A day late....

It's Tuesday. Normally I try to put my thoughts together on Monday and just do a bit of reflection and journaling on our previous Sunday's activities. I have to admit, between the Labor Day weekend activities and attempting to recover from a hard drive crash on my laptop, I've been a bit preoccupied. It's taken me over a week to get my system back to a point where I actually have an operating system installed and I have a ways to go. For some reason, things there aren’t going so well. If that were the greatest problem I was facing...

So, anyway, our Sunday was pretty doggoned good. Poor Robin and my Mom spent what seemed like all day Saturday chopping celery and turkey for the Sunday meal. Turkey salad sandwiches. Man, were they working hard. It never ceases to amaze me...the amount of work that goes into our Sunday church activities. I mean, these two were chopping stuff all afternoon. Me? I was watching football. Hard work! My absolute favorite time of year. Fall...college football season...ya know what I mean? Now, I felt a little guilty. It was my birthday and Robin wouldn't let me do anything. She spent the whole day running around, working her poor butt off and here I was waiting for my Huskers to take the field. :) Shame.

We got downtown Sunday, got our things all set up and the funniest thing happened. Because I have a couple of friends on myspace.com who happen to be homeless, they apparently got the old birthday notice that myspace sends out. So, out of nowhere, the crowd of 150 - 200 of our best homeless friends break into an impromptu Happy Birthday chorus to me. Talk about being humbled. I look at my mom and she is almost crying. Joyfully, mind you, and I'm almost in tears. These are good people. You have to get to know them and that takes time, but I tell you they are good people.

I spoke to my friend John Sunday. He's one of the guys I look forward to chatting with each week. I've mentioned John before. John lives on the streets. Under a bridge. Great guy. Amazing story. John collapsed in line Sunday. Too much to drink. He was "signing" earlier in the day. If you are not familiar with the term, that's the "official" term our friends use for standing on a corner, holding up a sign, and asking for help. In whatever form that help may come in. Usually money. Various amounts. But I'm sure they get all sorts of things. Apparently. Because someone felt inclined to give John a pint of Jack Daniels Sunday. Said the guy handed it right out the window to him? What in the world? So you just have a bottle of liquor in the car for this? Huh? The guy obviously has a drinking problem. So you give him a bottle? Man...

My friend Joe told me the story of his son. Little Billy E. Billy died a couple of years ago. Down's Syndrome. 2 1/2 years old. Joe gave me a picture of Billy and a letter from his ex-wife. What do you want me to do with this Joe? "Tell your people about Billy, Dave. Do what you do." Now this was one cute little boy. Aren't they all? But this little fellow was special. Can you imagine having to deal with the loss of your baby? At 2 1/2 years old? My oldest sister died of cancer a few years back. The absolute most difficult thing I've personally ever had to stomach. My mother had to watch the whole thing unfold. She was 40. I have no idea how, as a parent, you deal with something like that? No idea. I guess in some cases, you turn to things that might ease the pain. Alcohol??? Drugs??? Seems that might be one circumstance that pushes Joe to live the way he lives. Ex-Marine. Don't make the mistake of calling him an ex-Marine. Once a Marine...always a Marine. The Marine wanted me to tell "my people" about Billy. Consider yourself told...

And finally, I met a lady named Jeannie. Once again, not sure on the spelling. Jeannie and her young high school aged daughter came to help Sunday. We must be an official entity in someone's eyes, because the Sarpy County higher ups are sending people to us to complete community service hours. What a great opportunity for them and us. We had a news story that aired on the local news several months ago. Someone who works in the Community Services office saw the story. Called us and asked if they could send people, mostly younger folks, to do service work with us. Are you kidding me? You betcha! Send 'em. We can always use the help. Well, Jeannie shows up Sunday and says her daughter needs to do some hours. You are in the right place Jeannie! We've got the hours!! Come to find out, Jeannine manages a doctor’s office here in town. A spinal clinic if I got the story right. They sponsor a charity every year at Christmas. The one they normally help out has closed recently. The McCauley Center for women and children. We met the fellow some months ago who directed this center. They've apparently fallen on tough times and had to close. So she tells me they are looking for a charity to sponsor this Christmas. I have no idea what that means, but we'll be a charity for anyone to sponsor anytime!! Bring it! It's funny, because I always pray that God will send people our way. He does all the time. As people come and go, He continually sends new folks to help out. And new folks to serve. I had a fellow helping me unload the van Sunday. His name was Tim. Said he was new. To Omaha? To our corner? Asked me if I was Super Dave. Every time I hear that it cracks me up. Nope. No super. Now God? Yeah. Way Super!! And always right on time. Never a day late.

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

..."it matters to that one"... :)