Community Kitchen

The Job.
I am now employed by the Chattanooga Community Kitchen. I don't really feel like writing the basics of my job, I more want to write about the things that happened today. Alas without the background info it would be useless or at least you would not get to see the contrast of amazing spiritual light with the corruption of what Satan can do with minds and bodies in the grips of addiction without the background.
I love my job. Each day I get to come to work and see dedicated brothers and sisters in the Lord laboring to transform minds, emotions and physical circumstances for the Glory of Jesus. My official job title is "Assistant director of the Community Kitchen." A fancy word for cook, fight breaker upper, receptionist and sometime therapist. It is amazing that I have found a job that strives to restore dignity to the poor. We are lucky to serve them and I am lucky to know them. I know I am being brief on the specifics so feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to answer them.
Now, about the day. I am know daily in contact with 100s of people who have no bed, are mentally ill, who are under bonds of addiction and who know more about the nature of Jesus grace than I could ever grasp. I saw a man today who was jumped last night by another man he shares space with after the man returned strung out on crack. His head was bleeding the police showed up. J's response when asked if he wanted to press charges "Naw man, he didn't know what he was doing, that's not really him, we all get carried away by our demons." Over 300 people humbled themselves to accept help from a 26 year old girl who could only give out a sack dinner. R volunteers 10 hours a day because that's the only way he knows how to stay clean. T cried after a 4 day drug binge about how she is never going to mean anything to anyone and on my way to the library I saw her buying drugs. But I see couples trying to help eachother out of the bonds of addiction, A just got a puppy and to see her laugh, I imagine that is how Jesus looks. To top the day off I got a marriage offer and told that I would always have the best bed in the shelter.
I feel like I could write a book on what I am thankful for. On the very top of that list is that God has chosen to reveal his love of people to me by allowing me to serve.

On a total different note: Hope you all have a wonderful Easter! I missed hope but on Saturday night we had Easter Pad Thai with 11 wonderful folk at S and S. One of the twins (E) put on faux kitten ears and stayed up way past his bed time charming all of us. Then on Sunday K, E, B, H and I hit church and then K cooked an amazing meal. After some downtime K, J and I went to miller park and watched kids in the sprinklers and then watched "Best in Show." Hope your day was filled with family, friendship and adoration of the King.
-Hey, have the just one letter for names gotten annoying yet? They were annoying me while I was writing them, but I am lazy. I will in the future only use them to protect the identity of the clients of the kitchen. By the way if you know of any good jokes I could use them. They eat them up and I am about out.

Jonathan Edwards

Who doesnt like a little Jonathan Edwards? Give it up, yall for Yale is launching a new Jonathan edwards online site with tons of previously unaccessible manuscripts made available. For more go to:
http://edwards.dev.oho.com/
(oh how I wish I new how to link!)
If you are down south and feel like a good time, join the Dead Theologions Society that meets at Erlanger hospital at 6:30am. It's early, but the solid theo and the Greyfriers coffee gets your blood pumping.

Are You Experienced?

I just got back from the DMV of Tennessee, whoop whoop. I have been a bit apprehensive about my relinquishing of the old MN one and really embracing my life as a Southerner but alas, the NEW JOB (more later) requires it.
I am not sure how to write this so that ya'll get the true heaviness of this next statement.
IT. IS. THE. BEST. PHOTO. OF. ME. EVER. TAKEN.
I need to put this on dating cards or something. I am going to scan it on the blog instead of that haggardy white girl photo up in the corner but I am going to need help with that. Fo Sho this makes me look like a 9 on the hotness scale. Seriously, the man behind me in line uttered the phrase "That picture is spectacular, I mean you are pretty, but really..." I left grinning, how often do you leave the DMV grinning? First let me say that the first photo, not so alluring. In fact, I looked spastic and I had a line of people behind me. The fun lady that had the photo that anyone would question anytime I did anything that might press the boundaries of the law did not want to budge and give me a new one. I threw out a line. "Maam, (after looking at her left hand and seeing she was single)I am 26 and single, I need a fighting chance. This was not said in a whinny tone, rather matter of fact. She look it again and it is obvious I am pleased. Enjoy the fruit of my labor my friends...Enjoy. (it will be put up in the next few days.

Eep

That was the noise that just escaped my mouth in the public library. But that noise does in no way extinguish my joy regarding one of my favorite musicians OF ALL TIME comming to the Chatt town. I had convinced myself that moving from Mpls and becoming a sudo-southerner ment that I would no longer be on the pulse of music. Try to refrain from the posts yelling at me that I am an hour and a half away from the mecca known as Nashville.
Have you died of suspence yet? RICHARD BUCKNER, for those of you whom that means nothing to, go out and buy "Bloomed." It is dark, lonely, beautiful and sorrowful. It makes me a more creative person. Also, come fall we are getting a "Costco World Market" I feel certain that these two facts are evident of Gods love for the South.
By the way, I don't know how life is in your neck of the woods, but it has been 75, sunny and clear here. I have taken numerous walks along the bridge, painted a kitchen,worked my magic with some mulch, helped to throw a birthday party for the roommate and lit sparklers...that has been within the past 48 hours. What did you do?