Jason Please Fix

DAY 1: The adventure begins.

This part of my journey is very familiar as it begins with the Megabus to Chicago which I have done more than a dozen times. This is old hat yet so new. It’s just the first leg to learning more about ending hunger.

Friday night as I walked home from Palominos after a great evening with friends and a more-than-full belly, there was a man sleeping in a doorway. When had he last eaten? When had he last slept in a queen size bed with a down comforter? When had he last woken up to a hot cup of coffee and his favorite breakfast-mine being an English muffin with peanut butter?

It’s about choices in life I know. He chooses to sleep there versus Wheeler Mission. He made choices I did not. If those choices had presented themselves to me would I have taken them?

I’ve heard it said, when someone walks past a person sleeping on the street such as this: “But for the grace of God there go I.” That set of words makes me cringe. God’s grace has zero to do with the situation. God’s grace is covering the person going through hard times as much as me no matter what my circumstance. God’s grace doesn’t keep me from making choices that lead to homelessness. And, I find it hard to believe, based upon the people I’ve talked to in such situations, that they chose to live like that. Things happen. Life snowballs. God’s grace is there all the time lavishing us with love and forgiveness and hope. Thanks be to God for that!!

Tonight I will play with my grandsons Elijah and Judah and visit with their mom and dad. Then sleep warmly before heading to Baltimore to discover more about how I can be of help in this world during the days I have left.