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3.16.2014Just another Sunday at Freedom Friends ChurchTravis was 25 blocks south when he needed to be 10 blocks north. There was not a thing familiar and he knew he was lost. He saw the OPEN sign and walked right in. We had just finished gratitudes when the first petition walked in the door. "I'm sorry to barge in, but I'm looking for north 13th street and I think this is south 13th, I'm all turned around and don't know how to get where I'm goin." He was skinny, sweaty, strung out, and talking Deep South. His ball cap was backwards, his skin was a mess and his belt was pulled tight holding up the too big pants. We continued worship with attention to giving directions. He asked for water, water was given. He was a little frantic at the idea of being so off course. The directions we gave him were clearly not making much sense to him. He thanked us for the directions and the drink and went out to retrace his many steps. We were a literal handful of women. I looked at the pastor and said "This is safe, right? I'm gonna drive him." She said "Go." (that's how we do discernment at FFC) I followed him out. "Son!" He turned. "You clean and sober this morning?" "Yes, Ma 'am! three whole days!" "You got anything like a weapon on you?" "No Ma 'am! I came up here to get away from all that!" "Okay, let's get my car - I'll take you where you are going" "Oh! Thank-you, Ma 'am! I 'priciate this, I do!" He was lately of the State of Mississippi. Came to a cousin's house to start over. I told him my name, and it immediately became Miss Peggy. He was talkin a mile a minute. "The house numbers kept gettin bigger - that shoulda been my clue. Somebody told me that golden man there on the capital was solid gold - No? - plate huh? I figured as much. Say - Was that a church meeting I just walked into? Yes? Well, what kinda church IS that?" I told him we were Quakers. "We don't have much of that down home, Baptists mostly. But Miss Peggy, If you were willing to leave church to help a lost man find his way, I guess y'all must be some kinda Christians!" We found his cousin's house. He God blessed me up one side and down the other. "Say a prayer for me, when you get back, ok?" We did. 3.08.2014Early Readers Wanted! It is a quick, light read, 200 pages. There are lots of Motorcycles, Quixotic adventures, and a few horses and Quakers. Angels, both the Hell's variety and the regular kind appear. I need three people who can read the manuscript on a screen, within two weeks and give some general impressions and maybe answer a few questions. (If the readers I want turn out to be paper only - I will print and mail copies) Rule Outs: The right individuals will NOT be Quakers. They will NOT have previously read any of my stuff. They will NOT be academics. I have three specific profiles. I do not want them to be married or living in the same household. Reader #1 Female, 35-60, Evangelical or Fundamental Christian. A regular church attender. She likely reads faith based adventure lit, missionary stories and biographies of spunky gals. If she lives east of the Rockies, that is a plus. If she is not white that is a double plus. Reader #2 Male 35-60 NOT a regular church attender, but not anti-religion. Working or lower middle class. Blue collar a plus. Likes/rides motorcycles and/or horses. Veteran a plus. In recovery a plus. Reads non-fiction and historical fiction. Reader #3 Any Gender 20-35. Deity friendly, but not church attending. Active. Not educated beyond a BA. Reads ebooks, comic books and is pop-culture aware. The readers get a free book when it comes out and buckets of gratitude. The person who recruits the right reader will also get a free book. . I don't ask for much, do I. |
