Summer in the City-NOT!!!!

Happy Sunday to all!

Hey anyone and everyone (especially family) I went to see the movie last night that Micheal W. Smith stars in that is called Second Chance. It is about a mega church and its relationship to its sister church in the inner city. It was great! It helped me understand a little more about Lindsay and Jay's move to a neighborhood that needs a little more tlc than most. Although Micheal W. Smith was a terrible actor in it, (thats my opinion) the movie was really good. It answered alot of my fears, questions, especially the one about certain attitudes about this whole thing. I know I have had some "attitude" but I would recommend everyone see it. It showed me that we All have something to learn from each other. If anyone see's it let me know, I'm dying to discuss it with some folks. ha ha.

Other than that its a good day too because NASCAR if back!!!! Yeah! Daytona 500. Go Jeff Gordon!! Actually, I'm excited about the Petty team this year too. Heck, I like most of the drivers, my second choice is Carl Edwards. Its sure going to help during basketball season since I"M NOT GOING TO BE WATCHING U OF L PLAY ANYWHERE! We all better grab on to something else b/c UK's chances don't look real great this year either. March Madness is going to be MARCH SADNESS for ALL people in KY. Maybe I'll latch onto WKU. Oh well, just rambling now, later.......

Snowy Saturday

Its snowing outside, even tho its February, looks like winter has arrived late. I'm like my sister glo, tho, I LOVE SPRING and SUMMER! The only good part of February is Spring is not far away.

I also like this blogging thing. I see where some more relatives have come on board (lisa, jeanette) which is cool b/c they live farther away and don't get to hear about what is going on in their lives, so this is great! (I can't pull up Jeanette's tho, prob a tech glitch on my end) but I'll ask the other guru's.

Lindsay and Jay got their house inspected. Seems like everything went well with that, still waiting for details, but I know they are very excited. I'm happy for them.

Well, just wanted to blog-in and say howdy to everyone. Need more coffee to blog anything else. Have a wonderful Saturday!

Who was taught more?

Saturday,

I thought I would try to blog the events of the morning. I'm still thinking and trying to figure out some stuff so here goes.

This morning I went with my friend Tanya, and some youth from her church along with her brother-in-law, Wayne to pass out food, hats, shoes, gloves, etc to people we encountered on the street who might need them. Wayne was trying to teach the young people about the daily need of persons, right here in the city, who are homeless, etc. Our usual thing to do is to make sandwiches, pack colas, snacks, anything that numerous people might donate, sweats, shoes, pants, but mainly gloves, hats, socks etc. to give to people that we see walking down the street that are without those things.

Most people we encountered were very glad to see us and were polite. They showed their generous spirit by looking around , being sure each one got some of the items we were giving out. We went by the Jefferson Street mission-I think Wayside- and told a man outside that we had these various items if anyone needed them. Many people came out of the building to see what we had.The youth helped pass them out, excitely, and actually wanted to go home and get some of their own stuff, because there was just not enough. They saw, old people, young people, black, white, men and women. Today there were no children, but I have gone on these "rides" before where there were children also. I know that youth group definitely went away changed.

We started down one of the side streets of preston, having a few items left to pass out and we encountered three men. Two were jovial and polite, although intoxicated, they were able to speak and get the items. The third man was very unstable, his nose was running profusely,and his hands were beet red from the cold. As we encountered him, just trying to give him a soda, snack and some hat and gloves, he angrily kept asking us "Why do you want to help me? What makes you think I need help?" I don't remember what Tanya said to him, but he calmed down and then asked about God. He said "God made everything - right? Well who made Lucifer? We told him God and he said, Why, I'm tired of battling Lucifer, I'm just so tired, I just want to go and lay down somewhere, I don't want to fight anymore." For that split moment, all of us standing around him related. None of us said a word because we had all been there at one or more times in our life. Just seeing what we were seeing, caused us to understand EXACTLY what this man was trying to say. I don't remember what happened next, except the man had lost his gray bag. We begin to look for it as he proceeded to ramble on.

This made me think, Why was I trying to help this man, and what made me think I could. I could identify with being tired of it, meaning the evil in this world. I wanted to say, I'm doing this because this is what CHRIST wants us to do. Its funny because there was this other church van that wanted to haul them to a bible study. Although well meaning, the people were hungry and cold so they came to us. I don't mean to judge but even Christ took care of our needs first before He told us the really good news, after all, were human.

No, passing out socks, etc is not going to change alot for the person on the street. But, it helps me understand I want to learn more, about what I might say the next time, maybe that Christ loves us and he and we ALL are worth helping. It helped me examine attitudes I have about thinking that being poor is NOT out of everyone's control (except the innocent children) or circumstances beyond control, its about life choices we all make. I realized I have to learn about what motivates me. Is it about me wanting to feel good? probably some.

In Jay's class we are learning about that very thing. Most people don't want to do anything because its all or nothing, like what serious difference will anything like that make? The only answer I have right now is I want to learn more about WHAT to do, because we are all in this together. We have all felt tired of it all, whether poor in spirit or in financial matters, or any hopeless situation.

I'm not going to say anymore, because like with that man, I have to examine my heart, my motives, and what Christ would want me to say to the next person, the next time. And there will be a next time. The man reminded me about hopelessness. I know what that feels like, and that I couldn't save him, but I do care, I really do. Even with all my judgemental attitudes and getting things wrong sometimes, I want to do it, till I get it right, whatever that means. So, I'll process this some more and I KNOW God will reveal to me what He wants me to know, and eventually what He wants me to do. All I know is , I'm praying for everyone I saw today, especially that man, and I sure hope he found his gray bag.

Friday-Remembering Teresa

I just wanted to stop and remember my best friend from High School (Karen)'s sister Teresa.
She died 5 years ago today. I think she was only 40 or 41 when she died. She battled serious cancer for about 10 years and was one of the bravest people I know. She had her leg amputated and fought until the end, while keeping her sense of humor and showing us all what it means to be truly strong. I just wanted to stop a moment, on this friday, and remember her.

May the road rise to
meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine
warm upon your face
May the rains fall
soft upon your fields
And until we meet
again
May God hold you
in the palm of
His Hand!

In memory of Teresa M. (Lally) Koetter

Tuesday's with Curly

Well, its Tuesday. I'm new at this blogger thing, you see. I read my families" blogs which I love to do, but they all seem so profound. Most days, I don't have anything really profound to say, but I'm sure that I will. My daughter says it helps to write, keeps the brain working, etc., and I can see how that works, because writing is soooo different from reading.

But just wanted to say to my very creative family and anyone else who might care about my random thoughts that there are some great writers and "deep thinkers" in my family, who can express that on paper beautifully. I feel like when I read the blogs, I'm opening up a great novel, except I know some of the characters. It also helps me catch up. It helps me pray during the day for things, I might not have otherwise known, like my sister's friend who has been sick and her struggle with cigarettes-or lack of these days, or my daughter and her husband and their quest to live in the inner city and my daily quest to understand that better, and my neice and her daily struggles just to keep her house, husband, kids going and sharing her really cool kids with everyone. I guess what I'm saying is I like reading better than writing-and I'm sure its showing. Thats all for now, folks! Have a wonderful day. (Funny how this is starting to work, as I write I'm thinking of many other things to write about) Maybe I'll actually post more stuff as time goes on........

Hey, its still Saturday and I'm still trying to figure out this blog deal. So, I will just keep posting insignificant blogs until I learn to navigate this thing. So don't expect any profound writings until my tech intelligence increases -ALOT. Have a great day to all though.

Can't find my page

I'm blogging away, but I can't find my page. Can anyone help.

Blood Pressure UP!!!!

Finished watching the game. The cards are makin me crazy. Its a snowy Saturday and winter seems to have returned. I'm excited to be on the blog scene but I realize it takes some thought.
I like responding better.

Well Sandy's on the phone and I can't blog and type at the same time, besides its rude. so later.

Its my first blog:

I am watching the U of L game. Blogging is a good distraction. Both are crazy.
I will post more later, all this technology has made me brain-dead.

Hello

Hi. This is my first blog. Just testing.