Serving at the Banquet

Tonight, Mercy church turned out in full force (46 of our little community) to serve at our local soup kitchen (for lack of a better term) that serves meals to the needy in Sioux Falls.

I took Xander with me (Matt had to work and Maia went with a sitter), and our job was to clean tables and chairs after they had been used. They served 542 people tonight. We worked hard (some people for a very long time), and had a great time serving some very grateful people.

I got to pray with a guy that he would get a job soon, hear another guy's story about how he's been drug, alcohol and nicotine free for 8 months and got baptized 5 months ago. While he doesn't have a job, he sure has confidence in God and is brimming with blessings.

An older fellow wearing a flourescent pink flowered cap with "Miami" embroidered on it was proud to show off his diamond pin. (Dime And Pin- he had a dime with a hole drilled in it hooked to a safety pin on his shirt!)

One fellow told me he sings so badly he can shut the shower down!

Oh, and I almost got punched in the face. I'm not sure why I happened to be the one in the right place at the right time, but I broke up two guys who started a verbal fight and nearly came to blows. Sweet Dave from our church, (in his 50s and about a year into his journey with Parkinsons) was right behind me making sure nothing actually got physical. It's good to know he's got my back. :)

Later Dave says to me, "You must have scared your mother to death when you were a kid." Ha! I've never done anything like that before- EVER! Except breaking up my kids when they've gotten too insane. And to be honest, I used the same tactics and language.

All these big tough guys from church were like, "why didn't you let me do that?" I don't know! It was a act-first-think-later moment. I found my knees shaking for the next half hour or so.

I know, now you're saying, "You took your kid into that environment?!" He was perfectly safe the whole time, and knew the rule- stick by my side the entire time (unless I'm breaking up a fist fight). He did well, and he felt great afterward. I was really proud of him.