Strawberry Sundays
_I love it when Pastor Dennis announces after prayer meeting or after church on Sunday, "There are plenty of potatoes at the back, folks! Everyone grab a bag on your way out. I don't want to see any left at the end of the mornin'!"
After a few such incidences I learned that the food often comes from Lloyd, an older single gentleman in our church who lives nearby and runs several funeral homes in the area. The story, I believe, is that he has a friend who is a lawyer. The lawyer sometimes accepts food from his clients in lieu of payment. So, a potato farmer gives the lawyer a ton of potatoes to pay for his bill. But it must be that the lawyer doesn't need them for his own pantry, so somehow they make their way to Lloyd, who makes sure we each get some to take home. But I'm not sure I understand all the details, because I doubt that Lloyd is entirely innocent of this kind of profuse gift giving himself.
Later on a strawberry carton lined hall one Sunday, someone confided to me that sometimes Lloyd will see a sale, say, at Aldi, and just pick up a ton of cartons to give away. I never hear Lloyd talking much about these gifts.
And he does talk! In church, he always has something spicy and right on track to add to the service. Often it is something funny, or something that goes against our grain and makes us think, but whatever it is, you can tell his heart is in it. Okay, there was the time he requested a song about gambling to be sung by Pete, our country guitar singer. Dennis didn't quite know what to do with that one. However, Lloyd's rough edges are part of who he is. He loves the Lord, really believes what he reads in the Bible, and in spite of his very busy schedule, he always tries to be there Wednesday nights to join the study.
Something about his gifts of food, as I take a few cartons of strawberries home, or two paper bags full of rolls and dinner breads, something makes me get a lump in my throat of thankfulness. Maybe it is because I really appreciate this gift. Food. Sure, we never lack. But we are not going to turn down food from a store that is an hour's drive from home and is something we regularly use!
But I think what reaches into my heart more is that someone with a little bit extra is looking out for all of us. It reminds me of my grandpa after going out to dinner with a big crowd of his children and grandchildren, would nonchalantly pull aside the waiter and pay for the bill, as if to say, "I've got it covered." It's not that we can't pay for the meal, or buying a carton of strawberries ourselves. It's just that Lloyd's kind of love feels like a warm blanket being flung over the rough edges of life, a life that needs to be reminded that living is not just "another day, another dollar."
When our mail car broke down, and the bill estimated between 1200 and 2800 to repair, Esther made a point to come to our door the same day to let us know they would like to pay for it.
We didn't need help with the bill, but people like Lloyd and Esther and the gentleman at MacDonald's last year that slipped Steve, Charity, and me two MacDonald's gift cards, make me feel cared for.
And isn't that what we are asked to do as the new, grafted in, hands and feet of Christ? Knit together, we love one another. And somehow these people and their giving make me think of a giving God in the midst of a harsh and unforgiving world. I feel Steve and I have lived in a season of much giving from others. I hope we can take our cue and find ways to leave our gifts to those in need. Dennis in church last week encouraged us to not put off giving out from our resources when the Lord puts it on our hearts. Don't wait, he said.
I'm glad for so many good examples in our lives.
After a few such incidences I learned that the food often comes from Lloyd, an older single gentleman in our church who lives nearby and runs several funeral homes in the area. The story, I believe, is that he has a friend who is a lawyer. The lawyer sometimes accepts food from his clients in lieu of payment. So, a potato farmer gives the lawyer a ton of potatoes to pay for his bill. But it must be that the lawyer doesn't need them for his own pantry, so somehow they make their way to Lloyd, who makes sure we each get some to take home. But I'm not sure I understand all the details, because I doubt that Lloyd is entirely innocent of this kind of profuse gift giving himself.
Later on a strawberry carton lined hall one Sunday, someone confided to me that sometimes Lloyd will see a sale, say, at Aldi, and just pick up a ton of cartons to give away. I never hear Lloyd talking much about these gifts.
And he does talk! In church, he always has something spicy and right on track to add to the service. Often it is something funny, or something that goes against our grain and makes us think, but whatever it is, you can tell his heart is in it. Okay, there was the time he requested a song about gambling to be sung by Pete, our country guitar singer. Dennis didn't quite know what to do with that one. However, Lloyd's rough edges are part of who he is. He loves the Lord, really believes what he reads in the Bible, and in spite of his very busy schedule, he always tries to be there Wednesday nights to join the study.
Something about his gifts of food, as I take a few cartons of strawberries home, or two paper bags full of rolls and dinner breads, something makes me get a lump in my throat of thankfulness. Maybe it is because I really appreciate this gift. Food. Sure, we never lack. But we are not going to turn down food from a store that is an hour's drive from home and is something we regularly use!
But I think what reaches into my heart more is that someone with a little bit extra is looking out for all of us. It reminds me of my grandpa after going out to dinner with a big crowd of his children and grandchildren, would nonchalantly pull aside the waiter and pay for the bill, as if to say, "I've got it covered." It's not that we can't pay for the meal, or buying a carton of strawberries ourselves. It's just that Lloyd's kind of love feels like a warm blanket being flung over the rough edges of life, a life that needs to be reminded that living is not just "another day, another dollar."
When our mail car broke down, and the bill estimated between 1200 and 2800 to repair, Esther made a point to come to our door the same day to let us know they would like to pay for it.
We didn't need help with the bill, but people like Lloyd and Esther and the gentleman at MacDonald's last year that slipped Steve, Charity, and me two MacDonald's gift cards, make me feel cared for.
And isn't that what we are asked to do as the new, grafted in, hands and feet of Christ? Knit together, we love one another. And somehow these people and their giving make me think of a giving God in the midst of a harsh and unforgiving world. I feel Steve and I have lived in a season of much giving from others. I hope we can take our cue and find ways to leave our gifts to those in need. Dennis in church last week encouraged us to not put off giving out from our resources when the Lord puts it on our hearts. Don't wait, he said.
I'm glad for so many good examples in our lives.
