Well

First things first.  Happy New Year.  2009 will be filled with a lot of good times, ups, downs, and probably some mixed emotions at times. But, it will be a year, nonetheless.

New Year’s Eve was a success.  I really don’t have too much to say, but let me try to sum it up.  Andrea and I met up with someone name Christy, and a guy, whose name I don’t remember.  (Sorry)  She found my blog through facebook, through Shaun King’s Status Update.

It was cold cold cold, and since it was so late, it was only people who had not made it into the shelters that night.  Anyway, we got rid of all but 7 (out of 100, which Andrea made! wow.) sandwiches, and a few bottled waters(out of 72).  Another cool part was, we got to have community.  Even if it were for 15 seconds, or a minute, we got to talk to people who had higher expectations and hopes than I do sometimes.

At the very beginning of the night, Andrea said to a man, (Who had just sung us the most beautiful gospel song, a-capella) “God Bless you.”  And without skipping a beat he says, “He already has.”  Wow.  Sometimes I can’t say that.  I have heat, or air if needed.  A bed, a roof, food daily, a job, and then something happens and I find it hard to say stuff like that. Talk about making me feel like an ass.

I loved doing that though.  To me it’s a great time.  It opens my eyes, because I can be a little selfish at times. It reminds me that I am only about 2 paychecks from being right there with them.  It reminds me to Thank God each day I wake up, even if my shoulder hurts, or my job is pissing me off.  It reminds me that there is a much bigger calling from God, other than just showing up at a building on Sunday mornings to talk about Him.  It reminds me that the poor and marginalized are right in our backyard. (or behind a keyboard)  It reminds me.

Hopefully this is something Andrea and I (And whoever else wants to come with) can do at least once a month.

Oh. By The Way I also want to say, Atlanta pisses me off.  They must have done a sweep of the City, and made a good group of the homeless move.  We walked all over Grant Park, and surrounding area’s and it was like homelessness didn’t even exist in Atlanta.  I guess Atlanta wanted to make it’s visitors feel welcome and warm.  The city wanted to avoid putting a face on the problem.  Because without a face, it’s just ‘homelessness’.  With a face, it’s you or me or our best friend.  It’s ridiculous.  Anyway.  That’s my blog for today.

Next time, would you come with us?