Live Out What Really Matters

Last Tuesday night the kitchen was not available again. All of the kitchen equipment had been removed for installing new floor tile. We are grateful for the kitchen upgrade but it does create a difficult time preparing the food. Fortunately, a Streetside customer did not need all of the 75 hamburgers and hot dogs that they ordered Tuesday morning, so we had food already cooked for Tuesday night. We added baked beans and topped this meal off with ice cream for dessert. With the help of 16 volunteers we served prepared meals for 60 of our downtown friends. God always seems work out the details each Tuesday night.

Right before we started serving the meal, I noticed that David (he always refers to himself as “Know Body”) had lined up some personal bottles of seasoning to use for his evening meal. I wouldered why this is necessary since most of our food is well seasoned. He explained to me that since he has no teeth the food needed a lot of extra seasoning in order for him to properly digest it. Some of us just need a little help to enjoy a good meal.

Tonight Patrick, Paul’s friend, preached a message from Colossians Chapter 3. He encouraged all of us to live out what really matters. In order to do that, we have to think like Christ. We are new a creation and the old man is dead so there should be a new mind set or a different way of thinking. This new way of thinking should result in different behavior. No longer are we in bondage to lust or ill feelings toward others. Although, we still battle with the sin of the old man, God has provided His grace to help us resist temptation. For each believer, we should seek other Christians for accountability so that we can live a holy life. Finally, we should grow in the knowledge by reading the Bible and praying and then responding. We should not get caught up temporal things that are not important but focus on those that are eternal which is what really matters

During the clean up, everyone seems to help out. Tonight the dumpster was full, but one of our faithful volunteers, John Hatfield, got on top of the dumpster and started rearranging the trash so we could include our garbage. Now that is dedication. Way to go, John.

Eric who I have posted about in the past, showed some interest in starting his own blog to inform people how he lives on the street. He has been homeless for 5 years in Greenville but has always had a good attitude. Everyone knows and likes Eric and he comes faithfully every Tuesday night and helps our ministry as a volunteer. His blog is http://www.homelesseric.blogspot.com/ and I have included it on our blog roll. Maybe some of our readers could go to his blog and tell him what they would like for him write about.

~Marc