Food for Thought

Yesterday was the Angel Food pick up at the church. B and I have been getting Angel Food for a year and a half now. Aunt M heard about it and bought us a few boxes and it's been a regular event since June 2008. It's been the majority of my food budget. It's kept a variety of foods in my house, somethings I would not splurge on, other things I never would have thought to try because they weren't on the list of "staples" I usually work with. A few months we didn't have money for angel food. My Angel of an Aunt got us a box for October.

When B and I showed up for pick up, Bill's face lit up! Bill is a man who usually works the parking lot during the angel food pick up. He has been very kind over the past year we have been going to this church for food. Last January he encouraged me to sit in the car while B got the food. In February, pick up was a week after my liver biopsy. He again encouraged me to wait in the car. I stood outside like a trooper with everyone else though. When they continued telling me it was ok to sit in the car, I told them I was "allowed to be cold, I just couldn't lift anything." A lady gave me a hug and blessed me. They got some of the church youth to help B carry the food back to the car.

In March, my back went into spasms while standing in line. Bill saw me walking back to the car and came over to walk with me and stop traffic so I wouldn't have to wait long. He then spent the rest of the time we were there periodically looking over to make sure I was ok. I have thanked God so many times for having so many angels at the food pick ups. They truly move me every month I have gone there, many times to tears.

So last month when we showed up, Bill was so happy to see us again. He feared I had gotten sick or something bad had happened. When B said it was just because of lack of funds, Bill told us he wanted to talk to us after we picked up our food. After the pickup we parked over where Bill was in the parking lot. He came over and gave us the phone number for the food pantry and the clothing shop. He told us lack of money is no reason for us not to have food. He gave us his personal phone number and encouraged us to call him if we were short this month.

B called Bill two weeks ago. He asked what I wanted. I had been looking over and thought maybe a chicken box, maybe the veggie box, definitely the signature box. I told B to just ask for the signature box. Bill seemed shocked and said, "That's it?" I said well, I was looking at the chicken box, but the signature box is enough. Bill said ok, no problem, look for him when we get there and he'll set us up.

When we got there Saturday morning, Bill gave us a receipt for a signature box, a chicken box, and a fruit and veggie box. He said, "You have to have veggies to go with your meat." I thought I was going to cry right there. Bill assured us it was nothing to be ashamed of, and he reminded me once we're on our feet, we'll be able to give back. Pay it forward. Thank God!

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For a week now A has been telling me I need to be at the church at 2pm after the Angel Food pick up. She would not tell me why. B was off picking up his kids, so A picked me up to take me back. She finally cut the suspense for me. We were showing back up for the Thanksgiving dinner Emergency Food Relief distribution. Again, I nearly cried.

Last year, A showed up at the back door with grocery bags right before Thanksgiving. There was a Turkey, stuffing, green beans, all the fixings. I did cry. I was so grateful and thankful to have such people in my life. I must have done something right for God to bless me with them.

This year, funds are tight seemingly everywhere. A said simply, "I couldn't afford two Thanksgiving dinners this year, so I got help!" God sends angels...

Arts Academy Open House

Last night was the Open House at D's High School. I can barely believe my baby's in High School already! It looks like a fabulous place. They look like they are really trying to make it fantastic. They're offering chorus, instrumental music, dance, art, graphics, creative writing and all of the regular academics.

The building is old fashioned architecturally. You enter into a foyer that presents a wide central staircase to a landing. Two sets of stairs lead you on the outside of the first stair up to another landing just under the second floor. From that landing, you go up a few steps to the second floor and are deposited just outside the large auditorium where we began our evening.

The auditorium is grand. There are several sections of seating before a large stage. There is a balcony section of seating as well. D and I took our seats and I sent a text message to her dad to let him know where to look for us. The principal called the evening to order. Then the chorus sang. One of the Choral students stepped forward and a boy sat at the piano. The two performed a song the singer wrote. She had a lovely voice.

We then picked up D's schedule and proceeded through her day, from one class to the next to the next, up and down four floors of stairs! My legs had such a work out! You definitely don't need a Gym membership if you work or attend classes there!

She begins with English Honors. Her History teacher made mention to us that D tends to finish her work early and he is recommending her for Honors next year. Her math teacher also has encouraged her to go Honors, but he feels she should be in the Lower Academy. The Lower Academy is Elizabeth's academy for gifted and talented students.

The experience was somewhat bittersweet. I am so happy she had worked herself into a little niche where she feels confident and belongs. I am happy she is realizing her potential again. I am happy she likes the school.   I am saddened that it means she'll live away from me for the next four years. I knew she would not be with me forever, but I thought I had these years before college with her full time.

Grace and Peace

This morning I went to the church we have been picking up the Angel Food at with my friend A. We sat with her Grandmother and Aunt. It was a different experience. The room is an octagonal dome. They have a stage on one side, chairs set up on the others, and a balcony with seating as well. A had told me the first hour was singing, but I was not expecting a keyboardist, a drummer with a full drum set, a guitar player, a bassist and 5 backup singers!

I was expecting hymn-type singing and wooden pews and an altar. Church. Right? Not here! There were no rear-numbing wooden anythings. There was no organ. There was no altar or candles.

There was a huge TV screen they had the lyrics to the songs running on. It was like Christian Rock 'N Roll Karaoke hour. There were microphones, and music stands. The Pastor had a little over the ear headset microphone so there was no excuse for not hearing him. The cameraman followed him well, so there was no excuse for not being able to see. They posted the scripture on the projector, too, so there was no excuse as not knowing where we are or what we're talking about.

Honestly, you won't need half of it. The music was lively and moving. The Pastor was skilled in keeping you awake. He was energetic and engaging. He preached his sermon as though lecturing a group of college students, pacing back and forth, asking questions and expecting responses. If he didn't get a response, he would stop, put his hand to his ear, and say, "Hello?" Obediently, someone would shout, "Amen!" Pastor Walt would kindly reply, "Thank you, Jesus."

He began discussing current issues, and related Bible teaching to today's events. He discussed most of America being in bondage and "stuck in Egypt," because we are a society in debt. He discussed how we need to "move ourselves out of Egypt." I have never heard a Pastor talk about credit cards and interest rates before. This man was able to stand up there and discuss credit cards and pour out what the Bible says and how it relates...and he made it make sense!

In all honestly, currently I can not recall all of what he spoke about. I know he was running through the book of Acts. He would call out the chapter and verse, and then read it, and discuss it as it pertained in the Bible, and how it pertains to today.

When I was younger, I remember going to Sunday School at the Lutheran Church. I remember sitting in the room with all the other children my age. I remember singing "This Little Light of Mine," and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hand." I remember making a "me-sized" picture of myself. I remember being a shepherd in the Christmas play. I remember a new Pastor who came in while I was in Elementary or Middle School who did a Mystery interactive youth group kind of thing. I remember making Christmas tree ornaments, and a "Christmas Tree" out of a Reader's Digest magazine. I remember a bunch of crazy, undisciplined kids running around and a poor woman standing in the front trying to control them and not succeeding. I remember going to Catholic Church with Grandma and Grandpa. I remember getting palms there. I remember not understanding any of it! I liked the songs and the stained glass windows. I remember feeling like I didn't quite belong there, and wanting to. I remember asking questions and not understanding the answers, or not getting answers at all.

Over the years, I have explored several paths. I have on some level looked into the paths of Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Wiccans, Druids, Asatru and a few others. Maybe my exploration is coming full circle. I seem to be back where I started, but my eyes are seeing a different light. I don't know that I consider any of them "more right" than any other, but maybe more "right now" is a good way to put it. I firmly believe all Gods are One, and all Goddesses are One (for those who believe in a female deity). I believe as we don't all speak and understand English, or Spanish, or French, God does not speak to us all the same. God speaks to us in ways we will understand the messages. As humans, we're not always receptive to everything coming in. Some days we don't hear what we should. Some days we prefer blue, some days we prefer green. I think this is how I'm being spoken to most loudly, and hearing, right now. A and I are going back next week.