whose time on earth is numbered.

We had the lowest attendance at worship services the day before that we’ve had in a long while.  The class I taught on Sunday didn’t seem to “flow” very well.  And I’ve been fussing with some kind of a pinched nerve in my hip that hurts whenever I walk.

Additionally, there is the constant barrage of political stuff, shootings, COVID-related issues, and other societal ills that come our way on the news and in social media.  Sometimes, it seems that things are getting worse and worse with no end in sight.

And, for perhaps one of the first and only times since I’ve been part of the church staff…that’s been 10 years now…as I was coming in to work that morning, I wasn’t very enthused about doing so.  I think I would much rather have stayed home that day.

Normally, I very much enjoy what I do here.  I look forward to the day and the work of the day.  But on that Monday, I was not in that kind of mood.  I would much rather have gone for a drive in the country and forget about work that day.

So, when CJ came by and asked me how I was doing, I asked him to step into the office and close the door.  He did and after I said to him, “You asked,” I proceeded to tell him how I was doing…not well.

I won’t go into the conversation in detail, but I will tell you that it struck a nerve with both of us.  We commiserated regarding the state of how things were, both in the church and in society, and took the conversation on side trips that touched on several aspects of life and living.  We talked about the future and what that means for those who are Christians.  We talked about the passage of time, acknowledged past regrets, and future apprehensions.  We spoke of the heaviness of burden-bearing as ministers and pastors.  I spoke of the relatively short time I have left on the earth, and we both recognized that we have squandered some of the time we’ve already been given, and that time and opportunities for making a difference in the lives of our families, friends, and others were growing shorter for the both of us.  And we talked about the fact that we both like to be in control of our lives…and that when the end comes, we will have no control over anything…that we will have to rely on the promises of God that we find in the Bible to bring us into the eternity that we believe He has promised for those who are His.

We ended that impromptu meeting with a man hug and a prayer.  And we both felt much better the rest of that day…and on into the next days, for that matter…because of our honesty with each other and “getting it out,” so to speak, getting out into the open those things which were building up inside us over the last weeks and months.

I don’t know where you are in life right now.  I don’t know if you have it all together and are merrily going on your way down life’s path, or if you are wrestling with the issues of the day and how they affect you physically, mentally, emotionally, and yes…spiritually.  I don’t know if you often look at your life past and dwell on the regrets or if you look at the past with great joy and peace.  I don’t know if you gaze into the future and find joy and excitement there, or if you see apprehension and fear of the unknown.

Or maybe you aren’t concerned with the past and the future and are just trying your best to get through the next hour or two.  You may be looking forward only to tonight when hopefully the cacophony will calm down and let you rest a little.

Whatever your situation, and wherever you are in life, know that you are not alone.  Seek out someone you can talk with who will understand and share life with you.  If you’re a Christian…a Christ-follower…find time in your day or your week to just be…no doing…just being.  Let God’s love overflow you and bring you contentment and peace even in the midst of the chaos.  Make it a priority to spend time with the One who created you and knows you better than you know yourself.

I don’t know how you best can do that.  It isn’t necessary that you sit in a dark closet for all of that time unless that’s your thing.  Different people have different ways of connecting with God.  Find the way that you enjoy and that brings you into communion with Him.  Make it a practice to meet Him regularly.

Our church staff will do that today…this afternoon.  We all will stand down this afternoon as part of our work day to just be.  The office will be closed.  The phones will not be answered.  Our social media will be shut off.  We will not be in our offices or even at the building.  We plan to, in whatever ways work best for us, be in touch with our Creator for three hours, from 1pm to 4pm.  Will you join us?

Time to Be

 

Something that often comes through nowadays whenever one hears the COVID-related news reports is the fact that caregivers…nurses, ancillary staff, physicians, maintenance and housekeeping people…and even others such as pastors, counselors, and others…are tired.  And that tiredness goes on to those in other vocations such as customer service, education, public health, and hospitality.  It seems like we all are tired…tired of the illness…tired of the restrictions…tired of hearing of yet more preventable deaths…tired of fighting what seems to be a never-ending, uphill, and at times unwinnable battle against not only a microscopic speck of DNA, but also against ignorance, selfishness, coarse behavior, violent acting-out, and other societal ills.

 I believe we are ALL tired.

 However, for many of us, finding the time to rest and refresh is more of a pipe dream than a reality.  It seems we are being called to do ever more with less…to improvise…to pack more work into fewer hours…to put out ever larger and more frequent fires in our lives.

 That reality has hit home in my vocation.  The staff at the church where I work is also tired.  We have had two deaths in our church family in just the last week or so.  We have others who are hanging on for life.  Some in our church family have incurable illness and are awaiting their time to go.  Others have chronic, but not yet life-threatening illness.  And still others are dealing with family breakup, mental health issues, spiritual issues, work-related issues, financial woes, unemployment, failing health, caring for children issues, and other assorted ailments physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

 And we ourselves as staff feel overwhelmed…having our own set of problems to deal with, even as we provide comfort, spiritual guidance, and service to others in our spiritual family.  And then there is the ever-present reality of carrying on with church services, Sunday School classes, and the day-to-day, week-by-week routine of what church is and does.

 As I thought about all of this earlier this week, it came to me that perhaps it would do our church staff good if we took some time away from normal work and just refreshed through meditation and prayer.  So I asked staff to set aside an afternoon next week for just such a thing.  For three hours next Thursday afternoon, we will close the office, not answer our phones or engage in social media.  We will do whatever it is that we do to refresh, meditate and pray, whether that be going for a walk, listening to music, sitting quietly, putting a puzzle together…whatever it might be.  We will consider these to be work hours, but will not engage in the ordinary and routine of work.  Hopefully, we will find refreshment, a measure of peace and contentment, and a little less overwhelmed-feeling at the end of that time.  And hopefully, we will have, during this time, given our burden over to the God who is willing and able to bear them all and relieve us of the burden of carrying them alone.

 I don’t know what your circumstance in life is at the moment.  However, if you can join us on that day, that would be so good…and if you can’t during that time, perhaps you can set aside a time of your own next week…just to be and not do.  As has been said, we are human beings, not human doings.  We need to take the time to just be.

 Join us if you can, Thursday the 20^th from 1pm to 4pm.  Blessings.

Life's Preciousness

  This is from my cousin Rachel, who has these last years endured the  hell of spousal deception, abuse, and finally his suicide.  There is truth in this post well beyond Rachel's years...for us all.

Some days it still amazes me; the amount of pieces of my life I still find myself putting back together. Unpacking dishes into my new (to me!) China cabinet today has me thinking and thanking. Some of these things I haven't seen in years. Some I packed away and tucked into a box because I knew they weren't safe in my home anymore. Some were packed by people I didn't even know who reached out to help a broken woman in some of her darkest days and have sat in that packaging for more time than I want to count. I know they are material possessions, but every one of the items I have found today holds significance and value to me. Some were gifts, some passed down by family. Some I bought myself in the days before I knew what hell looked like. Some I thought I had lost and there are tears of joy, because every single thing I have seen today holds and sparks a precious memory. Some remind me of the humility and safety of strangers helping hands, and remind me to always try to be that helping hand to someone else. Somehow it all reminds me of the preciousness of life. The preciousness of enjoying beauty and grace, and everything we have in the right now of our life. It reminds me that pieces of yourself you thought you had lost can be found. Pieces of yourself that are lost forever can be remade, rebuilt and restored into an even greater part of who you are and a treasure. Those pieces make you stronger. Softer. More aware and thankful for every gift that you are given. Yeah, I know; seems like a strange realization and thought for simply a bunch of dishes and material possessions, but sometimes God uses those things in life that bring beauty and aesthetics to remind us of His care. His love. His restoration and rebuilding. Thankful today for simple joys. Simple life. Simple thanking and washing, and making of beauty. Simple love and peace from a God who sees all, knows all, loves all, and restores all for His good.

"And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten... And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you..."

Joel 2:25‭-‬26 

It's the Little Things

 

Good morning.

 Yesterday as I was coming in to work, I received a phone call from my wife, who was already at work.  She asked me if I was still at home.  I said I wasn’t and asked what she needed.  She said she left her phone somewhere and wasn’t sure where it was.  It could have been, she said, at home or possibly have fallen out of her coat pocket and was in her car at work.  She said she had wanted me to check at home, but was busy that morning and didn’t really have time to go out to the car to look for it.

I was on Kellogg not far from the house, so turned around at an interchange and went back to look for it.  Once I got home, I did a quick search, but found nothing.  Dialing her number, I listened for her ring.  It was not there.  Now, I know I have the “find phone” feature on her phone, but didn’t think to access it until later.  So much for modern technology…it can’t help you if you don’t think to use it.

Knowing that she was going to have a busy day, I went on over to WSU Tech Old Town and went in to the office.  They know me by sight there as I stop in from time to time.  I told the receptionist why I was there and asked her if she could get the key fob so I could look for the phone in the car.  She went back to Pat’s office, but came back saying she was in a meeting.  The receptionist Then sent a message to her and received an OK to interrupt the meeting.

Going back to her office a second time, she came back with the fob.  I went out to the car and quickly found the phone on the seat.  I went back in and gave both the fob and the phone to the receptionist, who later returned it to Pat.

OK.  I tell you this story, not to give myself a pat on the back for going “above and beyond,” so to speak, for my wife.  These are the kinds of things we do for each other without really thinking about it that much, so it wasn’t anything special for me.

However, I had to wonder about the young receptionist, the security officer also in the reception area, and the person who was meeting with my wife.  They all knew the story and knew what I had done.  I wonder if they took note of the relationship the two of us have with each other, and how that relationship worked in a very practical way to the benefit of one.  Later that evening, I found out what the two young women…the receptionist and the security officer…thought.  Evidently, I made quite a stir with them because of what I did for Pat, because they spoke to her in glowing terms about her husband.  OK, I’ll tell you now that if you know me, you know that I don’t really “glow” very much…I’m pretty much just a routine sort of guy.  However, there is a lesson here.

All too often, as Christians we think that going about our everyday lives and routines is about as far as it gets from evangelism and planting the seeds of the good news message of Jesus.  And I don’t know how my service to my wife this particular time will make any difference or not in the lives of anyone else.  But I have to believe that somewhere along the line of life and living, these kinds of acts of service are at times noticed by those who have a tender heart for the seeds of love and kindness to drop on to.  I have to believe that God can take something even as mundane as finding a phone and make it into something useful and wonderful for His Kingdom.

It’s the little things, people.  It’s the ordinary, routine, mundane things of living that often bring about the greatest of change for the good in ourselves and others.  Don’t go through life in a fog, thinking only of yourself.  Think of the little ways you can demonstrate God’s love.  Let the car trying to merge into your lane go in front of you.  Help someone who can’t reach the top shelf at the grocery store get the item they want.  And while we’re on grocery stores, look around when you park to see if you can take someone’s cart back to the store for them.  You’ll help them as well as the employee who has to go out and bring them all back in.  Say “Please,” and “Thank you,” often.  Open a door for someone…anyone.  Volunteer at your favorite non-profit.  And if you can’t volunteer, be a cheer leader for them and the work they do.  Don’t push others out of the way by being in such a rush when going through your day.  Apologize when you are wrong or use a poor choice of words.  Find a way to make the day of a loved one a little easier.  And listen.  Listen to others more than you talk.  Above all, be kind toward others; tenderhearted, forgiving others.

These are all things that can make a huge difference in the lives of others.  And these are all things that can scatter that seed of the Kingdom of God in the world.  Try it…I think you’ll like it.

 

Blessings

An Epiphany

 

A few months ago, our neighbors across the street and down a house sold their home to a family who moved in late in the summer.  The family is an ethnic minority family complete with kids, dogs, and lots of relatives and friends.  They have done a lot to improve the place, putting in a new fence for the dog in the back yard as well as other improvements both inside and out.  When I went over to introduce myself after they got settled in, I discovered that they spoke very little English, and I was reduced to gesturing as well as speaking as best I could, given my total lack of knowledge or fluency in the Spanish language.  We were on good terms, and I think we both did the best we could to introduce ourselves.

Shortly after they moved in and got settled, we started hearing them gathering in the garage, playing music rather loudly for several hours...so loudly that the bass part penetrated walls and doors.  They had several of their friends or relatives over during these times...usually on Saturday nights...and had a good time until they wrapped it up about 10:30 pm.

The dog is one of those who barks at leaves dropping from the trees as well as if we went to the mailbox to get the mail, opened our garage door, or just ventured outside for something.  He got other dogs in the neighborhood to start barking as well, and it became a chorus of barking.

For our normally quiet neighborhood, this was a rather big change for us.  We aren't used to barking dogs and booming bass coming from a garage.  I began to resent the weekly parties, and wondered if there was anything I could do to quiet the dog.  Fall came...then the holidays...and nothing seemed to change.  Our house walls seemed to not do much to quell the noise of the bass part of the music.  But they did usually stop it around bed time, for which I was thankful.

Over the weeks and few months, we would wave at each other if the opportunity arose, but that was the extent of our interaction.  The language barrier was one of the problems.  The culture barrier was another.  The music and dog issues were a third.

A few days ago, about mid afternoon,I noticed that the neighbor right next to me...not the people I've been talking about, but rather the elderly neighbor right next door...had to call the ambulance.  One of this man’s relatives showed up, went inside, then came back outside in the front yard for a cigarette break.  I knew him somewhat, so went over to ask what was going on, as we try to make sure the older gentleman is OK as best we can.  He also has caregivers that work with him so he isn’t alone.  As the older gentleman’s relative and I were talking, we also talked about the party was going on across the street.  The Hispanic neighbors had the grill out and were cooking something.  They had a table out with chairs, plates and other food and were preparing for some kind of a meal, along with the ever-present music.

The next door relative I was talking with mentioned that the noise from the music was bothering his father-in-law…the elderly man…so much that he no longer wore his hearing aids in order to help quell the noise.  The relative and I also discussed the food and party-ing that goes on pretty much weekly...talking in rather negative terms.  As I started to leave that conversation with the older man’s relative, I had an epiphany.  I decided to go across the street and ask about the food they were cooking.

So, walking toward the house, when I got their attention, I made an eating motion.  Someone met me who spoke English, and I asked what they were cooking.  They showed me brats, hush puppies, and other stuff that I wasn't sure what it was.  They asked if I wanted to stay and eat, and got a chair for me along with a bottle of beer.

I refused the chair and beer, but mentioned the brats and hushpuppies...the only two things that I recognized.  They put a few of each on a paper plate, gave it to me, and asked me again to stay.  Saying I was taking the food to my wife, which technically was true, I thanked them profusely and went back home.  Before I left, though, I picked up a brat and took a bite…it was indeed wonderful, and I said so.

Once home with the brats, I decided to reciprocate.  I loaded up some homemade sugar cookies and a slab of homemade fudge and took it over to them.  Their kids immediately gravitated to the sweets, and I came back home to help get ready for our company coming later on.

About 2 hours later, the doorbell rang.  Pat answered.  It was two of the women from the house across the street.  They had what we believe was leftovers...but good leftovers...a couple of those things I didn't know what was when I was there earlier.  Turns out it was seafood fixed Mexican style.

OK, I tell you this story to say this.  Following my interaction with the neighbors who had the loud bass, it was amazing that I no longer was resentful of their music or their party.  In fact, it's almost 10:30 pm right now as I write this, and I can hear the bass from our basement.  My demeanor has changed completely toward these people...just with the interactions we had today with the exchange of food.  No longer am I resentful of their music.  The barking dog...well, that remains to be seen.  I think the dog barks because he is generally ignored most of the time.  Hopefully, that will eventually change.

This may well be a prime example of how relationship…even relatively superficial relationship, can change one’s opinion of another and foster a more, shall we say, peaceful way of life.  What I did was nothing special.  But it was an acknowledgement of a way of life that I wasn’t familiar with, and the expression of a desire to be civil and cordial.

Now, if I can only expand that “civil and cordial” thing to other areas of life and livin where people tend to grate on me in unpleasant ways or have habits or ways of life I’m not familiar with, maybe…just maybe I can remove some of the stress, hard feelings, and anger from my life.  And it may take nothing more than an “epiphany” to reach out in some way.  Besides, I may just score some good food while I’m at it.

 

Blessings.

There's a lesson here, and I think it's fairly obvious what it is.  Relationships...even the beginning of relationships...make a difference in how we see and think about others.  Until I went over today to ask about the food, we had no relationship.  Now we at least are on speaking terms, and we know that the other is friendly and open for interaction.  The resentment is gone.  Hopefully, we will be able to live together in this neighborhood for many years to come, continuing to foster the relationship between neighbors and cultures.

Hope Has Begun

 In January, I’ll begin teaching an adult Sunday School class on the Old Testament book of Joshua.  Telling the story of how the Israelite people came into the land that was promised to their ancestors all the way back to Abraham, the book is filled with stories that amaze, surprise, and mess with our 21^st century sensibilities.  Seen only with a narrow focus, the book makes us wonder whether the God of love that we know is the same God we see in the book.  But when viewed in the context of the overarching story of God’s plan for the redemption of His creation, the book makes sense and is one that brings comfort to God’s people.

The main commentary I am using for the class is titled “No Falling Words.”  That title refers to the idea that whatever words God speaks…whatever promises he makes…whatever he says will be done…those things indeed will be done…will be carried out…will be completed.  Joshua is filled with evidence of the God of Abraham keeping His promises…keeping his word…never letting his words fall away unfulfilled.

Not only could the book of Joshua be titled “No Falling Words,” rather, every book of the Bible could have that title.  The Bible is filled with stories and accounts of God keeping his word…keeping his promises…keeping his people.  And the pinnacle of those promises was first uttered in Genesis chapter 3 when God promised that the offspring of Eve would crush the head of the serpent, who had caused Eve to eat of the forbidden fruit.  Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, that promise was made in some form or another as God worked with His people and His creation to bring about its fulfillment.

And as Christians have long believed, that promise was fulfilled in the coming of the baby seen first in a manger in a stable in a backwater town in first century Israel.  As Amy Grant sings in her song, “Love Has Come,” hope…real hope…had indeed begun when Immanuel entered the world.  Listen to the chorus of that song.

 Love has come For the world to know, As the wise men knew Such a long time ago

And I believe that angels sang That hope had begun, When the God of glory Who is full of mercy

Yes, the God of glory Sent his son

 I know that there are many for whom the holiday season is not one of merry-making and joy.  Family relationships that are off base, loved ones who have passed away during the holidays, illness, depression, anxiety, and other issues that humanity faces every day get in the way of the wishful bliss of a merry and happy holiday season.

Even so…even with all that takes away the joy and happiness of the season…even with all of that, we can still rest in the truth that Hope has begun, and because of the resurrection of Christ that hope endures.

Whatever your circumstance during this time, know that with God, there are No Falling Words…that the Hope of the creation is alive and well.  May your days ahead be blessed days; and may you find that the baby in the manger brings you hope and blessing.

T he Holidays

 The end of each year seems so crowded and busy, given the holidays and all that goes with them, time off from school for the kids, the change in the calendar, and the sometimes difficult navigation of the weather.  The holidays are a time of travel, planning and attending get-togethers with friends and relatives, special services at churches, light shows in parks and other venues, cooking and meal-planning, gift-buying, end-of-semester testing at schools, and for some, graduation.

The holiday season begins before Thanksgiving and ends following New Year’s Day.  Thanksgiving and Christmas travel are two of the busiest times for travel in the year.  Many stores and businesses rely on holiday purchasing to push their bottom line over to the positive side.  Churches and other groups put on special events and shows, relying a lot on volunteer help.  Non profits ask for help providing food, gifts, and other necessities for those who are in need.  Even blood banks put out special pleas for blood donations because this time of the year is one of the slower times for that.

There is a down side to all of this.  If we’re not careful, we’ll get so wound up in the things and events of the season that we forget to care for ourselves.  We don’t plan for any down time.  We’re always working toward the next event, program, or thing to do.  And when it’s all done and January 2^nd comes around, we look back and wonder just what it was that we accomplished, or at least tried to accomplish.  The January/February doldrums hit at about that time, and we feel deflated, tired, and out of sorts.

Adding to all of that is the reality of another year on the calendar.  That means that we’re a year older.  It means that the months and years seem to be flying by ever more quickly.  We look back and wonder what happened, because the last we seem to recall, we were years younger and using a telephone with a dial on it that was hanging on the wall of our house.  We had to get up to change the channel on the TV, and sometimes open the little trap door and adjust the vertical hold.  We marvel that anyone younger than about 25 years old has little to no comprehension of 9-11…that anyone younger than about 35 doesn’t recall a time without cell phones or the Internet, anyone younger than about 45 doesn’t remember the Iranian hostages, anyone younger than about 55 doesn’t know about Watergate, and anyone younger than about 65 doesn’t recall Sputnik.

This year as you are going through the holidays, take some time for yourself.  You have permission to say, “No, thank you,” if you are asked to do something or attend something you really don’t have the time for.  You don’t have to have the best decorations in the neighborhood.  Your home doesn’t have to be spotless.  Your relatives out to third cousins once removed don’t all have to have a gift.  And it will be fine to buy some Rhodes frozen cinnamon rolls rather than making your own.

One more thing.  Keep in mind that there are some who aren’t in the holiday celebration mood.  Maybe they recently lost a loved one, or perhaps the holidays are also the anniversary of the loss of a loved one.  Some may be going through a tough relational situation with a spouse or someone else.  Some may not yet be working or have the wherewithal to go, buy, and do.  Some may be in the throes of depression or anxiety.  Some may have kids who are going off the deep end in some way.  Some may be battling chronic pain or illness.  Some may have a son, daughter, spouse or significant other in harm’s way in the military service.  There are a myriad of ailments, illnesses, trials and troubles in the world today.  Be thoughtful.  Be kind.  Be understanding.  Be patient.  Get the spotlight off of yourself.  Care about and for others.  Make your care tangible by doing for others.  Even a little goes a long way.

Above all, remember (as the old phrase goes) the reason for the season.  This should be a time of Thanksgiving…a time when we remember the blessings, both physical and spiritual, that come our way.  A time when we in turn serve and help others by using those gifts we have been given.  We pay it forward when we use our gifts, talents, and abilities in service to others.  And those small acts of kindness tend to keep on giving long after we did what we did for someone else.

May your holiday season be one of wonder, beauty, and light.  Blessings…

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

 Coming in to work this morning, I decided to take the long way to work.  I sometimes do that when I want to think or just enjoy the morning.  I don’t take Kellogg in as I usually do; rather, I come in by one or more roundabout ways that consume more time, but also have less traffic and congestion.

 As I was coming in to work, I was thinking about those just in our congregational fellowship who are dealing with some kind of pain or suffering during this holiday season.  We have one in the ICU on a ventilator due to COVID.  One was admitted last evening with a heart attack.  More than one is a widow or widower mourning the relatively recent loss of a life mate.  One has a son with advanced cancer.  One has had surgery that didn’t relieve the pain and is faced with either more surgery or being on pain medication for an extended time.  One has lost her child support and has no other source of income.  And these are just the beginning of the health issues that have manifested over the past few days and weeks.

 Additionally, we have people who are barely making ends meet right now.  Some are struggling with mental health issues.  Others have family and relational issues.  Some are caught in one of the governmental bureaucracies that purport to provide help but often are a hindrance due to the way the program is constructed.  Some are facing the reality that older age often brings…that life can never be as it once was.  And again, this is just the beginning of the struggles that I am aware of…and I’m sure there are many that I have no knowledge of.

 For a church Elder and minister such as myself, the burdens of the congregation can be overwhelming at times.  And one of those times was as I was driving in to work this morning thinking about all of the hurt, pain, and turmoil many are experiencing now.  As I thought of many of these individuals and families, a sense of helplessness came over me and, as often happens at such times, I asked God how we were supposed to be able to work with it all.  No answer apparently came.

 Arriving at the building, I was greeted by Rocky, one of our outdoor friends.  He was sitting in the sun warming himself, charging his cell phone using one of our outside electric outlets.  Rocky usually doesn’t come around until later in the day.  This was sort of unusual for him.

 “Hey, Rocky!  What’s going on?” I called out to him.

 Rocky told me more bad news.  He told me that Wild Bill, another of our outdoor friends who had recently gotten an apartment, passed away.  Rocky wasn’t sure, but thought they were saying the death was suspicious.

 We visited about Bill for a minute, then Rocky told me someone had stolen his bike…had cut the lock and took his bike.  This was the most recent of several that have been taken from him, and he wasn’t a bit happy.  We visited for a minute or two more, and then helped him with a couple of his immediate needs that we could fill.  I asked him to let me know if he finds out more about Bill.

 I went into the office and fired up the computer.  I clicked on the live feed of Senator Dole’s body lying in state in the Capitol building.  The politicians were finishing up short speeches about the Senator’s extraordinary life of service.  And although I never knew the Senator, the news of his passing a few days ago was just one more thing on my mind today.  Mr. Dole was far from perfect, but was an example for those in the political world to emulate, should they decide to do so.  With all of bad news I’d already received and thought about this morning, I again wondered how in the world I as an Elder and minister was supposed to process and respond to these events.  The depression and, shall I say, morbidity factor were rather high this morning in the office.

 And then the live feed of the Dole memorial announced a song to be sung.  The piano introduction sounded vaguely familiar, and I wondered if it could possibly be…  Yes, it was the hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”  I immediately focused all my attention on the words that I already knew so well, and thanked God for giving me an answer to the depressing morning.

 Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father.  There is no shadow of turning with thee.  Thou changest not; thy compassions they fail not.  As thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.

 Great is they faithfulness!  Great is they faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest; sun, moon, and stars in their courses above join with all nature in manifold witness to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth.  Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide.  Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow; blessings all mine, with 10,000 beside.

 Great is they faithfulness!  Great is they faithfulness!  Morning by morning new mercies I see.  All I have needed thy hand hath provided.  Great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me.

 AMEN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Long As It Is "Today"

 

Good afternoon, Thursday.  And welcome to December.

Yesterday started out as an ordinary day.  Getting up, doing the morning routine and coming in to work at the church, all was normal.  I spent most of the morning working on a Bible class I will be teaching at the beginning of the new year.  The time quickly passed, and it was time for lunch.  Sometimes I go home for lunch, and that was what I did yesterday.

In the kitchen, I decided to fix a sandwich for lunch and have some fruit.  I got out the sandwich-making stuff from the refrigerator…the mayo, lunch meat, lettuce, and so on…and took a couple slices of bread out of the loaf.  As I began to prepare one of the bread slices, it suddenly hit me.

I have vertigo and dizzy spells from time to time, and one chose this time to attack me.  It came on suddenly, without any warning signs I usually can detect.  I thought it might clear up in a few seconds, but it hung on so I did my best to put stuff back into the refrigerator and went to sit down in the living room.

That still didn’t do the trick, so I decided I needed to lay down and prepare for a longer bout with the dizziness.  I went back to our bedroom, hitting both sides of the hallway on the way there.  I managed to get my C PAP fixed up, took some medication, brought the trash can near the bed, (you can guess why) and lay down to rest.

A couple hours later I woke up feeling better.  I got up and gradually got back into the land of the living over the next hour or two.  This attack proved to be somewhat shorter than some I’ve had, which in many cases last most of the day.  I was grateful to be able to get up and be somewhat productive at home the rest of the afternoon and evening.  I never went back into work.

On a somewhat related note, and I’ll connect these two stories at the end, earlier in the week I was visiting with one of our members who has been battling cancer for the past several years.  I’ll call her Janice.  Janice has never been in remission, and the cancer is incurable, but the treatments she is still getting have slowed and sometimes stopped the progression.  She has ongoing chronic issues with the cancer as well as the treatment, and is home much of the time.  Her memory sometimes isn’t what it ought to be, and her strength and stamina are a shadow of what they were a few years ago.  Every day is a battle for her.

I asked Janice during the conversation if she ever felt like just giving up and not getting out of bed in the morning.  She said that she was thankful for every morning that she could get up and get around, and hasn’t dwelt on the idea of just giving up and giving in to the illness.  Her attitude seems to be one of thankfulness and gratefulness in the life she’s been given, and she is determined to live that life to the fullest extent possible for as long as possible.

I thought of my conversation yesterday with Janice as I was laying in bed fighting off the vertigo and dizziness.  Sometimes I just get to the point in life that I don’t much care anymore.  And sometimes it doesn’t take very much for me to begin feeling that way.  I’m sure that Janice has also had days and times when it seemed much easier to just give up the struggle…give up the fight.  But thankfully for her, those days and times seem to be few and far between.

I too sometimes have that little pity party for myself, as I did for a few seconds yesterday wondering why in the world I was blessed (so to speak) with chronic vertigo and dizziness issues.  I’ve had these things for the past 38 years, and have learned to live with them and deal with them as best I can.  However, vertigo is not life-threatening.  Cancer is.  There’s a world of difference in the battles I fight and those Janice fights.  She’s fighting for her life every single day.  I’m fighting for being productive on those infrequent days I don’t feel well.

Sometimes we look at our lot in life and wish we could get rid of this or that hindrance, or that we could be like someone else who apparently has no hindering issues of major importance.  Sometimes we feel sorry for ourselves because of what life has given us.  And sometimes we just want to go hide under the covers and not come out until the second coming of Christ.

The great Apostle Paul of the New Testament talks about a “Thorn of the flesh” that he had…possibly something similar to my vertigo episodes or Janice’s chronic condition.  Or perhaps it was something like a disability or hindrance that you might have.  Paul wrote about it in what we know as the second letter to the Corinthian church.  He had just written about his being privy to revelations from God that he could not put into words.  Then he writes this to the Corinthian church:

So that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant.  I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me.  But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

Whether or not we are given such things as vertigo or cancer in order to keep us from being arrogant, as Paul said about himself and his thorn, I don’t know and won’t even speculate.  But I have to make the connection with Paul when he says that was the reason why God chose not to remove that liability, whatever it was.

May we always be thankful and grateful that we wake up in the morning to a new day…that we revel in the time given to us…that we make the most of that time in service to the God who loves us, chooses us to be in his family, and desires the very best for us.  May we love and serve God as well as our neighbor with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength for as long as it is “today.”

 

Blessings,

A Mural on a Garage Door

 

One of my Facebook friends, author, mother and wife Kendra Broekhuis, (Brook Hice) has posted recently about her effort to paint a mural on her garage door.  Kendra and her family live in an urban section of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  The neighborhood is OK, but they knew going in that there were the usual urban problems and issues.  They purposely moved there with the idea of serving and ministering to the community.  Kendra wrote a book about some of that ministry effort from their time living in an apartment complex before they moved to their present home.  Her book, “Here Goes Nothing…an introverts reckless attempt to love her neighbor,” is an honest, yet humorous and compelling look at doing ministry next door.

 Back to the garage door.  Kendra writes that she wanted something on her door that was more than just a mural.  She says,  “But most of all, I wanted to write part of the blessing that our pastor says over the congregation when he dismisses us. Every Sunday he says, ‘Now, in the power of the resurrection, let us go forth and bear witness and seek the peace of Milwaukee as those who love our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.’”  So she enlisted the help of some art students and their teacher from a nearby school to clean up the door and paint a Milwaukee skyline on the door along with a representation of the dismissal blessing as a class project.

 Of course, that thought is taken from Jeremiah 29 where God tells the captive Israelites who are in Babylon to, and I quote:  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease.  Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

 I don’t know about you, but sometimes this principle of seeking the peace and prosperity of the place where I’ve been called to live is difficult.  I look around at things and wonder if there is any way that I can have any kind of positive influence on anything.  The political shenanigans, the poverty, the societal breakdowns, sickness & disease, and the general brokenness of life and living weigh heavily on me.

 But then I go back to what God told His people some 2,700 years ago.  Build houses.  Settle down.  Marry.  Have families.  Find beauty and sustenance in the creation.  Seek the peace and prosperity of the place where you have been placed.  This is Jay again.  And, while you’re doing all of these ordinary things, God will work in extraordinary ways through us to redeem His creation, often one person…one family…one community at a time.

 That was exactly what Kendra was doing when, while living in that apartment complex, she reached out to her neighbors with random acts of kindness, encouragement, and the love of God in spite of her inherent shyness and introverted nature.  You’ll have to read the book to find out how that all turned out…and by the way, you’ll be blessed by doing so.

 If we allow the brokenness of the world to put us into states of depression and despair, we are hurting ourselves and failing to carry out God’s purpose for us.  God calls us to be in the world, but not of the world.  Don’t check out of life and living because of the brokenness of the creation.  Tap into the power and grace of God to not only face the world head on, but through the ordinary work of life and living allow God to change and renew His creation and crowning glory of that creation…One  Human  At  A  Time.

 May God go with you through the rest of this week as you seek the peace and prosperity of the place where you have been sent.  Blessings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We Have To Do Something

 A couple days ago a woman came into the office seeking assistance from us.  She and a friend of hers had been at Sunday services a couple of days before seeking help, but we generally don’t do that on Sunday mornings due to the other responsibilities that we have as a ministerial staff.  We will work with an emergency situation, but this wasn’t an emergency.  We asked them to come in during the week and we’d visit with them about their need.

It seems the woman has been having a rather tough year.  Her 17 year old son was killed while in juvenile detention and her mother passed away in August.  She lost her place to live and was staying in her car.  She had a line on a place to stay but needed money for the rent and deposit.

We don’t do rent or deposits.  We don’t have the resources to do that, and there are a host of both governmental as well as non-profits that handle those kinds of things.  We told her we couldn’t help her with that, but as we talked further, it became apparent that she had no place to go that night or the next several nights and seemed to not have much information on who to contact to obtain the help she needed.  It was also fairly apparent that she was depressed.

We decided to violate one of our benevolence guidelines and put her up in a motel for a few days.  And we did.  We provided a week of rent for a room at the local Motel 6 and I gave her an extensive listing of various government and non-profit places to check with to find help.  I also pulled her aside at the motel out of the presence of her friend, who was a man, and asked if she was being treated OK and that he was not abusing her in any way.  She assured me she was OK.  I know that often women will not honestly answer that question, but I had to ask, letting her know that I was aware of her situation and could help her get out of a situation she may not have wanted to be in.  The motel man let her know with certainty that she was not to entertain visitors or have others in her room under penalty of having to leave the motel.

So we left the situation at that, and I went on about my daily business.  I had, however, a continual nagging feeling about things…not that we gave her a room…not that she had a man friend who I wasn’t sure about…not that she was depressed…but rather I had, and still have, the feeling that we really didn’t accomplish much.  We really didn’t alleviate her situation.  We only postponed some of it for a time.

It's kind of like the example you may have already heard.  Your bathtub is overflowing in your house.  But rather than shutting off the water and opening the drain in the tub, you begin to mop up the mess on the floor, leaving the water running and the drain plugged.  You never fix the root of the issue…you just mitigate the symptoms for a time.

I don’t know what the answer is to homelessness, mental illness, and poverty.  As I’ve said often before, I don’t even know what questions to ask.  But somehow, somewhere, some way, there have to be people who not only know what questions to ask, but some of whom can offer answers that make sense.

One answer I’ve heard that seems to make sense to me is a one-stop shop type of place…a physical space…a place…where those who are homeless can go and right then and there access a wide range of services.  Services like mental health care, prescription drug care, housing services, transportation services, services to help someone find a job or obtain an ID, and whatever other services may prove helpful.  Similar to something we already have like that in Sedgwick County…the Child Advocacy Center…a one-stop place where children who have been abused or trafficked along with their families can obtain a wide range of services.  It is working, and working well.  It is supported by both Sedgwick County and the City of Wichita.  It was sorely needed and is a godsend for many.

As it is, homeless services are available, but are scattered all over the county.  The homeless are shuffled from one place to another, given addresses and phone numbers, and sent on their way.  Many don’t bother to run the incredibly complex gauntlet of social services as it exists now.  Many have no transportation except their feet.  Many have non-working phones or no phone at all.  Adequate access to the Internet is a dream.  They have no mailing address, no money, no place to safely store what few belongings they have, and no sense of time or even of day.  A “Homeless Advocacy Center” would be a huge step in the right direction.

For now, however, that nagging feeling of mopping the floor instead of turning off the faucet will remain, specifically with this woman’s story.  It is my hope that instead of repeatedly saying, “We have to do something,” by those in the seat of power and leadership locally, but never get around to what that “something” is, that someone will say, “This is what we need to work toward and this is how we can do that.”

 

Until then, may God bless us, every one.