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HomeBound will be appearing this afternoon for two sessions in an after-school mentoring and tutoring program in which trained and loving mentors and tutors help inner-city at-risk kids with their homework, teach manners, share the love of Jesus and simply are there for them every day after school busses drop them off in front of a local church willing to share their space and rooms to give children a taste of the love of God in their lives. We’ve been invited to do this yearly for a few years and we look forward to playing, singing and inviting children to ask questions as we explain a little about the instruments many have never seen. Can you imagine what we see as we look over each small ‘sea’ of smiling faces of every color and origin; many of whom have never heard ‘Bluegrass’ music? I see Jesus looking back. Imagine for a moment you’re a little girl, born to a crack-addicted mother. You don’t know (nor will you ever understand) you were also addicted at birth, went through an agonizing and terrible withdrawal from the drug and struggled for your very life. You don’t know you have severe brain damage and often can’t remember what you’ve just learned; have to be assisted in repeating the alphabet, and may have been teased and tormented just a few hours ago. Teased, simply because you are of mixed race and though you are beautiful, others call you ugly, stupid or worse. You may have already forgotten the pain. You’re now raising your hand to answer a question “What is this instrument?” But when you are called on, you can’t remember the question. This was one such little girl last in a previous year. She had such a warm and open smile, laughter and hugs that wouldn’t stop. Could you look at such a child and not see Jesus; or realize how Jesus loves, hugs and laughs with her? We who play the music are applauded and told what a blessing we and our music is for them. But we cannot possibly bless them more than we are blessed in joining them for a short part of their afternoon! I won’t pull any punches. Sometimes serving God and trying to reflect Jesus is hard. It can be painful; you may be spit on, taunted, laughed at and called despicable things; simply because you’ve chosen to serve Jesus. But then, you are given a glimpse of Jesus Himself in the faces of those who need Him and His touch most. Jesus is constantly reminding us, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did (or did not) for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did (or did not) for me.” Father God, we often feel the jeers, laughter and taunts of those who call Your servants fanatics, Jesus freaks and worse. If we look, we see Jesus even in the faces of those who would debase and maybe harm us. They may be the least of His brethren and could be our enemy He has called for us to love and pray for. Then You show His face in the glow and innocence of Your children of any age who need Him and His love shared the most. I thank You for all You’ve sent into and on my path. Enable and equip me to be the servant You would have me to be and send me into Your fields to help nurture, and cultivate Your harvest to come. Forgive my sin, as I forgive other sinners. I lift these: Amy F, Jean - Ryan Callahan family & friends, Gary & Julie Carmean, Roger C, Neal W, Paul M, Michelle S, Susie B’s brother-in-law, Pete & Sue Z, Maggie M, Ginny B, Doug F, John S, Bob F, Susan H - daughter-in-law Brandelyn - son Brock & all their family, Roy and Becky M – Becky’s mom, Nick & Jane (Canada), Mitzi F, Chris & Michelle M, David, Kenny Rice, John P, Chip C, Pastor Dave Kepple, Maxine Mayhugh, Aaron, Jack H, Larry W & family, Patty D, Tom & wife, Chris H, Mark & Ann C, Maddie, Cindy S, Katelyn S (infant) & her dad, Lucas, Sierra, Rodney Z, daughter-in-law & baby, Those going through treatments and medical procedures, Betty Y, Marie’s daughters, Marcie C, Tammy & son Alex, Rodney B & family, Betsye A, Unspoken needs, Dave & Carol A, Elizabeth S, Sarah M, Amanda, Teresa, Don & Brenda F, Ethan, Andee, Trina I, Jill & Joe Vanuch, Rick & Mary C, Julie S, A young mother’s employment search, Joanne, Norm M’s sister, Doug H, Terri G, James, John M, Katy H’s mom, Chris C, Jennifer W, Dan – Kristie Ward & family, Susie P, Chelsea M, Ellen S, John P, Alisha T, Melanie, Jeanine Dixon, Imogene, Emma Louise B, Bill D, Linda Z’s (Florida) brother Joe, pastor Dave M, Sue & Dan B, John P, Howard I, John & Gayle K, Jonathan, Bill C, Nellie M & family, Bud W (in LA), Mary Catherine H, Susie J, Alvin T, Kyle C, Cheri H, Jim L, Bill Blain, Dee S, J D, Ruth H, Kathy K, Sam & Mary P, Linda H, Diane M, Kevin S, Mike R & family, Joe & Lori D, Debbie F’s nephew Chris, Vangie B, Brenda M. Stacy F, Robin D & family, Jude B, Nancy F, Dave @ gym, Mazie W, Marion H, Jerry P, Bill & Shari (Arizona), Michael P, Patrice S, Gary H, Naomi’s Heart Mission, Dean S, Dustin, Dylan, those ending addiction or habit, our families for salvation and guidance, Those grieving, depressed, fighting or working for freedom, safety from terror, neglected, abused & missing children, God’s servants & churches, those looking for work, in rehab programs our families and all we hold dear in our hearts. I pray in the name of the one who gave His all for me…. Amen Memory Verse: ‘And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Matthew 25:40 New King James Version ~ ~ “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’ “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46 NKJV |
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