Tuesday at the Montgomery Rescue Mission

Montgomery Food Bank

The Real Truth about Real Love by George Drain

I am privileged to serve breakfast alongside Chaplain Browder at the Montgomery Rescue Mission several times a week and through his ministry I met George Drain, Friend of God for Almighty God, poet, musician, singer, songwriter. I am honored to present  his first poem.


The Real Truth about Real Love

If it ain't right, it ain't meant to be. If it
don't last, it will come to pass.

When two people are real with each
other and they both love from the
bottom of their hearts, it will be real and
it will last forever and we both know
that is a very nice start.

Learning to love each other has been
with us always in the past, and it's still
with us even now and we both know
that's going to last.

People who don't care for each other
should care from the bottom of their
hearts. It will be real and it will last
forever and we both know that's how
caring really starts.

The feelings that we should share
together will be like the lights
showing from Heaven. It will be real
and it will last forever and forever is
why we start

If it ain't right, it ain't meant
to be. If it don't last it will come to pass.

written by George Drain, copyright
No part may be re-produced, but copies of George's poetry may be purchased

Montgomery Area Food Bank

Today I was at Chaplain Browder's Montgomery Rescue Mission. "Chap" serves breakfast to inner city folks 5 mornings a week. I usually help in the kitchen on Mondays but today I helped on Tuesday. I was surprised to see a large group of people lining up outside the kitchen to receive numbers and grocery bags. Montgomery Food Bank arrived with an amazing supply of food to give away to the less fortunate. They set up in the Rescue Mission driveway on the top of wooden racks and let the first-last numbers come into the area to receive. This made me so happy that my new city does something so remarkable for the poor.

 You can donate to this food bank by going to their website:
http://www.montgomeryareafoodbank.org/

 You can read more about the Rescue Mission at:
http://montgomeryrescuemission.org/

New Restaurant in Town

I happened across a new place to eat in the Black Belt Region and fell in love. It isn't open yet, but it will serve the youth of its community as well as the diners. I spoke with the owner who has reached out to the kids who "want more". After speaking with her, I hope to get on board with her Dad's ministry to feed the hungry breakfast every morning from 7-8AM. 

Wise People....

Read!

The Foot of the Black Belt

I have never seen more beautiful land than here in the bottom of this region of the Black Belt....rolling hills, vast farmland, beautiful skies, and well preserved homes. I set out to explore with only iPhone camera in hand and after a Saturday cell phone adventure, returned home with a slew of pictures to edit.

So many of the small towns sit and wither away but many thrive. There is great poverty scattered amongst lovely plantation homes and one can count on passing a church almost on every mile of the backroads (another shoot, another Saturday).

 Flags and tributes to fallen soldiers on this Memorial Day weekend were everywhere for the 300 plus miles I traveled today in the hopes to know my state even better. My quest was successful!

What Inspires You?

A new question to think about! In small letters someone has written their answer, "The South". Someone else has answered Alcohol, another has mentioned Yoda.
Photographed in the Black Belt region, the picture speaks a thousand answers.

The Panhandlers

Marjorie, Duck, and Jeremiah

They all have something in common: panhandling. It seems that everywhere I go someone begs for money. It's hard to know what is a real need, so this time I took Duck to the chicken place and bought his lunch. He looked like he had not eaten in days. Marjorie's husband, on dialysis,  got a beautiful new blanket from my gift collection, thanks to my generous girlfriends who keep me stocked. Jeremiah wanted $12.50 to stay overnight at Salvation Army. Although I did not give him the money, I am doing some research on how to provide a bed for those who need one without handing out cash. 

Something to Think About

A chalk board asks the simple question, in honor of Rosa Parks. 

New Shoes!

If you want to help someone, stop by a nursing home and find out the needs of some of the indigent patients. Ms. Edna needed new tennis shoes, so imagine her delight when I presented her with a new pair. (SO inexpensive, but a wealth of happiness for her and me!)

I asked,  "What else can people do to help?" The nurse said that giving manicures to these elderly ladies would be a blessing. Check it out! 

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church

To be honest, I worried about my lily white self visiting this historic African American church today.  Be assured, that although no one welcomed me or spoke to me, this was one of the most meaningful worship services I have ever been to in my 40 years of regular church attendance. I was an hour late, but the sermon was just beginning. The Reverend delivered a powerful message from Acts, and  after taking 5 pages of notes, I was sorry to see the service end.

   As we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the civil rights movement in Alabama, I am so thankful I live here in this beautiful area which is so rich in history.

Let's Pretend

Let's pretend it's a perfect world.
Let's pretend there is no poverty,
nor is there anyone out there who is lonely
or needs a human touch.
Let's pretend that when people die they are surrounded by all those who love them.

Ok, let's imagine there's no Potter's Field,
that houses are not taken away because one can't pay his taxes,
or that everyone has an adequate wardrobe and stays warm during the winter months
or has plenty of food to eat.

Life isn't like this.
Look around!
Reach out and help someone!
Visit an indigent nursing home and hug someone.
Volunteer at a food bank or read to a child.
Teach a skill to those less fortunate.

YOU will be blessed.

I will miss you Billy Fielding!

Great Books

Carry Me Home  (Diane McWhorter)
Road to Freedom  (Julian Cox)
Down Home  (Bob Adelman)
Encounters  (Kathryn Tucker Windham)
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men (Walker Evans)

7 (Jen Hatmaker)  Humorous in every way, on every page, Jen writes with a flair that makes one feel they are part of the scene. I found myself laughing out loud, identifying with her girlfriends and raising kids as when I was her age, but also identifying in my latter days as I minister with Chaplain Browder with the homeless, poverty and ex-inmates.  Day 8 Month 6-my favorite that hit home!

Studies in the Sermon on the Mount  (Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
The Hole in our Gospel  (Richard Stearns)
Crazy Love  (Chan)
Radical  (David Platt)
Love Does (Bob Goff)

n----- Dick Gregory (some offensive language but tears will flow as you read this account of his life) His title is the "n" word which I won't write here, so check it out yourself!

same kind of different As me  (Ron Hall & Denver Moore)
Leaving Gees Bend  (Irene Latham)
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Carson McCullers)
The Member of the Wedding (Carson McCullers)

Coming of Age in Mississippi (Anne Moody) (language can be offensive, but the story is true and absolutely amazing)

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
Uncle Tom's Cabin  (Stowe) (this book will break your heart!)
Black Boy

The Great Gatsby (F Scott Fitzgerald) & museum in Montgomery, Alabama
                              fitzgerald in montgomery

The Swan House (Musser) Having lived in Atlanta and roamed the entire area as a photographer,  I was mesmerized throughout the whole book wherever the author took us as the story unfolded.

Orphan Train (Kline) (some offensive language, but exceptional novel, based on history, and very well written) This book will be on my top five all time great reads. We can all see ourselves in the story, if we have had family hardships.