Dude! Share The Food!

no, i didn’t go jogging in no 10k . . . not gonna happen!

this is just a little note to say THANKS to all of you for helping us serve our 10,000th meal yesterday!  

considering the way this all started, i’m just amazed at that number.  from 50 sack lunches, all the way to 10k. . . but, i guess it’s predictable. . . just a little bit at a time.  so, i guess 50k is predictable, too, right?

anyway, it’s not about bragging about numbers, right?  in fact, sometimes, i want to take the counter off the website, and never count again.  but, i really just want to brag on His people that obey and are so generous.  also, someone reminded me that Jesus fed the five thousand men. . . that means that somebody counted, right?

so, great job everyone!!  though we didn’t “miraculously” stretch the fishes and loaves, Jesus’ beautiful hands actually did share these ten thousand meals.

God is good!  and y’all are God’s chilluns, so, you’re good, too!

eh

saturday, i was at sam’s club, buying a battery for my mower.  four feet to my left was a man paying for his tires.  a lady comes up and stands right between us, and  i fidget a little, wondering if she’s really going to cut in front of me when they ask “who’s next?”.  sure enough, she does.  so, i calmly (on the outside) wait for her to finish.

as the checkout lady goes for assistance, the cut-in lady asks me “oh, did i jump in front of you?”  i think “duh”, but i say “no problem”.  she says “are you sure?  look me in the eye and tell me”  i replied “it’s no problem”.  voice-in-my-head even told me to help her carry her battery.  i obeyed (slightly reluctantly).

then she said the most interesting things.  she said she was in the area for a funeral.  i tried to say “i’m sorry”, but she continued with “. . . messin’ up my fishin’ . . . i live over on lake wedowee. . . he was a biker . . .there were a couple hundred bikes going to the burial site . . .”  she seemed insulted that they were there with their bikes.  (admit it, we all picture the classic “harley rider”; rough clothes, long beard, loud bike…scary to most “normal” people, right?) (except you, rusty) (btw, what IS normal)

i thought “boy, i’m sure that guy is very sorry that he messed up your fishin’ by his untimely dying”.  and i thought “but i’m sure that he would have wanted to have his rough-lookin’ biker friends there with their bikes”.

the next morning, Easter morning, just as i was coming out of my front door, i saw the sun coming up over the trees. . . gorgeous!  and i thought “how awesome!!  he died, but he’s risen!!”  then i remembered the lady’s words, and wondered . . . did jesus’ death “mess up my fishin’?” . . . 

maybe to some, it was an inconvenient day.  they had to go to church.  missed a round of golf or something.

but, i was sooo glad that, to me, it wasn’t inconvenient at all. . . it’s just a privelege to gather, anytime, and celebrate his life . . . and i hope i’m like one of the “biker friends” . . . not so very sophisticated, successful, or properly dressed for the occasion.  i’d much rather be an “outcast” from society, and be in his circle.

no, His death didn’t mess up nothin’.

eh

btw, tonight, rusty is sharing 400+ meals at the shelter.  help him out if you can.  and we’ll be doing sack lunches this saturday.  havagudwon.

here is part of an email from dave g. to lynn m.

“I am blessed every Saturday when I see you and Eric submitting
to God, and making a way for so many to feel the labor of love for
Jesus. Dude has evolved into so much more than sharing food with
others.
I see and hear people loving, caring, working, praying, and sharing
with
each other. Making plans together. Sharing each others pain, concerns,
love, joy, and praising. Dude has become a Christian care group,
uniting
and growing believers.

I really appreciate all that you do.”

i couldn’t have said it any better.  just with less cap’s.  and, i might have spelled my own name right.

eh

every morning, i receive a few emails that include some scriptures (this forces me to slow down, and not be so busy that i forget to read.  i’m not the most disciplined person just yet)

below is the one from this morning.  while reading it, i wanted to put myself in the story, and opposite-ize some of the phrases.   (my thoughts in parenthesis)

MATTHEW 27:11-26
[11] Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And Jesus said to him, “It is as you say.”(no, Jesus, it is as YOU say!!  whatever YOU say!!)  . . . . [15] Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. [16] At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas (or, maybe, ERIK??)  . [17] So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, “Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?”  [19] While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him.”  (i’d like to say “have EVERYTHING to do with this righteous man; for, all my days, i’ve been blessed greatly because of him.”)   [20] But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. (they should ask for Jesus, and put me to death)  [21] But the governor said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” (duh!)  [22] Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” (change to “what shall i do FOR Jesus??”) They all said, “Crucify Him!” (how about “Serve Him”?) [23] And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “Crucify Him!” [24] When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing (the story of my life w/o Him), but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this Man’s blood” (truth is, I am guilty)  [25] And all the people said, “His blood shall be on us and on our children!” (actually, i do need His blood to cover me, not as a curse, but to cleanse)  [26] Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

so, just a few of my thoughts.  note: i don’t actually want to change the scripture. . . it’s pretty nice just the way it is.

not exactly sure how this helps us “share the food”. . .  but, thank you Jesus, for loving us while we were still sinning.

eh

yep, that was me. i changed the header color. . . isn’t it beautiful? i don’t even know what color that is. (dan should never have given me certain admin-rights)

took some meals downtown saturday, about 12 hours after the tornado went through; little-five-points was okay. then i went down toward cabbage-town. . . terrible sights, but, thank God no one was killed down there.

i’m still amazed at the “miracle shot” at the georgia dome. Mykal Riley of Alabama hit a shot to send the game into overtime; if it hadn’t gone in, thousands more would have been on the dangerous street just as the tornado struck. thanks to the one who protects.

anyway, thanks to all that will send out sack lunches tomorrow. . . and thanks to all that will send out chili saturday!!

eh

btw, thanks to the ladies group that gave us sooo much stuff!!  attagirl, lorraine, for initiating that!!

saturday, i really needed to work on my (beautiful) truck, to get ready for a return work trip to charleston, sc (amazing city, btw!!).  so, i called a couple guys (art, robert, thanks) to verify that they’d be there, and then i stayed home and (after cleaning my messy garage) fixed my truck (which, btw, is a member of www.junkycarclub.com).  (that should be enough parenthesis’es).

anyway, as usual, god worked it out just perfectly!  plenty of help, good portions of food, excellent job, y’all!! y’all don’t need me!  ha!  but, you can’t get rid of me, either. . .

ttfn!  gigatt!  have a great week!

eh  (did anyone listen to that sermon?  amazing look at service, through the eyes of grace, and how much jesus did for us.)

i really mean that.  y’all continually impress me with your commitment, hard work, generosity, great attitudes…..etc.

hope i wasn’t too preachy on the last blog. . . i just know my own history of good intentions. . . not so good. . .

so, anyway, if you want to hear an amazing sermon, check out “grace” by francis chan.   check it out, then leave a comment below.  he can be found at www.cornerstonesimi.com, click media, then sermons, scroll down to oct. 14. 

love all y’all “kingdom helpers”!!  (ziti this week!)

eh