7.07.2011

If You're A Prostitute and Sell Your Ass I Still Love You

In our Free Store conversation on Wednesday morning our friend Carlos led a discussion that revolved around the idea of judging other people.  He is currently leading us in a study through the book of Romans in the New Testament.  Carlos started things off by telling us that God will often let us go for the purpose of helping us out.  He said that this was similar to a parent that at some point might have to kick a child out of the house because what they are doing just isn't acceptable.

Carlos asked us to think about what it would be like if a 17 year old kid got kicked out of the house and his 16 year old brother was left.  He told us that the 16 year old might start to think he was something special just because he didn't get kicked out.  Carlos said that the younger boy might start to be very judgmental toward his brother even though he might be doing the same things.  Carlos said that we should be careful because "if you're judging someone else you are probably doing the same thing" although you might not recognize it.  He told us to imagine a sexual mistake tree which immediately got our attention.  He said to imagine that there are many different kinds of fruit on the tree but that it is nourished by a single root.  He told us that we all have the root of sexual faults in us regardless of the different kind of fruit that is produced.

At this point  in the conversation Sheila said, "We're all humans.  Nobody is perfect."  She also said that "we're all special."  Carlos said that sometimes a person may feel like they are special and so feel entitled to do whatever the hell they want.  He said, "You'll be saying 'God loves me from prison" which made us laugh.  Sheila said, "I like to see a person that has come out of prison and turned their life around."

As we continued to talk about judging others our friend George said, "If you're a prostitute and sell your ass I still love you." He said that "if I can change then anybody can." He went on to say that "You'll fall but you can always pick yourself up and not fall back in your old ways."


Carlos told us about a friend that had said to him at one point, "It's my year to be an asshole."  Carlos told the guy that he thought that he would just take the year off as his friend which made us laugh.  This led us to talk about how there are consequences for the decisions that we make.  Even though we are all equally loved as children of God regardless of our circumstances we do tend to reap what we sow in life.

As the conversation moved to a conclusion Carlos asked, "What are we gonna plant today?  What good thing are we gonna do for someone else?"  Then he turned and asked George, "What can I do for  you today to make up for waking you up from your nap yesterday?"  At this George started rubbing his stomach which made us laugh.  Someone suggested that Carlos might bring in a big porkchop at which George just shook his head while grinning broadly.

7.06.2011

I Was Thinkin About Givin Up But Friends Helped Me Out a Lot

In our Free Store conversation on Tuesday morning we talked about the importance of friendship and the need for friends of the store to support it so that we can continue to be a positive presence at Area 15.  The question was asked, "Why should our friends financially support the Free Store?"  We talked about what positive reasons that we could give our friends that  might motivate them to give their time, energy, ideas, and money.

Sheila said, "The friendship is good.  I like to talk to the people I meet here.  I don't think we are asking a lot of our friends."  She also said that people have a place to hang out and that they love to hang out with us."  Someone said that ultimately a $5 gift from 1,000 people is just as good, and maybe even better, than a $5,000 gift from 1 person.  We laughed when someone said that we don't want to discourage the $5,000 donor.

Our friend Donna said, "Anybody can fall on hard times and the store does help the needy."  She went on to say that beyond the stuff that is given away, "Every morning people can get an encouraging message if they want to receive it."  She said that it could be "something that someone says or even a prayer because you don't really know what touches people."

At this point our loud and talkative friend  Donald said that he takes clothes home from the free store and wears them all the time.  He tells his friends, "If you ain't got nuthin come to the free store."  He said that a friend found a tote bag that he really needed and it made him feel good.  He went on to say, "I'm down here to be around people.  I can call the free store if I'm in the hospital and someone will visit me."  At this George jumped in and said, "Thanks for sharing Donald" which made us laugh.

Our friend Terrence said that the free store "has been a safe haven in times of financial stress."  At this George who looked like he was just bursting to talk, said "when I first came to the free store I was thinkin about givin up, maybe jumpin off a bridge but my friends here helped me out a lot."  He told us, "I gave up on my drawin" but now was back into it.  He said, "I try to talk to people and now you can't shut me up" which made us laugh.  He went on to say that "volunteerin helps me out a lot."

As the conversation moved to a conclusion Rick said, "When I first moved into the neighborhood down here I used to be afraid.  Now when I walk to the store people wave to me and talk to me."  Sheila told us about one lady that she met that never used to leave her house but now she comes to the free store at least once a week to hang out.  As we listened to our friends it seemeded clear that if positive friendship is important then what we do at the free store is something worth supporting.

As a friend and reader of our blog if you want to make a donation please go to our website http://www.visionpossible.com/ and click on the Donate Now Through Network for Good link.  As with everything else we do our slogan is "Give what you want. Take what you need."

7.01.2011

Mommy Get the Hammer There's a Fly on Daddys Head

Our friend Gary joined us for the Free Store conversation on Thursday morning and talked about forgiveness.  He said that one of the hardest things that we have to do in life is to forgive others when they hurt us in some way.  He told us that although it is natural to react with anger and bitterness when someone hurts us that it's not always best because that often results in violence.

We talked about how wars are often fought between people that just can't forgive each other.  In a world dominated by the principle of an eye for an eye there can be no real peace.  Gary said that Jesus statement about forgiving our enemies is the only real solution to end violence and establish peace.

Gary told us that to forgive means literally to let something go.  He said that we can't do this on our own because it is really a supernatural thing.  He went on to explain that when Jesus said to forgive each other 77 times he was basically saying that we should never stop forgiving.

At this point Gary got up and took a pitcher filled with water and started pouring it into a glass.  As we continued to talk about forgiveness Gary kept pouring and pouring and pouring water from the pitcher until the glass overflowed into the baking pan it was sitting in.  As the pouring continued for what seemed like an unnatural amount of time George said, "It just goes on and on" which made us laugh.  Someone joked that we had David Copperfield in the house.  As Gary kept pouring the water from the pitcher into the glass he told us that God's love and forgiveness just never quits.  After a bit of pressure from the group Gary showed us that the trick was in the design of the pitcher itself which we all found very entertaining.

As we talked about forgiveness someone said that it reminded him of the title of a book he had seen with the title, "Mommy Get the Hammer There's a Fly on Daddy's Head" which made us laugh.  He said that we can really hammer other people as well as ourselves for certain things that we don't like.  He also said that we should put down the hammer because there is enough blood and pain in the world.

The question was asked about what things we can do to help us become more forgiving.  Gary said that we should just start to verbalize the forgiveness even though we don't feel like it.  He also said that sometimes he will give a little gift to someone that he needs to forgive without saying that is the reason for the gift.  We talked about how we don't have to wait for an apology before we forgive someone because forgiveness helps us whether the other person wants it or not.

As the conversation moved to a conclusion one of our friends said, "You have to pray about it to forgive."  She also asked the penetrating question, "How can you love God when you ain't even willing to forgive your brother?"