It’s zero-dark-thirty as I walk down the sidewalk through the urban residential neighborhood in Oakland where our daughter and son-in-law live.
I’m following “Around Me” directions on my phone to a nearby Starbucks.
Tiny homes crowd side by side, like kindergarteners jostling each other in line for recess, while parked cars squeeze bumper to bumper on the street and a couple cyclists pass me, getting an early start to work.
As I get closer to the coffee shop, a homeless guy with a gray cat perching on his shoulder walks towards me and shouts a question I don’t understand. I try to look sympathetic as I shrug my shoulders and pass him.
Outside the Starbucks is another homeless guy who doesn’t even have a backpack. What strikes me is how filthy dirty even his hands are. He asks me for change and I tell him I literally have nothing with me except my phone (with my Starbucks app to purchase coffee).
As I walk into the brightly lit store I’m remembering conversations from yesterday about homelessness by choice, and addiction and mental illness, and toxic charity and the complications of addressing this problem.
I purchase my coffee, but as I start to walk past the man outside, I pause and it seems that Jesus whispers, “Forget the complications.”
“As you did it to the least of these you did it to me.” (Matthew 25:45) echoes in my head.
I turn back. “I don’t have money to give you, but I can get you something to eat with my app if you want.”
“Could you get me a white mocha and one of those ham and cheese things?”
“Sure!”
I return with his order, again noticing his dirty hands as I give it to him.
“Thank you so much. Could you go back and get me a bunch of Splendas?”
I come out with the Splendas and wish him a good day, but as I walk away I think, “Did I really treat him as I would treat Jesus?”
Did I look him in the eye? Did I ask his name? Did I shake his hand? Did I serve him with the respect I’d offer a king?
Did I convey his value and dignity as a beloved child of God?
What if love looks like much more than meeting physical needs?
What if it’s about saying “I see you. You matter to God and to me. You are valued.”?
I reflect not just on homeless people, but the “invisible” people (like baristas), the “inconvenient” people (like the elderly person walking slowly, blocking our way). What if we look them in the eye and honor them today as we would honor Jesus?
Happy Friday Friends! Hope it’s been a good week for you! Husband John has been out of town so it’s been quiet around here. As an extrovert I’ve been striking up conversations with any stranger I meet. If you have a cute dog, or a baby, or basically are breathing and glance my way, watch out! Hope you enjoy the soul food buffet this weekend.
I know I’ve been MIA on the blog recently, but I’m guessing you’re out seizing summer joy and don’t mind a little less in your “in box”! As a result, this is a looooong post!
I’ve been prioritizing speaking, prepping a new set of devo cards, and another writing project I only recently have had the courage to call a “manuscript”. Yikes it’s scary to say that, and yet I also feel total peace regarding what happens with it. If God can use it “out there” I trust it will get published. If He has other plans I’m fine with that. I’m thankful for friends and mentors who have been coaching me along in this process!
Speaking of needing each other… John and I always do a lot of hosting in the summertime because our back yard provides a great space for gathering folks. We have had a big tent I told you about before, but it’s so old it started to leak when there was rain, and since rain was predicted last week when we were hosting 32, we bought another tent. Here was the problem. It was a LOT more complicated to set up than our previous one (I am so thankful for a husband with infinite patience!).
It was super hot with one million percent humidity as we struggled to get it set up. At one point I asked John what time it was, and he said, “No worries, they’re not coming tip 6:30.” Imagine the look on our faces when we had just finished the job and were sweating like pigs and our guests walked around the corner of our house at 6:00!
Anyway, one of the benefits of hosting a lot of potlucks is GOOD RECIPES! My friend Michelle brought this amazing salad and was gracious enough to give me the recipe, so I thought I’d pass it along. It is delightfully different!
Wheat Berry and Fruit Salad
1 Cup wheat berries
Dressing:
3 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs water
1 ½ Tbs cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp each salt & pepper
¼ Cup dried cranberries (craisins)
1 large apple cut bite size
1 Cup seedless grapes halved
½ Cup diced cheddar
Bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
Add wheat berries; reduce heat, cover and cook for
45-55 minutes until tender. Drain well.
In a large bowl, whisk oil, water, vinegar, mustard, salt
& pepper. Add dried cranberries and warm wheat berries.
Toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes, tossing occasionally,
for flavors to absorb and wheat berries to cool. (If you want
to make ahead and serve cold, cover and refrigerate up to
1 day).
3. Add remaining ingredients to bowl; toss to mix and coat.
Serves 4 (Can be served on a bed of lettuce.)
I preached at CPC on Jesus and the feeding of the 5,000 a couple weeks ago, and I wish I had thought to use this video! With Jesus everybody’s welcome, nobody’s perfect, and anything can happen!
I’ve been reading a lot this summer, but I really hate to review books because I think personal taste, values, your current season of life, and circumstances can skew how you feel about a book.
However, my talented friend Steve Wiens has a new book coming out August 22nd called “Whole”.
The description of this new book is: “For Christians who lament the brokenness in themselves, their neighbors, and the world around them, Whole offers a rallying cry to pursue wholeness together.”
I think Steve’s strength is in the questions he asks – the 5 questions of restoration he addresses in the first half of the book, and the discussion questions at the end of each chapter make this a read that would be good for group discussion. Steve models a commitment to self-reflection and vulnerable sharing throughout which will encourage others in your small group.
If you like considering the different meanings behind the original Hebrew text, looking for new connections, you will like this book. If you like contemporary retelling of ancient stories that highlight the movement from brokenness to wholeness, you will like this book.
If you are into spy novels, I recommend this complicated, intriguing book, ” I am Pilgrim: A Thriller”. It’s excellent, but be forewarned…there is some graphic violence and the pieces don’t start to come together til about page 245. I can’t imagine the time that went into researching this book!
One last thing…I’ve been doing more on Instagram, and recently posted this quote. I have several friends who are in very, very hard places where it seems their thoughts and prayers kept spinning in a circle of despair. Can anyone else relate?
I’ll close with part of a blessing from Suzie Larson:
May you be honest with God about the hurts in your heart. May you discern the difference between grief and self-pity. May you be okay with not always being okay. God will one day wipe away every tear from your eyes, but until then, He wants to help you walk this journey with peace in your heart and assurance in your soul. He is with you.
Most of us view our homes as a sanctuary. A safe place where we can hide from the world. It’s ours. No matter how chaotic the world seems, at home we have a sense of control. Letting others in threatens that sense of control.
We may think:
What if they judge me or my cooking or my decorating or housekeeping?
What if I don’t like them?
What if they stay too long?
What if they expect too much of our relationship?
I don’t want to do the work. This will just be uncomfortable!
God has a bit different take on the situation and that can feel scary. He actually thinks everything is HIS, and we’re just caretakers – charged with using our homes, our cars, our money to further His kingdom of loving care. Hospitality is a high value in the kingdom as we see in these passages.
Genesis 18: 1-8 The Lord appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant.”
“Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”
So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. “Quick,” he said, “get three seahs of the finest flour and knead it and bake some bread.”
Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
Hebrews 13:1-2 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.
I LOVE the idea a friend of mine has initiated! She calls it “Front Porch Fridays” and invites friends to drop by for drinks and appetizers from 4:00 on!
Neighboring challenge: Actually invite your neighbors over! I know this can be scary, but think of it as an adventure! You could do:
a cookout
a Saturday morning bagel bash
a potluck where each family brings a dish that tells something about their heritage
or “Sundaes on Sunday” like we did
I was nervous that no one would show up, but EVERYONE came! We made it short (7:00-8:00) and as simple as possible – sundaes or root beer floats. Try it and let me know what happens!
It’s been a full week. In the best sense of the word.
It’s been full of moments when God just seems so present, and people are authentic, and joy is in the air like the woodsmoke from Autumn fires. Out of that fullness I want to share a few morsels of soul food that have been life-giving.
The other day when I wrote about Holy Drones, I referred to the (almost impossible for me) practice of being still before the Lord. Just silent and still…to become aware of His loving presence, closer than our breath. I thought I’d share an app that has helped me. Note: you can set the amount of time for silence and I set mine for 3 minutes. That’s truly the most I can manage. I’m clearly not a natural contemplative!
I love, love, love good stories like this especially when it is men stepping up!
And lastly, some hospitality inspiration…
We went to a couples wedding shower this weekend and I absolutely LOVED this is idea! The Bible was given to the couple at the end of the party, full of love.
Then Wednesday night I had a bunch of young women over for a get-together and I was blown away by their vulnerability and present-ness. I made a little favor for them to take with them because I really wanted these young women who are in a stressful season of life to feel special.
However, 2 DISCLAIMERS regarding the following idea:
I TOTALLY stole the idea from my friend, Mo, and tweaked it a bit for my get-together. She did something like this for a wedding shower with “She picked him.” on the tag instead. Thanks, Mo!
I like doing this, and in my season I have more margin, BUT making this kind of crafty gifty thing isn’t for everyone or for every season and THAT’S OK! We all have different gifts (My house was dusty and weeds have overtaken my gardens). More important to be present and welcoming than have a gift! Also, I did homemade caramel, but you could do store-bought if you want to make it easier.
What about you? Any soul food to share with the rest of us? What inspired you this week?
