What’s the Difference?

I find myself asking that question often these days. What is the difference?

I was so angry this morning as we were heading downtown. I’ve wanted to take a camera down with us for the past few weeks. The trees in the park are really changing colors right now and the scenery is pretty spectacular right now. Now, it’s not North Carolina spectacular where the trees are an absolute painted canopy, but it is still beautiful in its own way. Its own Omaha, Nebraska way! So as we were pulling on to the freeway this morning to go downtown, I realized that I’d forgotten the camera once again. So we called mom. To the rescue once again! How many times in my life has mom come to my rescue? Well, obviously too many to count. What a rock in my life she has been. So I call her and ask her to bring her camera. She says something about batteries and such, but she’ll bring it. Cool.

So we get down there and we start our deal. Our homeless friends are always waiting to help unload. And in a matter of minutes, we are in business. Mom gets the camera to me, which within those short 10 -15 minutes that it took us to get into the downtown area, I forgot again that she was even bringing it! Imagine that! She had to remind me that she had it! Good grief! And then she mentioned the batteries. Now you have to know my mom. I love you mom!! But I may need to invest in some Energizers! So I give the camera to one of the young fellows who was there to do some community service work and ask him to take as many pictures as he could. Well, a few minutes later I see Robin with the camera. Huh? Seems I forgot one important aspect of what it is we do on that corner. Respect. We’ve attempted to be very respectful of all the people on that corner. All the people we share that community time with. We never want to take advantage or make it seem like this is some sort of project. Why are we taking pictures? Several reasons to be honest. I love to be able to put faces to names. One of the things I really strive for is to remember names. Some are easier than others for whatever reason. Pictures help in that regard. Another reason is I just think it’s important to occasionally capture some of these moments in some format or another. Video. Still pictures. Whatever. Just a little reminder of where we’ve been and where He’s leading us. So when he started taking pictures, someone called him on it and he gave the camera to Robin. She then gave it to me and I started asking and receiving permission to snap pictures pretty much at will. One of the most interesting things to me as I came home and started looking at the pictures? Smiles. All around. Smiles.

As I look around on the corner on Sundays, I’m reminded of a song that I really love these days. It’s called the Table of Grace and it’s on a Phillips, Craig and Dean CD – Restoration. The song speaks to God’s amazing Grace. Uses metaphors to describe the awesome Grace that flows so freely…the cup’s always full…the plate’s never empty…everyone’s welcome…at the Table of Grace. Every time I hear this song, it reminds me of our corner. God’s corner. Where the literal cup never seems to run out. We always seem to have enough. Now I’m certainly not equating what we do to God’s Grace. Just that the imagery of the song puts me there. And when we are there, such as today, the mood is always one of cheerfulness and fellowship. And smiles. We prayed together today. Before we serve our Sunday meal, we always pray. Or at least I usually say a prayer offering thanks for all the blessings He sends us with each week. But today we said the Lord’s Prayer. All of us. It was moving to me, to say the least. I can’t describe it. I woke up yesterday morning at 4:00 a.m., which isn’t so unusual for me these days, but the first thing that popped into my feeble brain was to say the Lord’s Prayer with our friends. At 4:00 in the morning. Can’t those kinds of things come at say noon? Anyway, we prayed together and it was very cool.

So what’s the difference? Between an older fellow and a bunch of us from suburbia? What is it that makes our lives so different? I took a bunch of pictures today. But one fellow seemed to show up in several of them. Harry. Great guy. Interesting stories. Tells me he loves the Lord. I have no doubt. Has a drinking problem. Of that I have no doubt either. So what makes us different? Or are we really that different? I mean, I have my issues for sure. I don’t run in the same crowds as Harry obviously, but there was a time when I might have. So what is the difference. Harry is the guy in the picture. With my beautiful little Erin. Is he any different to her? Or is it just my view? And is he really any different? The camera doesn’t lie. Harry is the same kind of different as us. I borrowed that from a book I read recently. But it’s true. He’s got his issues to be sure, but he’s no different. None of these guys are. They might make choices that are obviously not good ones, but haven’t we all done that from time to time? I talked with a young lady today whose story absolutely blew me away. Beautiful, long, red hair. Very pretty. Early 30s maybe? First time I’ve ever seen her. As we talked, and she told me more of her story, it got more and more interesting. She asked for blankets for her boarding room. But only if the guys that lived in the park didn’t need them. Starting to get cold here in Nebraska. Going to be brutally cold on that corner in the coming months. So as she told me more of her story in the approximate 5 minutes we shared, she told me of an abusive relationship…a much publicized trial…a sentencing…involuntary manslaughter…a prison term. Now? Trying to get it back together. So what’s the difference? Is that what it takes to make it to our corner? But she knows the Lord. Praise God. She struck me as someone who will get out of her situation. Harry? Not so much, but who knows? We’re not naïve enough to think that all of these guys will somehow get out of the situations they are in. But some of them will. Of that I am sure. Just want to be there to see it and hear about it.

I guess that’s the difference. We get to be there to hear of the failures and the successes. We get to be a small, small part of it all. Of God’s plan for our friends. We get to go to Tuesday Bible studies with any of them that want to go. We are blessed with the wisdom that comes in droves from some of our friends. Life’s wisdom. God’s wisdom. Occasionally someone will say something to me on that corner that blows my mind. Usually something really simple. But almost always very profound. That’s the difference. I am so in awe that we are getting into deeper fellowship with our new friends and we are so blessed to be the recipients of their love and His love. So in the end? There is no difference. We just take our troubles to different resting places. Us to our quaint little suburb. Harry to his tent down by the river. Physically? Way different. But I look at the picture and I see the two worlds colliding. And I realize that there really is no difference. And Erin will tell you so.

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

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