Hero Quest Chapter 1 Part 4

John put away his Bible and his planner, a smile crossed his face as he made his way into the kitchen to make the woman of his heart a coffee.  He still remembered why he did this every morning.  She had asked him one day to start waking her up early.  While she was very beautiful, this woman has never been a morning person.  He had feared her and then devised a pleasant way to wake her up.  Each morning he would bring her a latte, just as she liked it, kiss her on the cheek, say good morning and then leave her to move into her day.  If she was not out of bed in fifteen minutes he would go back and prod her some more but that had never happened.  On most mornings, Corrina would appear in the kitchen ready to help prepare breakfast for the kids who only liked her way of making toast.  A tired smile would greet John as he finished stirring the kids chocolate milk, or some other small task that needed done before he dove into his day.

“What’s the plan?” Corrina asked knowing that John Hero always had a plan for the day.

John rubbed his chin thoughtfully, “I thought that I would go to the gym.  It just looks to icy to run outside this morning.  Then I’ll go right to work.”

“Sounds like a plan.”  Corrina finished buttering the toast for Ricky the youngest of children.  “What do you want on your toast?”

Ricky was obviously in a different world. “I don’t know.  Let me think.”  He smacked his lips a couple of times trying to discern what his taste buds would desire this day.  “Butter and honey.”

“Butter and honey it is then.”

“What’s your plan?”  John asked knowing that her plan was pretty much the same everyday.

“You know.”

“I do but I love to hear you talk.  For many your life might seem dull but when you tell it I get goose bumps.  Besides sometimes it’s different”

“Well I don’t know the laundry, which I will remind you was totally done yesterday at noon is already up to my eyeballs.  So I might jump into that.   Besides that adventure we will keep working through home school.  What time will you be home tonight?”

Real Life at the Crisis Shelter January 27-February 4, 2012

Real Life at the Shelter January 27-February 4, 2012. 

Monday January 30:   One of the ladies who had been asked to leave last weekend came to use our overflow.  Overflow officially starts at 10:00pm.  She showed up at 8:35 pm.  The class that was in the

Gathering Place

(Where overflow is) was running late so the overflow was not yet available.  The guest kept ringing the bell and demanding to be let in early.  While staff can do this when nothing else is going on, most nights we do hold to the 10:00 pm start time.  She was told that if she rang the bell again she would not be able to use overflow.  She went and hid out behind the shuttles.  A short while later when a guest who is eligible for regular guest stay showed up; she was harassed and told by the former guest that if she rang the bell she would get in trouble.   This new guest had called and was therefore a bit confused and told the lady hiding behind the shuttle that she had called.  That was when the former guest asked if she can ring the bell for her.  This former guest was ultimately put on the no overflow list.

Tuesday January 31:   Two other ladies were put on the overflow list after they continued to be disrespectful to the Good Workers (guests who take care of the shelter overnight).  They had done this on several occasions and staff had talked with each of them on different nights.  They are all welcome to meet with staff to see if they can have services restored.  Our guest who had experienced date rape last week finally talked with the police.  Major event tonight.  The shelter experienced its first Flash Mob in the parking lot.     http://youtu.be/zBQkH1VYucw  View the link to see the event take place.

Wednesday February 1:   One of our guests who we later discovered had escaped from a residential facility (Not dangerous for us but she needed more care than we usually provide.) was creating a concern among her room mates.  Some were unwilling to show her grace and this gave us many opportunities to share God’s Grace with them.  We had an incident with the green shuttle.  The gas pedal stuck to the floor but with great strength one of our volunteers pushed the brake hard enough to get the shuttle to stop and then pried the gas pedal up.  The shuttle was then dead on East Sprague and the ladies walked a couple of blocks back to the shelter instead of going to Family of Faith that night.  The only tears were from a group of kids who could not make it to church that night.  In my book the volunteer was a hero who kept his head.  Great job!  The shuttle was towed around the corner and awaits repairs.

Thursday February 2:   Staff had an accountability meeting with the young lady from Monday night.  It was decided to give her grace and let her stay at the shelter today.  Many of our guests are really seeking God right now.  Pray for them.  One of our guest who has a very negative attitude has created a hostile environment in her room.  She does not see herself as negative but honest.    Staff had a late accountability meeting for a former guest, she too was given another shot at staying at the shelter.

Friday February 3:    Quiet day with the exception of some guests missing items when they came to pick them up. 

Weekend:   Overall fairly quiet weekend.  Many have found housing and should be moving over the next few days.          

General comments:   Three different ladies all report to seeing an angel in one of the rooms.  All three are starting to seek God as a result.  Our new policy of all belongings to be in a tub and a crate makes packing them up much easier.  We are also having many challenges when ladies show up 5 days later looking for items that they left behind.  (Our policy says that we hold items left behind for 3 days.)

    

Progress on my goals January 29-February 4, 2012

	Target	Actually Done
Leadership Bible	Be on page 210 (5 pg a day)	On page 211
Faith in Action Bible	Be on page 175 (6 pg a day)	On page 178
Message Read Through	7 Days youversion program	On track
Running	15 miles a week	15 miles
Crunches	1000 a week	1100
Floss	7 times a week	7 Days
Face Cleaning/Lotions	7 times a week	6 Times
I Like Book	7 times a week	7
Modules	2 a week	2
Guy Time	1 a week	1
Self Exam	7 a week	3
Book Reading	1 Book a week	1
Evening Prayer Meeting	26 times a year	4
Paid Speaking	3 a quarter	0
Date with Cara	3 a quarter	2
Date with Rachel	1 a quarter	0

This week I felt like I was slipping just a bit.  My diet was pretty terrible and my discipline let me down.  But I am coming into this new week feeling motivated and focused on what I need to do.  I finished reading John Bevere's book, "Relentless"  The premise of this book is really that we as the church have undervalued Grace by making it only about salvation and restoration to God.  It is that and John Bevere makes that very clear.  But this is a call to grasp that God's Grace is also about healing, inspiration, motivation and a spirit that is unbreakable.   It is all of these things not because of a strength inside of us but because God's Grace will (if we but ask) deliver these things.
My date with Cara was great but seemed to go by too fast.  It was over before I knew it.  This week also was encouraging despite the fact that I felt like I fell short as I now have 2 up and coming speaking engagements that I am being paid for.  I will chalk those up when they actually take place but it is very exciting to know that I am one step closer to making a living doing this.
I also felt honored when the ladies of the Crisis Shelter practiced and then made sure that I was there for a Flash Mob at the Crisis Shelter.  One of my life ambitions is to be a defender of women and this event told me that I am on track there.
My friends I thank you for taking time to help hold me accoutable to what I am shooting for this year.  While I fell just a bit short in my heart, the numbers reflect growth and sustainment.  I will press on.