wow, so much love in the Soup Kitchen.
I had to go out for the afternoon yesterday, after finding out about Ken, and when I came back there were two messages to me from friends in the soup kitchen offering a hug or conversation or whatever I needed. I'm telling you, people who don't spend time with the poor are missing out on some of the biggest generous hearts in the world!

Ken Cassidy

This morning a friend of mine passed away. I wasn't prepared for it. I thought I had more time with him, and now he's gone. I was bringing him some music to keep him company, but when I got to the room he wasn't there. Yesterday, he was there, in pain, but still cracking jokes as often as people would allow. Today, he is gone. The nurses say he is in a better place, and I know that's true. But still, I would have liked to have spend more meaningful time with him while I had it. So, a tribute to Ken Cassidy.

I will remember you.
Your black and red 'Canada' jacket and tie, that you donned every day for lunch (well, not the tie, but the jacket)
Your half-smoked cigars that you kept in your pocket
Your take home cups of coffee, milk, juice and cookies balanced carefully on your lap as you waited in the lobby for Maurice to drive you back.
Always cracking jokes, right to the very end.
Your understanding of prophecy, and the kindness in people's souls.
Your big bushy beard that took up half your face.
Your heaps and stacks of 'stuff' that you asked the teens to move.
Your love and respect for Chazz and for me,
The way your eyes lit up when you talked about God and Bo Diddly.
This is how I will remember you.


(I know it's not poetry, but it's not meant to be. I'm not in that much of a mood for being artistic at the moment.)

Action vs. Impulse

The Christmas season has been reminding me how much we are influenced by impulse. There's the magazines and little candies by the registers, the free gifts that come with spending $50 on some random item, the pizza places, the DVD sales, the Starbucks amazing mochas with real whip and yummy red candied bits on top...
you can really put yourself in a financial hole with all these 'great deals'.

I woke up this morning with the words, "I want my people to be a people of Action"...so, what does that mean, exactly? A people of action? A Salvation Army? The Bride of Christ, actually taking up his yoke -his teaching(thanks, Michelle!)- and working together to see people set FREE in Christ...taking care of orphans and widows, and the lonely, and the outcast, and the poor. Becoming a cheerleeder and an advocate, making a difference as only one bearing the name of Christ can make. Keeping steadfast and vigilant on what's happening around us and not lulling ourselves to sleep with 'entertainment' and 'tradition'.

What are the defining characteristics of Impulse-driven and Action-driven people?
Let's look at some examples, and then try to boil it down afterwards.

King David had Bathsheba's husband murdered so he could 'be with' her. (Impulse)Samson kept telling Delilah the secret of his strength because she was purdy. (Impulse) King Herod had to have John the Baptist beheaded because of a promise he made to a manipulative pretty lady. (Impulse) Peter asked Jesus to wash his WHOLE body instead of just his feet. (Sanctified Impulse!) Jael defeated an enemy general with a little patience and a little tent peg through the skull. (ACTION) Esther regained the freedoms of her people through fasting and prayer. (ACTION) Ghandi fought for the poor in India through a series of non-violent demonstrations. (ACTION) Heidi Baker moved to Mozambique to rock little babies in the dirt. (ACTION) Salvationists from all over the world are being called back to their roots of loving the poor and moving in to the neighborhood to bring Jesus there. (serious primitive Salvo ACTION!!)


IMPULSE (def’n): I want to (controlled by desires)- floats through life, looking for short term satisfaction, think mostly of themselves, weird stuff tends to happen to them.

ACTION (def’n): I need to (directed by conviction)- always thinking two steps ahead, looking for long term results, think mostly of others, makes stuff happen, period.

I don't know about you, but I want to be a people of Action.

Charlotte---eh?

So, I arrive in Charlotte and am greeted by the entire War College!
The past two days have been an amazing refresher. The main ministry goal here in Charlotte is simple...get to know everyone's name in the neighborhood. Besides that, it's all Jesus. The 'community house' where Travis used to live, is this little house with four rooms and a bathroom. There's books, games, cards, beads, string, crayons, the internet, and a tv room with a few movies in it...and these cool little 10-second jesus cubes....I'd probably need to exlain in person, but they're fun. The community house is next to the liquor house, the place where all the adults go to drink. The house is simply a hangout place, from 3:30-6:30ish Monday to Friday, staffed by the two War College students, and Jaime and Travis, depending on their work schedules.
I am still not all that sure of what I'll be doing in this next season of my life, or where I might be doing that, but I am definitely learning a lot about who I am in Christ, and that is a pretty good starting point, for sure. One of the beautiful things about Rob and Heather and the ministry team here in Charlotte, is simply the appreciation of people for who they are, and allowing people to "just be you". After all, that's the best way for God to use you, is when you are comfortable in the skin He gave you. I like that.

MVH

I got to play at Maine Veteran's Home this morning. One of my cellmates, Roy has been volunteering there for 10 years, and he said this was the first time a friend came with him there. We met a lady who was celebrating her 100th birthday last week, and a few others who were singing along to the familiar songs we were playing.
Roy told a Bible story on flannelgraph (ahh, flannelgraph memories!) and took it around to all the people so they could see the characters.
Still trying to clean up/sort out what's happening in the near future, but for the moment, I'm just looking forward to each day as it comes, and each person I get to spend a little more time with. God's good.

Saturday a crew of us got together and cleaned out a bus for a friend. (Don't tell me there are no heroes in Bangor! I know three of them, personally!)He even paid us via donation to the Powerhouse Teen center. A literal school bus, sitting in his front yard. Once again, I'm looking at all these possessions, packed away in boxes and bags, unused and taking up space. What do we expect will happen with all this 'stuff'? maybe it's just that I'm contemplating moving again, and trying to figure out what will fit into a car, and what can stay behind for the next person to use when she gets here, and what I actually NEED, really. Who knows.

As I was walking down the street to the corps this morning, one of the guys from the soup kitchen was walking behind me with his headphones on....a normally quiet guy, he was now chanting in full voice lyrics to the music he was listening to...
"The Bible is Bulls@#$^, The Koran is a lie, The (some other religious book) never fell from the sky..." The lyrics go on to say that all wars were created by religious radicals, and if we just abandoned faith, we could love one another....which is nonsense, because that's exactly what each of these holy books teach, is to love one another. (You know, apart from the whole Jesus thing!~ who also taught us to love one another)