An old friend is being "redesigned"...

So today was a little different for us as our normal spot in the park has been destroyed and looks more like a war zone than our normal Sunday gathering spot. Seems the city of Omaha has begun the process of removing the trees from and redesigning that corner. They moved pretty quickly to get this going. My guess is they moved so swiftly so as to avoid any kind of obstruction to the project. I mean, anyone who knows how a city government operates knows that this kind of thing doesn’t happen overnight. Yet in this case, they did almost that. The funny thing about it is they did it under the guise of allowing downtown business people the opportunity of having "lunch alfresco" in the park. Now I work downtown. Not sure I remember the last time anyone in my office mentioned the phrase "lunch alfresco". In fact, I’ve never heard that phrase. The fact of the matter is that our homeless friends are unsightly to some and they’d probably just as soon push them to another part of the city. Now maybe that’s not the case and maybe it is. I don’t know. I do know that one of the other reasons mentioned was the colossal amount of bird poop in the park and on the sidewalks from the starlings in the park. And it was a lot. But I’m not sure that’s the best reason to hack down 20 or 30 mature trees and kick ‘em to the curb. Maybe a good power washing would be more cost effective? Those trees provided so much shelter from the sweltering summer sun. So often during the summer, Id comment to anyone who’d listen as to how much shade they provided. At any rate, we had to shift our whole operation today about a half a block south and do His thing a little differently. The main thing for us though was to remember that we have a distinct reason for being there. One of the things that got us down to that corner in the first place was the fact that doing something like this would get us out of our comfort zone. Well guess what’s kind of happened for us over the past couple of years? We’d perhaps fallen into a bit of a comfort zone on that very corner. How bizarre is that? And now we had to remove ourselves from that comfort zone, that place that we’ve been able to call home for a few hours each week for the past couple of years and rethink how we were going to do it. Funny, that. So today I made a point of not over thinking it. Oh we had lots of different opinions on what we should do. How we should set things up. Where we should set things up. One individual was fairly persistent in voicing his opinion. I’ll leave that for another day. Anyway, we got going right about our normal time and things went very well. Funny how that happens when we don’t try to over think things. I mean, it’s not like we have any control over this stuff. We simply need to be the hands and feet. Definitely not the brain. Not my strong suit for sure.

So it was a pretty normal Sunday. If anything associated with this thing qualifies as normal. I mean, what is normal? Pretty ambiguous term really. Here’s the thing. I’ve gotten to know about a couple hundred or more people over the past couple of years. People I definitely would not have become acquainted with otherwise. And it all happened under a stand of trees in a park in downtown Omaha. Right across the street from the office I where I work. And in the same vicinity where literally tens of millions of dollars are being spent tearing down existing buildings so tens and sometimes hundreds of millions of dollars can be spent erecting brand new condo and office towers. Yet each and every Sunday I have people, adults mind you, asking me for help acquiring new shoes. Needing a winter coat. Winter boots. Socks. And there are probably tons of things we haven’t even thought of yet. The dichotomy is bizarre to me. I mean this thing we do can be so simple. I used a young lady’s report a few weeks ago to display what others see in this thing we do every week. She came today with the most amazing poster board presentation. And on the outside, around the edges of the tri-fold poster that she’d constructed were the following lyrics to a popular song…"If everyone cared and nobody cried, If everyone loved and nobody lied, If everyone shared and swallowed their pride, Then we'd see the day when nobody died…". I guess I look around and wonder what this crazy world would look like if everyone maybe cared just a little more. Even back to the doggone trees. As I read her presentation, and I have to tell you she did an amazing job on this thing, I was amazed at what she was able to capture with just a few well placed pictures and a few well written words. And the fact that we’ve gathered under those trees weekly for almost two years without fail had me feeling a little sad about the fact that our weekly gatherings were now going to be different. No more shade in the summer when the sun is beating us down. And more importantly, no more shade for our friends. Now I’ve seen artist renderings of what the corner will look like when it’s completed and I’m actually mildly excited about the prospects. But do we really need to spend a truckload of money on something that was fine to begin with when there is so much need right here in our city? I simply hope that they don’t attempt to move us to a different part of the city like they do our homeless friends. Because I don’t think we’re going anywhere. And I pray that they don’t ask us to leave. We’ll cross that bridge when and if necessary, but needless to say, we are in for the long haul. I had to make sure our friends knew that today. Seems that someone told them last week we wouldn’t be there. So I made sure to reiterate that unless they hear it directly from Robin or myself, or they happen to catch Gabriel steppin’ out on a cloud blowin’ that sweet, sweet sound, then they should be there. Because, the Lord willing, we’ll be there.

So it feels almost like an old friend is gone today. Not to be overly dramatic, but it just seemed odd as I looked at Mickaela’s presentation and looked at the pictures and just thought back to all the crazy things that have happened on that corner. And that is strictly from a selfish standpoint. That doesn’t even take into account the feelings I get when thinking about how our friends have now lost yet another place to escape from the heat and whatever other weather is thrown at them. I guess what it boils down to for me is I really don’t like change. Especially change that I have no say in. As if I have any say so in anything anyway. I’m sure this will turn out well. I even said as much to several people today. In fact I can’t wait to see what changes they have in store for us on that corner. But since it was the place where we made our first attempt at this sort of thing, the place where we first felt led to do His work and the place where we now have so many memories, I’ll always have a soft spot for it. Thankfully, we have lots of pictures. And now we’ll have to make new memories. With our friends and family. On 14 and Douglas. Every Sunday at noon.

And my friend Eric asked me a strange question today. The question went something like this…"Dave, you know how when someone thanks you for something and you point upward? What do people in Australia do in that case?" And I think he was mildly serious. I had no answer…I just laughed.

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

Make a difference.

…it matters to that one… :)

Just gotta do something?

So today was another spectacular day to be downtown in the park. Hanging out with our friends. Weather was great. Food was great. A couple hundred services or more of enchiladas, Spanish rice, and all the fixings that go along with a meal like that. And the Youth Group from St. Vincent DePaul Church came down and brought enough deserts to choke a stable of horses! Amazing how that works. They were great to have down there too. Something about young kids and a desire to help and their desire to be on fire for His causes. I talked to one young lady who expressed her amazement at what was going on down there. She mentioned that her youth group was going to try to do something monthly. I’m not sure if she meant they were going to come and serve with us monthly or not. But she was so convinced that she needed to come down more often. It’s so cool to see younger folks who get it. There is a huge problem in our city and I don’t k now how to address the issue as it relates to solving the problem. But I know that we can all do a little something to show we care. If everyone did a little something…

There was another couple who came down today and I believe they were with the youth group. I believe the lady works at Creighton University here in Omaha. Her words, and I have to paraphrase, were that she simply could not believe something like this could be happening in our own city. That there was a homelessness problem of this proportion right here in our city. Creighton is in the middle of spending millions of dollars purchasing buildings in the area north of downtown and east of their campus. She said she couldn’t believe that they were spending all that money and what are we doing for the people of our city? Now this conversation was relayed to me, but I have to believe that’s not an uncommon perception. I just don’t think people realize the extent of the problem in this city as it relates to homelessness and poverty. Again, if everyone just did a little something…

Last Thursday, Robin and I had a change to share the story of what God is doing in His ministry work, through us, in the downtown community. We had the opportunity to share with a group called Metro Marketplace Ministry. It’s a group who works to connect others in the business community to share Christ in the workplace. So we were able to share what God is doing in our lives and in the downtown community as we see it. One of the more interesting things that came of this meeting, at least to me, was the following story that was shared with us. After we spoke, a younger fellow shared a story with us. He mentioned that he knew one of the fellows that was in our video. Has known him for a few years now. And I wrote of this guy, unknowingly, a few weeks ago. Seems this guy comes over into Omaha from Council Bluffs every Sunday morning and gives our friend John a small donation. 5 bucks. 10 bucks. 20 bucks. Whatever he can spare I suppose. A few weeks ago, he had to navigate a field to find John. Seems John had overslept. I wrote about this already, so I’ll spare the details. The point of it all? Well, first of all, John is agnostic. So he doesn’t quite share our views on Christianity. Yet his friend that comes over every week is Christian. As are we. And John knows that. Not because we beat him up with the Gospel every week. Not because we hold our friends captive each week as we preach a message. That just doesn’t happen. We pray together. And even our agnostic friends respect that. At least outwardly. Now I like John a lot and we’ve had a couple of conversations around this whole thing. But even though our views are different when it comes to what we believe, John definitely knows what we believe. And he respects it. So at our meeting last week, this fellow speaks of John and we now know who John’s Sunday friend is. This is the guy that John has told us about. The guy that shows up each week with a bit of help for John. And John has told him about us. And said that we needed to hook up. This just struck me because Robin and I both knew who he was talking about without a name being mentioned. So in all of it, some things become a little clearer to me. The simple fact that His Word never goes out void. I know that might be the pat answer from a Christian perspective, but I believe it with all I know. And when our actions are His actions, that speaks pretty loudly also. So even though we preach no message to our friends on Sundays, they know where it all comes from, and it certainly ain’t from us. So it was interesting to say the least, that this guy would relate this story to us and confirm what God is always impressing upon us. If we will simply go out and attempt to be a bit of His light in a dark spot, He will indeed shine through us to the point that people will maybe see a glimpse of Him. Now don’t get me wrong. I could screw up a one man funeral if given the right opportunity. But that’s the great thing about working for the Big Guy Himself. We don’t have to worry about the small stuff. He takes care of it. And give us confirmation if we are only willing to listen. We just have to do something. It doesn’t have to be this huge "outreach" project. It simply has to be something from the heart and something that is done to glorify and honor God. We know if our hearts are right, He’ll lead it and in a way that will constantly and consistently blow our doors in. That’s just how He works. Just gotta do a little something…

Finally, I met a couple fellows from the University of Nebraska at Omaha today. They are from Campus Crusade for Christ. I think they just happened upon us today. But they were amazed at what they saw. They were talking to a few of our friends and they told them to come over and introduce themselves to me. We had a great conversation and of course I asked them to do a coat drive for us. Or a sock drive. Or a whatever drive. Just do something. I think they will. Because this isn’t our thing. It’s His thing. And everyone can get involved and help out in someway. It’s not about the socks or the coats or the meal. I know I’ve mentioned that on several occasions, but I mean it. It’s not about that stuff. It’s about His stuff. And it’s about us taking ownership of a problem in our city that isn’t going away anytime soon if we don’t all chip in a do a little something. For instance we learned this week that the city is considering removing all the trees from the park to alleviate a growing problem. I know I’m going off on a tangent here, but hang with me. So they are trying to rid this park of a growing problem. You want to know what the problem is? Bird poop. Yep, bird poop. That’s the official explanation. But you know what those trees provide? Cover from the heat in the summer for our friends. But they are also a nesting place for starlings. Lots of them. So instead of addressing that problem, let’s just remove the trees from the park. Wouldn’t want "trees" in a "park" now would we? Or maybe they don’t want our friends to have a place to go to get out of the summer heat. Look, I know it’s a problem. But how about addressing the real problem here? So we remove the trees and the homeless guys are just going to disappear? Probably not. So I’m talking to the guys from Campus Crusade and they are in. They want to help in some tangible way. They say they’ll contact us at some point. I wonder if they know any tree huggers? :) We might need to enlist a group to help. I don’t think Robin is going to go down without a fight on this one. We both kind of laughed at the description in the paper the other day. Seems with all the bird poop, the local business community can’t enjoy a "lunch alfresco" in the park because of the stench. I don’t know. We enjoy a "lunch alfresco" (whatever that is) every Sunday at noon. Along with 150 or so of our friends. Doesn’t seem to bother any of us...

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

Go out and make a difference.

…it matters to that one… :)

Mickaela's Report

Occasionally I get the great opportunity to actually see or hear the perspective of another individual as to what they see when they experience this thing that happens for us each week. This thing that becomes a Sunday event for us and that is an absolute blessing to my family and many others. It’s easy to take it for granted, this weekly ordeal that we are blessed to be a small part of. I spend a few hours each Sunday morning in the garage getting stuff ready. Robin spends a few hours preparing her part of the meal, while others do the same in their own kitchen to prepare a meal for 200 or so of our friends. The kids all help out in various ways. We show up on a downtown street corner and spend a few hours doing what He leads us to do. It all works. And after doing this thing for almost two years now, you sort of get in a groove. Needs change as the seasons change. But one thing that will never change for me is the Reason. To serve and to offer the opportunity for others to do the same. That is and always has been one of the primary reasons we do this thing. We get the most amazing opportunity each and every week to show up and serve an amazing God and some pretty amazing people. One of the cool things that happens on occasion is the opportunity to hear from someone else. What does a person see and feel as they experience a Sunday at 14th and Douglas?

Recently a young lady and her family began serving with us each Sunday. She initially joined us as a requirement for service hours related to her upcoming confirmation. One of the requirements was a report on her service. One thing I’d like to state - she mentions that it was "by chance" that she came across Starfish Ministry. I’d like to think it was not "by chance" at all. :) This young lady was kind enough to allow me to use her report this week in my blog. Enough words from me. This is Mickaela's Report…

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I had been thinking about switching my community service hours to another organization. The one I started my hours at was really not that great. I didn’t feel like I was helping that much. Sure, I did the stocking and sorting they asked me to; but the people who worked there were not very friendly. It was by chance I came across Starfish Ministry. I read a post on a home school information board by a group that fed the homeless people in downtown Omaha and they needed some help. It has always made me sad that some people are homeless. I thought it would be a more hands-on way of helping so I decided to give it a try. And, I’m so glad I did!

Starfish Ministry’s mission is to "work to provide a hand-up for people in the Omaha area. By meeting some basic physical needs, building relationships, and imitating the love of Christ, we seek to provide hope in otherwise hopeless situations." The ministry basically runs out of founders, Dave and Robin Laney’s, Papillion home. They can be contacted at the website: starfishministry.com. The best way to get involved with Starfish Ministry would be to contact the Laney’s to see what is most needed that week. Perhaps you could donate food or help serve the meal downtown. If you only wanted to donate there is a list of items to donate on their website. Any help big or little is appreciated and goes directly to the homeless who need it most.

The Laney’s are fabulous people. Over the last month while I worked my Confirmation service hours it has been so interesting to watch them interact and help their Sunday Friends. They clearly are examples of people who live their faith. Their trust in God, no matter what their Sunday Friends throw at them is unyielding.

Two years ago, after moving to Omaha from Charlotte, North Carolina, The Laney’s were searching for a church or a faith community to belong to. They felt the call to do God’s work but not the right place to do it yet. They remembered back to their days in Charlotte where they were part of a group who fed the homeless in downtown Charlotte. They wondered if something like they did there would work here. So two years ago one cold November day the Laney’s took a pot of soup, a small table, and their warm hearts to the corner of 14th & Douglas to share a meal with those who needed one.

Inspired by God’s Will, the Laney’s truly believed this idea would work here. They could reach out to the homeless regardless of the person’s problems and provide them a home cooked meal, a caring ear to simply listen to them, and to share God’s grace and love in their life.

There were some struggles in the beginning. Keeping a meal warm- outside- in Nebraska’s cold winters is very challenging. Another struggle they faced in the beginning was getting the homeless, or "Sunday Friends," (as they call them) to trust them. It took time to get to know their new friends and their stories. The Laney’s knew this was so much bigger then themselves and God would provide for their needs to help these people.

Over the last two years of serving their Sunday Friends every weekend, the Laney’s had some good and bad memories to share. The saddest memories they deal with is death. The death of any of their Sunday Friends deeply affects them. I know they realize God has a plan for everyone and that even in death His Will will be done. But being human, one can’t help but second guess or wonder "What if…"

Mr. Laney shared with me one of his best memories. As he was preparing for the day and driving downtown, he kept praying to God that he needed a miracle today; he needed something really good to happen- he needed a miracle. When they arrived downtown the day went like they usually do. As they were packing up to go home, one of their Sunday Friends came up to him. This particular friend had just graduated from an alcohol rehabilitation program. He was hollering at Mr. Laney that he had to show him something. He came over and showed Mr. Laney a coin he received when he graduated from rehab. On the coin it said, "I’m a miracle!"

Serving the homeless with Starfish Ministry was a great experience for my confirmation service hours. This experience required me to get out of my "comfort zone" and learn to appreciate a group of people in our community who really just need a hand-up. I enjoyed serving the meals and drinks to all of them. They definitely are colorful characters. They are thankful for a warm, home cooked meal and a friendly face. I know they have all arrived on the corner of 14th & Douglas for different reasons. Whatever their choices are that have brought them there today is not really important. It’s the fact that they simply are there.

It was a little uncomfortable at first. I could not really relate to their situation. I have a home; I have food to eat whenever I want to; I have a family- but, I could listen to them. And often, that is all they need. I can serve them a good home-cooked meal. And, that always brightens their mood! I can learn to care for them. Because that, is what Jesus calls us to do.

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Thanks Mickaela. And I thank God for you and your family because without Him and families like yours, none of this is possible. It does indeed make a difference.

Matthew 25:37-40 Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?' The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

Go out and make a difference.

…it matters to that one… :)

Don’t thank me…

"Thanks Dave". Seems like I hear those words about a hundred times or more every Sunday. Thanks Dave. Thanks for the socks. Thanks for the shoes. Thanks for the meal. Thanks for the…whatever. The thing is I try to emphasize that it isn’t me. It isn’t us. And the funnier thing is I’m starting to get the same responses from different people. "Thank both of you". Now that’s one I like. I don’t want, for one second, anyone giving me thanks for anything I do on Sunday or any other day for that matter. I certainly don’t deserve thanks. I most especially don’t want it. I simply wish for our friends to know from where it all comes. Whenever anyone thanks me for anything? I simply tell them to not. Please. I’m simply the one that does a little of the leg work. The tool as my friend Bill once said. Others have called me much worse. A tool? In some places that has a pretty negative connotation. In this case? I’ll take it. I’ll be an instrument of the Lord any day. Because there is no one I’d rather serve. And each time I get the opportunity to give someone a pair of socks or pray with someone on that corner I’m reminded just how blessed I really am.

Here’s yet another crazy story, to me anyway. I met a couple today. Richard and Miranda. Never seen them before. As it turns out, I’m guessing I’ll never see them again. They show up on our corner today. After sleeping in some bushes last night. Hey, they found some cardboard to make things a little more comfortable. For whatever reason, it’s getting cooler here a little early this year. We actually had long sleeves on yesterday at Nick’s football game. So I’m guessing sleeping under the bushes by the Omaha Children’s Museum last night was a little frosty. Now these guys don’t know this city. How they got there last night I have no idea. What happens when you get off a bus in a strange city? Do you go looking for the most comfortable bushes you can find? Not in this case. The came in from Sioux City yesterday. Seems a church there was able to help them get as far as Omaha. I guess it costs a little more to get to Austin than to Omaha? Obviously. But let me back up a bit. This couple was visiting family in South Dakota. They had driven up with friends from Austin, Texas. On the way back, the friends were arrested in Sioux City, Iowa. Now why the friends would even go through Sioux City when they had outstanding warrants in that city is for another time, but they did. So they get arrested, therefore stranding this couple there. So they get a little help and show up in Omaha yesterday. They try their luck at the shelter, but it seems they forgot to pack there marriage certificate for this trip. I do that all the time! Doggone marriage certificate. I wouldn’t know where ours is. And the shelter needs a marriage certificate to put them up together. Rules. So the shelter offers them separate quarters. Only thing is they can only give her an upper bunk. And it seems Miranda has a medical condition which causes her to have seizures. Not a good combination. Seizures and an upper bunk. Bad combo. Oh and someone from the shelter, who shall go unnamed, offered to help with bus tickets. Told them to wait out front and she’d get back to them. After about an hour and a half, said person left for the day out the back door. No explanation or anything. Seems she was going to try to get a local church to pay for the tickets. The church turned them down for some reason. So they weren’t having much luck. Somehow, they showed up on our corner today. I met them in the line. They asked if we could help. We? Oh, you mean the both of us? Well, get a bite to eat and we’ll chat after things settle down a little. That’s a pretty pat answer for me. Lots of people seem to need to talk. To both of us. :) So they mentioned their situation and I told them to give me some time and "we’d" see if we could do anything. So, after we got the trailer loaded up, I spent a bit of time talking to Richard and Miranda. I sometimes wonder, when people I’ve never met before, begin to tell me of their circumstances if they are really being square with me. It’s so hard not to be cynical sometimes. But if "we" have the money, and we’ve been blessed with various donations, how can we not help. But I have to admit, it’s a real struggle for me sometimes. So anyway we make arrangements to get the bus tickets for them and get them on their way. They leave Omaha at 7:45 tonight and get to Austin tomorrow afternoon. Now I wouldn’t wish that bus trip on anyone, but I’m guessing this couple will take it. Look, I can’t imagine being stranded in a strange city. Sleeping under a bush. On a piece of cardboard. And wondering if I’d ever get back and how? I cannot imagine.

I had a fellow come up to me today and tell me the funniest thing, yet it was pretty awesome at the same time. Robert is an older fellow who had started coming down in recent months. I’m really not sure how long he’s been coming down and I think he has an apartment nearby. He stopped me today to tell me some news. He pulls me close and tells me he joined the Lord today. Joined the Lord? That’s the first time I’ve heard it described quite like that. He said he had to. I told him he was absolutely right. He did have to. And I fully intend on joining up with him in coming weeks to hear how his "joining" is going! Joined the Lord! I like that one.

And finally, and this has absolutely nothing to do with anything, but it was a moment we’ll be talking about in our family for a while, no doubt. We leave the downtown area today and we’re heading south. We’d stopped at my Mom’s house for a few minutes on the way home and were leaving South Omaha. Heading down 13th Street. As we passed through an intersection, I noticed a flock of birds clearing the road and thought I might hit one of them. Guess I should have thought differently. As they flew close to the front of the van, I was very suddenly aware of the fact that something had come in through the window of the van and grazed the top of my rather large melon. A baby bird had flown right smack in the window, took a glancing blow off my head and landed inside on the back window of the van. Now it all happened rather quickly, and by the time I turned around to see exactly what the heck had just grazed me, the neighbor girl who made the trip with us downtown today was standing in her seat, screaming in a vain attempt to avoid this crazy bird. She was terrified! And the bird flies across to Christian’s side and bounces of his window. I’m looking back, trying to figure this all out and of course I’m driving the van. While looking back. And did I mention we are in the middle of a construction zone? One lane either direction. So I might have crossed a front, left tire into the oncoming lane for a second or two. I did get notice from the truck that was coming from the other direction that this game of chicken was going to end pretty quickly if one of us didn’t do something differently. So I get back into my lane and the bird finds a place in the back of the van. We are able to stop a ways up the road once we’d cleared all the pylons and construction cones and free this crazy bird. Don’t know the moral of this one, just a crazy moment and one we’ll be talking about for a while.

So, aside from the bird incident, it was a great day. Another opportunity to be the wall-less, door-less, roof-less open air "building" that this thing has become. And when I got a call from Richard and Miranda a few minutes ago thanking me for the chance to get home? Well, I simply told them not to thank me.

Thank God.

Peace and have a great and blessed week.

Go out and make a difference.

…it matters to that one… :)