Thank You!

Teri and I started dreaming this dream more than a year ago. We gathered a group of people to start talking about this idea almost a year ago. During that year..

We have made several book bus trips. We have made friends and acquaintances. We have watched these friends and acquaintances experience highs and lows. We have looked at more than ten pieces of property. We have given away hundreds of books. We have had two lengthy conversations with the zoning board. We have started this blog and passed out a few business cards. We have prayed and asked others to pray. 

We continue to believe that moving into the neighborhood is vital. 

"the Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood."
                                                            John 1:24 The Message

But, we are sensing that God is telling us maybe our "plan" isn't really his plan. There is scripture about that too.

So, we are taking a few steps back and re-thinking.

Re-thinking is difficult work. It isn't far from repenting. It is discouraging, even if it is necessary. 

I want to thank all of you whom have been so encouraging! Reading, commenting on the blog and in person or via email, praying, doing, suggesting, listening,  traveling with us on the book bus, volunteering to help us re-organize our book closet, sending cards and donations- these are all things people have done for us. 

And, as we are in these foggy, rethinking kind of days, we appreciate all that you do even more. 

We know sunny days are on the way! We hope that as we travel through these harder days, you will continue to pray for us. 

We really want to follow God's plan not ours, even if that means we never have a place to call our own. 

We have been talking about gathering for some corporate prayer, but in the mean time please include us in your daily prayer time- I'm not even exactly sure what to ask you to pray for. But there is a prayer written by Thomas Merton that expresses so clearly where I think we are...maybe it will give you some inspiration as you pray for us. 

Again, thank you all so much for all of your encouragement and support.

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
Nor do I really know myself, 
and the fact that I think that I am following your will 
does not mean that I am actually doing so.
But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you.
And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.
I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.
And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,
though I may know nothing about it.
Therefore will I trust you always, 
though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.
I will not fear, for you are ever with me, 
and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.
                                            -Thomas Merton
 

February Book Bus

The 2^nd Saturday of the month may mean yard sales to some, but in High Ridge it means the Book Bus is coming. Fortunately the rained cleared well before the first stop at 10:30am. The sun was shining but there was a chill in the air. The Book Bus pulled up to find people anxiously waiting to peruse the tubs filled with a large selection of children and adult literature. Hot chocolate was eagerly accepted with marshmallows, of course.

 Each stop brought appreciative folks thrilled for the opportunity to build their home library. One young man was excited to find just the right book to help him with a literature project due next week. Families came looking for specific authors, others asked for help finding appropriate books for their beginning reader.

Today we calculated about 50 people came to pick out books. Since everyone is allowed 5 books that means we gave away close to 250 books. Luckily there are still plenty more books thanks to all the generous donations.

 It just amazes me how much fun can be had riding around giving away used books. Let us know if you’d like to ride along.

Lots of families looking for some good books.

That's the face of someone who found the perfect book.

Have bike... Will read

Just wondering...

I wonder where are we headed? What is the plan here? When will we have a plan?

I wonder how will anyone ever make a real difference in this little neighborhood that is totally locked-in land-wise. Since the county has told us it will be very difficult for us to be "in the neighborhood," I went for a drive today to determine what our options are just outside of the neighborhood. Well, that didn't look so great either.

So, then, I wonder, how long will this larger community, this town ignore this neighborhood that is in such need and has so much to offer. This neigborhood, yes, is filled with addicts of all sorts, criminals, the elderly, and the mentally and physically handicapped. But, this community is also filled with sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, artists, people who work hard, people who just need a little help and someone to listen to their story and someone to answer their questions.

I wonder, if this town continues to ignore High Ridge, because let's face it...it is easy to ignore, it is mostly hidden from sight, what will our town become? Will it become like High Ridge? Or will it continue to be more and more wealthy and ignore this neighborhood that continues to struggle and struggle? Neither is good, right? Neither is what Jesus had in mind, right?

And I wonder, where is the church? Didn't Jesus come to rescue the poor and down and out and the broken-hearted and the captives? Why are so few of his followers (and in our little town the majority of people claim to be his followers) ignoring the people he came to rescue? I wonder if the church focused on reaching these people whom Jesus focused on, would we need all of our gimmicks? Would we need all of our programs? Or would we just find that as we acted like Jesus (obviously we have to study scripture to know how to do that) and talked to the kinds of people Jesus spent so much of his time with (and then debriefed from these experiences with other people trying to follow Jesus), that we would actually become more and more like him?

I know this is harsh. And I know that I have to judge myself here too, and I know that often times I screw all of this up. I know that I have been, and am still, blind to the people around me who are in need.

I know there are people and churches who are ministering to the down and out. I just wonder if we are doing enough. I wonder are we really going to hear, "Well done, my good and faithful servant"?

Anybody have any answers? I don't. Anybody want to add some questions? I'm sure I will have more.


Trying a new thing: