The Saint Francis Soup Kitchen!!

Today was pretty much a normal Saturday for me. I got up a little earlier than I do on most Saturday mornings. This is the day that I make my second trip to the plasma donation center. This is how I pay my bills, and get my cookie money. I really didn’t understand why this day has went like it did at the time.

I decided to stop by Mickey D’s, and grab a biscuit. Usually it takes as few minutes, but today I was in and out in a flash. I was riding my bike to the bus terminal, and saw one of the three buses I could take, sitting at a red light. I breezed by that bus, and was locking my bike up at the terminal when he arrived.

Everything was running smooth at the center, and I got back there quickly. While I was lying on the bed donating, I was a lot jollier that what I usually am. I know that this was the Joy of the Lord bubbling out from me. I had the opportunity to talk with a man that I had not seen in a couple years. The last few times that we had spoken, I remember there was a great amount of animosity, and stress between us. Today was simple joy to see each other, and friendly fellowship.

After our conversation, I put in my ear buds, and was listening to music. I have nothing except praise and worship on my mp3 player. Most of that music really gets my Spirit motivated to praise, and thank, the Lord of my Salvation, for the life that I have been given. I can’t stress to you hard enough if you really don’t care for the life that you are living, there is a solution.  Give it to Jesus, and once you do that it will start changing. I saw this bumper sticker the other day. “Try Jesus, if you don’t like Him, Satan will take you back!!”

That is the truth; however it would take a foolish person to return!! Anyway…All the time that I was lying there I kept hearing this whisper, in my ear. It was saying; go to the soup kitchen, once you leave here. It just kept on in my mind, and finally it got into my heart. I had not been there in years. I am thinking, that the last time I was there was, in the early 90’s. When I got off the bus, my bicycle took me directly there, like it was a normal process in my life.

The name of this church escapes my memory right now. The outreach operation is called; The St. Francis Soup Kitchen. I know that, or at least I am thinking that these folks are based on the Catholic religion. I guess that I got there after the great rush, because I walk inside right away.

The first thing that I saw was a man giving loaves of bread away. He had several different kinds, and we got to choose our preference. I remembered that the area that they feed in was down in the basement, so I ask permission to go on down. I remembered walking down those steps, doing the same years ago. Although, I saw three doors to my left, and I couldn’t remember which one that I was to go through.

There was no one beside me in that hallway, so I stuck my head in the first door. All of a sudden I saw all these smiling faces, and hear a sweet voice beckoning me inside. I was amazed at what I was seeing. It was like the first time that I ever saw such an event. Honestly, it was the first time that I had ever placed my eyes, on those that love Jesus, in the same way that I do.

I stood there dumbfounded, as this lady handed me a can on pears, and a pack of chewing gum. I was so over-whelmed with the things going on, that I was pretty much speechless. She ask if I was hungry, and I nodded my head yes, while asking what do I do next. She pointed at a sheet of paper that I was to sign. I was number 414, and there would be more to follow.

Then some young man told me where to sit down. I was so tickled to be there, that I can’t even explain why. I was simply so over-whelmed, that I forgot to thank the Lord for my food, before I started to eat. These folks were offering a service of love, to the Lord Jesus, with all their running about, making sure that the patrons, were well taken care of, with their needs.

Almost immediately, after I sat down, this Saint placed this brown paper bag in front of me. There was already a glass of ice water there. All these memories started rushing back from the past. Nothing had changed in the way that they feed. However, I know that something had changed in the way that I see it.

I reached inside of my bag, and pulled out a Styrofoam glass full of soup. I remembered that they seemed to work magic with soup years ago, and I couldn’t wait!! I stirred the contents around, and placed a spoonful, inside of my mouth. Pure Heaven in a cup!! Nothing had changed, as far as I could taste.  I explored inside of the bag that I was given. There were two sandwiches inside. One sandwich with meat and one sandwich with peanut butter, and jelly. The same as I remembered, from years past.

I was sitting among the homeless, and destitute of the city that I live in. I did notice that most left with a mess on the table, and someone would quickly come, and clean it for the next hungry person to arrive. I heard a couple bickering at each other, for reasons that I couldn’t understand. The largest part of the folks, came in and ate, and very quietly went away.

As for myself, I find this day newsworthy, and I want the whole world to know about: The Saint Francis Soup Kitchen!! It wasn’t the soup that was served, or the sandwich’s that came with the soup. It is not about the bread plates piled high, on every table. Nor was it about the endless deserts being passed among all that would receive such, or the bottomless cup of water served.

It was about Jesus, like everything that we know, and realize should be about. It was about a bunch of believers, spreading the Word that Jesus loves all!! Check this out:  Mar 9:41  For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. I believe that these folks have gone far beyond the action of this verse, and have been for years!!

Maybe today was just for me. Maybe this doesn’t mean much to my readers. I know that I connected with Jesus, through the ministry of the soup kitchen. The thing that might be sad about this is the fact that it has taken almost twenty years, to land on my heart, and confirm in my Spirit, that Jesus Christ is truly Lord over all!!

……Much Love