Crazy Stuff!

Some days you just get by. Some days you just have to be okay with standing your ground. Some days you just don't get why you do the things you do. Some days you just don't feel like you are involved in 'ministry' but in war. And that we are. Some days we don't see it. Some days we do. Friday was one of those difficult days. The demons were out. Women foaming at the mouth and screaming vulgarities during the worship. Just two women really. They weren't even friends. They weren't even egging each other on. It was as if they didn't know each other were there. Crazy stuff. One of our regulars, Amanda, who less than a year ago was very hostile to us, was the only one who could handle the lady with the red top. She was stone cold drunk. Falling over. Cussing. Angry. Amanda would take her by the arm and drag her to the grass area and leave her there. Lady with the red top would eventually find her way back to the gazebo. Amanda would have to remove her. The others, the regulars who come to not only eat but have their church service, kept moving away from her. They complained that they couldn't hear the preaching. Imagine that! Just when you think it is all falling apart someone says something that re-establishes why you are doing what you are doing. They wanted to hear. They consider this their church and they don't like it when someone, even one of their own, interferes. Crazy stuff.
The other lady, Susan, started to caused some trouble. Hissing hatred under her breath. Jimmy prayed, Susan started to foam at the mouth. She was demonized for sure. Her eyes were fixed on Jimmy but he prayed and she disappeared when I wasn't looking. We were all on our toes. Praying with our eyes open. Making sure each other was alright.
Ted preached. His innocence during all this havoc saved him. He had no choice but to allow God to move through him. It was amazing to see the love of God pour out of him toward the very ones who were causing him and us so much trouble. It didn't do much for the ones coming against all of us but wow, it was something to watch all the others watch him treat them all with such respect and yet continue to share the Word. All I knew to do was to move around the gazebo til I was standing across from Ted so that he could focus on me and not be too distracted. I prayed under my breath for the Lord to do what He set out to do. That the enemy should not be allowed to get in the way of anyone's salvation or healing.
Saturday, was the community cleanup at the apartments I have Bible study at. Thirty of us met and swept rocks, raked, etc. lady in the red top showed up, sober, with two others from Fridays service. She did not recognize me. We worked side by side, her and I. We got along fine. Jimmy was at the other end of the property. We didn't know what to make of it. Doug brought them and he has been a Rock in their lives for some time now.
Sunday, during worship, in walks Doug with lady in the red top and her husband. She remembered me from the day before. Pastor asked everyone to get into small groups to pray at the end of the service. Lady with the red top just happened to be near me so she and I and another woman took hands and prayed. All I can say is, as I listened to the prayer that flowed out of me for her I was fully aware of God's hand on her life. The love and mercy that went out to her was so amazing. Prayer ended and I thanked her for all her hard work the day before. She told me she was homeless. I told her I knew that, that I am at the Friday morning church in the Park every Friday, that I had seen her there. She said she was so ashamed. I hugged her and prayed that God would take her shame away. She left with tears. I stayed with tears.
Divine connections, handfuls of purpose. A second in the timeline of man intercepted by the Hand of God and I got to be there to see.
Nothing we do is for nothing. Nothing we do should be for nothing. Everything we do should be ordered by the Lord. When all hell breaks loose you can be sure God is on the move and His Feet are kicking up dust wherever He goes. Think about it, think about all you do as routine every day and think about how easy it is for the Lord to step in at any time and touch a heart, heal a mind, set someone free.
Not one resident came to their own community clean up saturday. Not one. BUT three homeless people did knowing there was nothing in it for them. Nothing is for nothing anymore.

Friday morning Church-in-the-Park

Friday-morning-Church-in-the-Park during the summer can be quite unbearable for those of us who have homes and cars with air conditioning. Two hours in the park, even tho' we are under the gazebo and out from under the sun, really wears on us. Fourth of July proved this to be true. There was a haze that the sun shone through and it seemed to magnify the heat. The air was oppressive and it was hard to move at any normal speed. 115 degrees is just plain hot no matter how you look at it.

The homeless ones know how to live out here. They are still. They don't talk much
They appreciate shaded areas and stay in them.

The rec centers here have opened up their doors during the hot hours of the day and provide cold water and a cool place to hang.
Mostly they just find shade. None of them are really comfortable following rules. None of them feel like others want them around. So they like to stay outside where they don't feel trapped.



Yesterday it was not as hot. A group of them sat under a tree while we worshiped and the pastor shared. The others, around 40 of them sat under the gazebo. Barney was there.
Barney is a quiet guy and we always see him sitting on a bench reading when we are on the main street of our town. He reads a lot, stays pretty much to himself. Loves to talk about sports though. Barney will tell sport stories as long as you will stick around and listen. And he is always sober.


'Til today. For the first time in over two years Barney came to service drunk. It kind of caught me off guard. There are a few who will always come drugged out or drunk. But Barney?
I started to think that we are not having an effect on these homeless ones. I started to question why we are still there.
But not for long. It doesn't matter.
What does matter is that we know we are supposed to be faithful to be there every Friday no matter what.
Rain or shine, heat or cold, drunk or sober, friendly or angry, we need to be about our Father's business.
What is so very interesting is the effect this whole church service is having on the people who come to help serve....how their whole insides are being turned around as they realize how judgemental they have been and how God is teaching them to just be servants and see each of them the way God see all of us...helpless without Him, hopeless without the Holy Spirit to live a life acceptable to God. And by being there we are all learning what love really is; yes they have to be fed. Yes they need sunscreen and water and chap stick. And yes, we are to supply all of that. But that is not the goal, that is not the end of it. The goal is to see them find Jesus, and for them to start to understand they are loved, and valuable, and have a purpose, that is the goal.