Month: December 2016

It was another great day at Love & Care Ministries!  We started out this morning by serving more than 100 pancakes to our “friends” (the name that the leader of Love & Care, Mark Hewitt, has given to the homeless and poor that come for help).  This morning, it felt like things were getting back to normal – Janet, my boss, was in the kitchen all day (after the passing of her father), and Anthony was back from his illness.

After breakfast, Janet asked me to accompany Bones (Thad Oxford) to pick up some food donations.  In particular, we picked up over 550 pounds of deer meat from Stephens Processing – Brent Stephens calls these types of donations “Hunters for the Hungry.”  We also made pick-ups at United Grocery Store, Golden Chick, and McKay’s Bakery.  Bones makes regular stops at these locations plus several others, and these businesses always come through with tons of food donations throughout the year.  It is truly a blessing to live in a community that is extremely generous!

In addition to picking up food, Bones and I had a great conversation about life, about spiritual matters, and about blessings.  Bones has an incredible testimony, and he brings passion, happiness, joy, and energy to Love & Care.  He is the Chief Culture Officer for the organization.  Since, at one time, he was homeless, he has a special connection with our “friends.”

For lunch, we served more than 100 people – the Friday crowd is normally smaller than any other day.  Even so, our “friends” really appreciated a warm meal on a fairly cold day in Abilene.

Once we cleaned up after lunch, it was time to go home – nothing to prepare, since the kitchen will be closed through Monday.

What a great week!  I’m tired, but it’s a good tired.  I have learned so much in one week – I’m truly humbled!  I look forward to learning more next week.  Stay tuned!

Blessings, Kris

I walked into the kitchen of Love & Care Ministries this morning, and there was Janet (the boss).  She was back on the job doing her normal routine (even though her father had passed away yesterday).  I knew she we would be there because she handles grief the way I do – “get back to work, back to a familiar routine, and process the loss away from family.”  She’ll be in the kitchen, again, in the morning – I’m sure of it.

This morning we served breakfast to 50-60 homeless and working poor – Cream of Wheat, toast and jelly.  For lunch, we had the biggest crowd I’ve seen – over 300!  My co-worker, Lacee, had warned me that lunch on Thursday was always crowded.  We started serving at 11:30am and the line for lunch did not slow down until 12:30pm.  It was crazy.

Before lunch, I went with Larry, the boss of the food pantry, to the warehouse to pick up food supplies for the food pantry.  No need for an upper body workout today – I had a fantastic workout with “P-90L” (“L” stands for Larry).  We transported hundreds of pounds of canned goods – loading them on the truck at the warehouse and taking them off the truck at the food pantry.  Once again, 40 degrees outside, and I was sweating profusely (I know that’s a shocker to most of you!).

Today, I really felt like my presence was felt and necessary for several reasons:

• Larry really needed my help moving all that food!
• Janet and I had a chance to talk, and I could really see her processing her father’s death.
• Two volunteers that normally come on Thursdays did not show up.
• Anthony, our co-worker called in sick today (he left early yesterday because of illness).
• The “friends” that we serve are beginning to be comfortable with me.

The one thing that is really illustrated to me every day is how grateful the vast majority of our friends are for what we do for them.  Yes, there are a few that have bad attitudes, but far more than 90% of the people we serve are grateful and appreciative.  Knowing their circumstances, it’s hard for me to believe how thankful they are.  God is definitely present at Love & Care Ministries.

Blessings, Kris

Today got off to a rocky start.  I walked into the kitchen at 7:15am, and the mood was very somber.  I noticed that Bones and Larry, two of the key people at Love & Care, were serving breakfast, and Janet was nowhere to be found.  I asked, “Where’s Janet (the boss)?”  Bones turned to me and said, “Janet’s dad passed away this morning.”  We knew that he was not doing very well – lung cancer – but he was supposed to live a few more weeks.  So, everyone there was heartbroken for Janet – none of us knew her dad, but all of us respect Janet and had sympathy for her.  Please pray for her and her family.

The breakfast crowd was much lighter than yesterday, but we still served about 75 people.  After breakfast, we began preparations for the lunch crowd.  Since Janet wasn’t around, we were a little discombobulated, but we managed to put it together.  Lacee (26 years old) really came through – she knew what to do.  We also got help from another volunteer, Keith Jenkins.  Everyone seemed to step up and take on more responsibility.

Then, before we served lunch, another member of our team, Anthony, had to leave because he was not feeling well.  So, we were really short-handed.  Fortunately, Keith agreed to come back and bring his son to help serve, and thankfully, he is a man of his word.  We had a really big lunch crowd!  We didn’t have a single break in the line for 45 minutes.  I think that we probably served far more than 200.

Since Anthony was ill, I was given one of his post-lunch responsibilities – cleaning the restrooms!  I must admit, I haven’t cleaned restrooms in a while, but it came back to me pretty quick.  Much to my surprise, the restrooms were pretty clean – I really thought they would be extremely dirty, but they weren’t!

After restroom duty, Lacee asked me to help her make the salad for tomorrow’s lunch – and yes, I washed my hands really good!  I cut up vegetables, and we got the salad ready to go.  That was the last task of the day.

I went over to the food pantry to ask Larry if he needed any help, and he said that they were caught up.  So, I left a little earlier today.  Again, with the death of Janet’s father, everyone was heavyhearted, and once we finished serving lunch and cleaning up, I think that all of us took a deep breath and were glad that we survived without our leader.

Blessings, Kris

Well, I made it through day 2 at Love & Care Ministries!  And it was a great day!

The day started early again – 7:15am.  When I got to the kitchen, I noticed that lots of people were already there for breakfast. So, I hopped right in to help – Janet (my boss) allowed me to step in for her in the serving line.  Today, we had considerably more “friends” (the term we use for the people that come in for free meals).  We had over 100 for breakfast!

After breakfast, Mark Hewitt, the Executive Director of Love & Care, conducted a staff devotional. He challenged us to show more love to our friends and to engage them more. It was a wonderful message to get all of us focused.

After the devotional, we went back to the kitchen where Janet directed our preparation for the lunch crowd.  I had to cut away for a while in order to help Larry, the manager of the food pantry, unload approximately a gazzilion cases of various bottled drinks. Let’s put it this way, it was about 40 degrees this morning, and by the time we had finished unloading the drinks, I was sweating like crazy!  It was a great workout!

By the time I had finished helping Larry, it was just about time to serve lunch – 11:30 to 1:00.  We had a much bigger crowd for lunch as compared to yesterday – close to 200!  While we were serving lunch, Janet began preparing “to-go boxes” for an afternoon delivering meals on the street.

At about 1:30pm, Janet said, “Let’s go!”  So we (3 volunteers, Janet and Larry) loaded up a truck with 84 meals and over 120 drinks, and we hit the streets delivering meals to anyone that we identified as homeless.  In addition, we stopped by a few motels that Janet knew housed some people that really needed a meal. To end the day, we stopped by an extremely modest home (an overstatement) to deliver the remainder of our meals and drinks to a grandmother that was taking care of 11 grandchildren – that’s not a misprint, 11 grandchildren!

Today, Janet taught me a few valuable lessons:

1. Know the people – Janet really knew the people we delivered meals to.
2. Love the people – Janet loved on everyone we saw.
3. Don’t judge the people – Janet showed no judgement, even though we saw some people that were not the most respectable of people (to say the least).
4. Bless the People – Janet made sure that before we left each person, we blessed them (each person  knew that we were there in the name of Jesus).

Another wonderful day at Love & Care!

Blessings, Kris

Today was my first day to work with Love & Care ministries, and it was a great day!  Love & Care provides meals and clothing to the homeless and poor of Abilene, and our community is privileged to have such a wonderful organization.

I have been assigned to the kitchen.  When I showed up this morning, at 7:10am, I met my boss, Janet.  Janet was incredibly patient with me all day long.  I know this is hard to believe, but I’m not accustomed to serving 200 meals a day!  She is one of the most organized, confident, caring, and strong leaders I’ve met in quite some time.  She definitely knows what she’s doing!

We prepared and served somewhere in the neighborhood of 200 meals today, and according to Janet, it was a slow day!  The best part of my day was working with and getting to know my co-workers.  Lacee, Anthony, Bones, and Larry were outstanding today – they are very hard working people and extremely helpful.  I asked each one to tell me their story, and they were very open with me.  Each story was unique and compelling; reminding me that we all have struggles in life, but with the help of Jesus, everyone can find their calling and have success.

As I reflected on my day with Love & Care, I thought of the words of Jesus:

Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Blessings, Kris

Ok, I can say it for certain, “It’s Saturday!”  So, I can actually say with confidence that it feels like Saturday.  But it’s not just any Saturday, it’s Christmas Eve!

All families have their Christmas traditions, and one of ours is attending our church’s Christmas Eve service. It’s always a wonderful, moving experience!  To close the service each year, we sing Silent Night and light candles – it is an awesome sight!  This year, it was even more awesome because just before we started singing Silent Night, one of our pastors, Randy Turner, read this passage from the Bible, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”  (Matthew 5:14-16). This should sound familiar to most of you – this was the passage used at our company end-of-year meeting to launch our Sabbath Year, a few weeks ago.

I tried to take a picture of what it looked like once everyone had their candle lit, but the pictures I took did not do justice to this special moment.  However, Randy Turner shot a video from his vantage point on the platform.  Here is the link so that you can see, and maybe feel, the moment:  https://www.facebook.com/randyandbobbieturner/posts/10211771908522593.  Everyone is letting their light shine before others!

I’m grateful that my church has such a meaningful Christmas Eve service.  It really sets the mood for the true meaning of Christmas Day.

Blessings, Kris

Today, I found rest.  For the first time, since I can remember, I slept a solid 9.5 hours last night.  I guess I can finally say that my mind is at rest, and my soul is at rest.  I was reminded of Matthew 11:28-30 which says:

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I guess I gave up today, I turned it over to Him, and I took on His yoke.

I’m extremely grateful for this time to dial it back and to learn to rest again.  It’s a blessing to break the routine, to do something different, and to relax my mind.  God is good!

Blessings, Kris

Today was another great day!  I slept in this morning until 8:00; I read my Bible passages; I got my exercise in; I had a long lunch with my pastor and good friend David McQueen; I studied ethics for my CPA continuing education; and I read The Mayflower Compact, The Declaration of Independence, and The Articles of Confederation from The Patriot’s Library.  A very good day – but it still felt like Saturday!

The good news is I’m starting to relax. I can feel myself calming down and settling in.  I think it will take another two or three days before I fully adjust – but I will adjust.

Until tomorrow…

Blessings, Kris

Honestly, today has felt like Saturday – all day long.  Just like my sabbatical in 2010, it’s going to take a few days for the idea of 30 straight days off to kick in, but I know it will.

Here are a few things that I plan to do over the next 30 days:

1. Sleep and sleep well – Let’s face it, 2016 has been a hectic year, and frankly, I’m tired!
2. Continue my quest to read the Bible over two years – I’m one year into it, and I’m on pace!
3. Fast all alcohol, processed sugar, and bread.
4. Exercise 45 minutes to an hour each day – combining the 21 Day Fix, abs work, yoga, and light running.
5. Work with Love & Care Ministries – feeding and clothing the homeless and poor of Abilene.
6. Read “In The Pursuit of Wisdom” and read some of the pieces from “The Patriot’s Library.”
7. To attend a couple of birthday parties – a good friend in Houston (celebrating his 50th) and my grandson (celebrating his 2nd).

I hope that by going public with my plans, all of you will hold me accountable.

I really appreciate all of your prayers, and I know that God is going to be working in me and through me.

Blessings, Kris

I can’ believe it, but my sabbatical begins in less than 8 hours!  It’s exciting.  I must admit, I’m a little anxious, but I know it will be good.  I truly need a break, and I need your prayers!

Well, stay tuned.  I will attempt to blog often.

Blessings, Kris

This is my first blog for Sabbatical 2017 and it is strictly a test.