This afternoon I met a client of mine after she got off work. We were meeting to discuss our new Transitional Housing program. You see this client, my friend, Raye, is homeless. But today wasn't just any day today is her birthday. So we celebrated...we enjoyed an early dinner, conversation, another friend stopped by to wish her a happy birthday too. We all enjoyed a good laugh. But, the best part was when we all took the time to share how thankful we are that God has allowed our paths to cross.
Raye shared how she is so thankful she knows that God was always with her but allowed the decisions she made so she could see Him in her life now, and know that he is leading each day of her life. He led her to me, which led her to the other friend, Sally, who joined us too.
I marvel all the time not at my journey but how on my journey I have been blessed and fortunate to cross paths with so many different people. People who are not in most folks "typical" surroundings, which leads to my next thought.
This past week as I drove, walked, or rode in my community I prayed to intentionally see something different in my surroundings. Here are some of my observations;
a 20-something couple sharing a brief hug and kiss on the corner,
the man at the war memorial who bowed his head and stood at parade rest,
the senior walking her dog,
the young man with his pants barely covering his behind,
the three 30-40 something guys sharing coffee, conversation and laughter at the table next to me,
people talking to strangers - offering a hug, prayer, food, conversation,
my dog so happy as I picked him up from the kennel,
an artist,
an overwhelming burden as the homeless walked into the library on Wednesday morning
....ironically as I type the stereo is playing the melody of "these are a few of my favorite things".
Paths that cross...strangers become friends...friends for a season, friends for a lifetime...so many are unwilling, afraid, have no time, don't take the time to see all the paths they cross each day, each moment.
Take a deep breath, sit a spell - sip some tea, allow your eyes and hearts to be opened to see a new path for the day for the journey.
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
So much going through this head of mine....
Whew, the past few weeks have brought joy, heartache, more joy, sorrow, the roller coaster of life. I've wanted to take the time to write over the past week but there just hasn't been a free moment to really get my thoughts together. I still don't think my thoughts are together enough to make sense of all that is rolling around in my mind but I have to start somewhere and a counselor friend of mine told me many years ago to start by writing and just write, so here it goes.
My dad is well my Dad! He is the Skipper and I am Gilligan. Over the past few weeks we found out that he has non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. His current liver function is about 25% and he was carrying around over 50 pounds of fluid (plasma) in his body cavity. Today we learned he has lost 40lbs in 3 weeks and the doctor wants him to loose another 20 in about the same speed. Dad has had type 2 diabetes for 28 years. Over this time he hasn't been the best eater or person to exercise. In turn this helps to bring about NASH, fatty liver then to the NACL. So needless to say Skipper needs to make some changes. I'm no where near ready to say farewell to my daddy but that is never in our hands and we are never ready to say so long to those we love. So this is a huge part of my roller coaster...looking up recipes, offering to cook, checking out sodium quantities, researching on the web - yes I know that is why we have doctors but it doesn't hurt to read. I love my Dad and he loves me!
Marshall Bailey was a guy I went to high school with, we were friends over 25 years ago. He was killed by a person he and his partner, who has also passed away, had just arrested and put in there squad car. Gone...all 3 of them. Sorrow.
Greg, was a friend of my friend Kris. He had been a homeless person in our community. Kris and her husband Keith had befriended him months ago. He was no longer homeless, had given his life to Christ but still fought the demon of alcohol. The three of them recently tried in vain to get him assistance at one of our local hospitals, to be able to detox and go to rehab. The hospital said they do not do a medical detox...he died. His fight is over, he has eternally won. Sorrow...peace.
I held our first Homeless Outreach meeting, 23 people came, around 20 have made the commitment to be a part of this ministry each Tuesday beginning next week. Last night 11 of us went to Nashville to observe The Bridge Ministry. Candy began by taking a casserole to the homeless over 8 years ago under the bridge, now the ministry reaches several hundred a week. We are taking our "casserole" to the River Walk park here in Bowling Green each Tuesday. I pray for relationships to form, referrals to be made, lives to be forever changed. Joy
Over the past week at work HOTEL INC has been able to assist 7 people ( 2 families and 1 single WKU student) that were homeless to have a place to call home again. Joy. We also said no to over 10 people that we do not have the funds for...this brings anguish to my soul. One was a former students family....sorrow.
My husband and I now know that Kentucky will be our home, we are planning on forever. We haven't had a "forever" thought for so many years that the thought of only moving one more time becomes a bit overwhelming. Really, we might only do this one more time. My friends will only have to white out my address one more time for their Christmas card list? We shall see. That is the plan for now. God has provided us two wonderful jobs and the opportunity to have a "forever home". Joy.
Our son put in for leave in November. We haven't heard if he will get it yet. Oh my gosh, really we might get to see him in November?!?! That will mean Thanksgiving with all the family and an early Christmas at the Miller house. Ummm, I will need a Christmas tree, need to start searching for a tree farm and someone who would be willing to sell me a tree earlier than normal. JOY!
Life has always been a roller coaster to me. Sometimes there are huge mountains that we seem to chug - chug- chug up forever, only to enjoy the view for a brief moment before we thunderously fly down to the valley, added by a loop de-loop ( I've never been able to put that emotion into words), only to repeat all of the previous then to come to a somewhat sudden stop to a slow crawl. And what do we do when we get off? We say, Wow that was awesome - let's do it again! Yep, life for me is a roller coaster. I've learned so much by getting on and off of each one. Some I seem to do over and over again, others I've walked away from knowing it was better to never get back on again. I also seem to look for just the right kind of adventurous coaster to ride too.
I relate my ride on the roller coaster of life to one of my favorite scriptures. I'm not going to write it here, I'll leave that for anyone who chooses to read this to search and read for yourself. You will find the words in Isaiah 43: 2-4.
Peace, love and take a ride on the roller coaster of life!
My dad is well my Dad! He is the Skipper and I am Gilligan. Over the past few weeks we found out that he has non-alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver. His current liver function is about 25% and he was carrying around over 50 pounds of fluid (plasma) in his body cavity. Today we learned he has lost 40lbs in 3 weeks and the doctor wants him to loose another 20 in about the same speed. Dad has had type 2 diabetes for 28 years. Over this time he hasn't been the best eater or person to exercise. In turn this helps to bring about NASH, fatty liver then to the NACL. So needless to say Skipper needs to make some changes. I'm no where near ready to say farewell to my daddy but that is never in our hands and we are never ready to say so long to those we love. So this is a huge part of my roller coaster...looking up recipes, offering to cook, checking out sodium quantities, researching on the web - yes I know that is why we have doctors but it doesn't hurt to read. I love my Dad and he loves me!
Marshall Bailey was a guy I went to high school with, we were friends over 25 years ago. He was killed by a person he and his partner, who has also passed away, had just arrested and put in there squad car. Gone...all 3 of them. Sorrow.
Greg, was a friend of my friend Kris. He had been a homeless person in our community. Kris and her husband Keith had befriended him months ago. He was no longer homeless, had given his life to Christ but still fought the demon of alcohol. The three of them recently tried in vain to get him assistance at one of our local hospitals, to be able to detox and go to rehab. The hospital said they do not do a medical detox...he died. His fight is over, he has eternally won. Sorrow...peace.
I held our first Homeless Outreach meeting, 23 people came, around 20 have made the commitment to be a part of this ministry each Tuesday beginning next week. Last night 11 of us went to Nashville to observe The Bridge Ministry. Candy began by taking a casserole to the homeless over 8 years ago under the bridge, now the ministry reaches several hundred a week. We are taking our "casserole" to the River Walk park here in Bowling Green each Tuesday. I pray for relationships to form, referrals to be made, lives to be forever changed. Joy
Over the past week at work HOTEL INC has been able to assist 7 people ( 2 families and 1 single WKU student) that were homeless to have a place to call home again. Joy. We also said no to over 10 people that we do not have the funds for...this brings anguish to my soul. One was a former students family....sorrow.
My husband and I now know that Kentucky will be our home, we are planning on forever. We haven't had a "forever" thought for so many years that the thought of only moving one more time becomes a bit overwhelming. Really, we might only do this one more time. My friends will only have to white out my address one more time for their Christmas card list? We shall see. That is the plan for now. God has provided us two wonderful jobs and the opportunity to have a "forever home". Joy.
Our son put in for leave in November. We haven't heard if he will get it yet. Oh my gosh, really we might get to see him in November?!?! That will mean Thanksgiving with all the family and an early Christmas at the Miller house. Ummm, I will need a Christmas tree, need to start searching for a tree farm and someone who would be willing to sell me a tree earlier than normal. JOY!
Life has always been a roller coaster to me. Sometimes there are huge mountains that we seem to chug - chug- chug up forever, only to enjoy the view for a brief moment before we thunderously fly down to the valley, added by a loop de-loop ( I've never been able to put that emotion into words), only to repeat all of the previous then to come to a somewhat sudden stop to a slow crawl. And what do we do when we get off? We say, Wow that was awesome - let's do it again! Yep, life for me is a roller coaster. I've learned so much by getting on and off of each one. Some I seem to do over and over again, others I've walked away from knowing it was better to never get back on again. I also seem to look for just the right kind of adventurous coaster to ride too.
I relate my ride on the roller coaster of life to one of my favorite scriptures. I'm not going to write it here, I'll leave that for anyone who chooses to read this to search and read for yourself. You will find the words in Isaiah 43: 2-4.
Peace, love and take a ride on the roller coaster of life!
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