Clothes Make the Man

It's weird and humbling experience to see your old clothes hung up and ready to be redistributed. When you see the specific item you find yourself instantly transported back to a memory connecting that insignificant piece of cloth to a time in your life, be it bad or good it's still a part of you. Now it lays in wait, the old robe you wore on Christmas morning, those comfortable jeans that spent days breaking in, all for someone who needs them more.

I donated a large bag of my clothes to the Common Ground Community. They have a Clothing Closet where anyone can come in and take what they need with no limit. They also have a food pantry and a community meal on Weds. This only scratches the surface of their Ministry. They serve the cedar grove community and many "outdoor friends" with meals, food, and clothes. The children get homework help and everyone gets a good dose of Christian Love.

But, a few weeks ago I delivered the clothes in a large trash bag. Yesterday I took a walk around and found some of my pieces on hangers waiting for someone to get excited by prospects of new-to-them attire. I touched them, almost sad that they were no longer mine. However, even though I may never see the person who chooses my extras or see the benefits that are yielded from them, I know that feeling far out ways any inkling of longing to have my clothes back. Perhaps a new career was won with one of my old dress shirts, legs are now warm because of a pair of jeans, or a teenager has a "cool" new t-shirt to bum around in.

No matter what, the capacity of giving and love Common Ground Community has provided is, for lack of a better word, Amazing. ..."whatever you do to the least of mine, you do to me." Jesus' words from the bible. Whenever taken to heart can completely change who you are. It may just be the simple start of donating some clothes that will launch you into an all-out, full time, sell everything you have and move away type of Love. But, who knows...

(if you want to know more about the CGC or if you want to donate food and clothes, let me know and I will point you in the right direction)

Can You Come Out and Play?

It has been awhile and though nothing specifically blog worthy has come from life in the past couple of weeks a bunch of little things can come together as one good "update" blog.

Recently I was asked a questions that had not been directed to me in many years. "Can you come out and play?" Let me back date this, Eliz and I have been getting to know some of the neighborhood kids. Call it a mission, getting involved in the neighborhood, or having fun with kids, whatever, we are doing it. This involves roughly seven to ten kidos that like to drop by and say hello. One of whom, knocked on our door early Saturday morning, knowing it was just the two of us and no children of our own. Joey, the quick minded seven year old from two houses down, looked up at me Saturday morning ruffled hair and inquired if was free for some recreational time. Which came out as "can you come out and play?" I silently laughed at the query, declined, and then went to watch my favorite Saturday morning cartoons. It felt good to be instantly transported back to my younger years when request such as that were how you pleasantly asked parents permission to run the streets with their children. I think I am going to start asking my friends no matter the age if they would like to "come out and play." Because really, now we just ask if they want to Hang Out, and how boring does that sound. I say bring on the PLAY!

Secondly, this week I made pizza on the grill for the second time. This involves making the pizza dough from scratch. Which, truthfully, means the kitchen is spattered with flour, water, yeast, and quite frankly, sticky mess. But, the grill is suppose to simulate a wood oven.

Everything is cooked on the oven the crust and the toppings. It turned out ok. We have our friends Scott and Sarah over and I think they enjoyed it. It may not beat Johnny's, but the ingredients are fresh, and it looks pretty cool cooking on the grill. Oh, and I happen to have a picture for you.

It's not the worst pizza I have eaten. In fact, it's better than that major chain which makes their pizzas WAY too greasy, who shall remain nameless (Pizza Hut, yeah, it's them, you know).

I think I am going to try to carry my camera around and take more photos my week. That way my next post will be my week in photos. Hmm, I like that idea. Maybe I will actually do it. Here's a starter. A picture of my beautiful wife and HER cat doing what she (the cat) does best, get in the way.