Who are the People in your Neighborhood?

"The poor are shunned even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends. He who despises his neighbour sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy." Prov 14:20,21

Last week I heard that the Kelowna Drop-In center is closing... a refuge for the homeless and struggling where they can find a bar of soap, a cup of coffee, a meal and some support in their day-to-day. Inn From the Cold could be facing a major challenge next year as Tara feels that since we are "serving food to the public" we might be inviolation because the food is prepared in homes instead of in licenced kitchens. If IFTC can no loger have volunteers like me and my friends prepare food in our homes everything will change for that program too. I think I read that 80,000 meals were served by the Kelowna Drop-Inn center, and Inn from the Cold serves about 5,000 meals during the winter.

This last six months or so, God has been doing something new in me, deepening my desire to love and serve the needy. I want to be so open to how He wants to use me in the next six months and beyond, especially now that the holes in services -- and therefore hope-- are getting bigger and bigger in our community.

I think the challenge is for all of us to get an education about this issue, have a heart of compassion and see where God takes us from there... at least I know it's the challenge for me when I read passages like this.

Refresh

"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."
Proverbs 11:25

This is so true for me. I love this verse. There are so many practical ways to refresh others and I've sooooo enjoyed living this out this winter especially in volunteering with Inn From the Cold... feeding the most desperate people in the city. Heather, a friend of mine, was sharing about her "word" for the year... and I was not sure what my "word" would be this year... I think I might go with "Refresh"... hmmmmmmmmm.....

Bling

"Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart... preserve sound judgement and discernment, do not let them out of your sight; they will be life for you, an ornament to grace your neck."
from Proberbs 3

As I find myself hurtling towards "the big 4-0" I'm being asked how I feel about it. My quick response is that I don't hesitate to share my age... I like where I'm at in life, I'm more fit than I've ever been, I don't think I look "like I'm fourty", I am really enjoying this season of family life... I'm happy with all those kinds of things.

And then I read this. This is what matters about aging and growing up. Is the tablet of my heart filled with faithfulness. Do I have more sound judgement and discernment than when I was turning the "big 3-0". What is hanging around my neck?

I am in such a different place with so many things than I was 10 years ago. I have more questions and less answers on some things. Maybe part of wisdom is acknowledging what you DON't know. It's patiently working through those things. It's being OK with the fact that sometimes your "etch-a-sketch" gets shaken and you have to re-evaluate the way you see things and the answers you used to have.

This chapeter also says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." God help me to do that more and more as I keep growing up!

Proverbs

"...if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God, for the lord gives wisdom and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding... Then you will understand what is right and just and fair -- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you and understanding will guard you."

from Proverbs 2


When I think if my Christian life, one of the things that I really love about it is that there are both the elements that are completely heart/soul/attitude/faith... and then there is the very practical, day-to-day, applicable, real life living out of those intangibles. It's not about earning points, it's about BEING and WALKING like someone who is taking the Truth seriously. I'm never going to get that right all the time, but in so many ways that is the evidence of God in my life. Sound elementary, doesn't it?

Every second week I sit down to lunch with 4 of my favorite ladies. We talk about life and faith and open our Bibles and share what God is showing us about Himself and about us. It is one of the things on my calendar I look forward to the most. Right now we are walking through Proverbs and I thought I'd try to post a few of the things that stand out to me. Simple, life-changing truths... who couldn't' use a dose of that?

Thoughts on Running.

These are the things that go through my mind during the various phases of any given long run:

Night before: Yeah! Run tomorrow!

Second Alarm goes off: I hope it's either pouring or freezing or both--DARN!

5 Seconds after alarm goes of: OK, I'm going... gotta meet the girls (usually.)

Getting out of car at start point: MAN it's cold!

10 minutes into run: The weather is perfect!

15-25 minutes: I'm dying.

26 minutes in: I feel better.

Half way thorough: Seriously, only half way?

Almost done: I can taste the Chai Latte.

Done: I AM INVINSIBLE!

Sitting down to coffee: That was great! I can totally do this half marathon thing.

Getting up from the chair after coffee: Ohhh... that hurts.

At home at the computer: I'm so proud of myself, I must tell the world.

Climbing up stairs later that day: Ohhh... that hurts.

Next day: Guilt free rest day! Whoo hooo!

Lather, rinse, repeat.