Get Your Kicks

On my way to church last night, I stopped at a light just before getting on the expressway. That intersection is where my favorite homeless person always hangs out. He's so relaxed; he doesn't walk between cars or anything. He just sits there on his upside-down Coke crate, smiling and holding a sign that says, "Please Help if You Can."

Of course I can, so I rolled down my window to give him some money. He always says something nice, like "Thank you, young lady" or "God bless you, sweetie." This time, he looked up (at the sky?) and said, "A looong time ago, they had a program on the television called Route 66." I was speechless. I uttered a quick, "God bless you" and gave my best smile as I drove off. I spent the next couple of minutes surprised at the randomness of his conversation, and I felt bad that he was much crazier than the last time I had seen him. He had always seemed so normal until now...

And then... then it dawned on me. Like a lightning bolt striking down inside my head. He wasn't being random at all! On the front of my car there is a Route 66 license plate. He was completely coherent, and I was the village idiot. How humbling.

Because I think there are many more interesting people in the world, and some happen to be homeless, I want to tell you about an opportunity to bless them with a meal - and more than that -an acknowledgment... that they matter. that they are cared for. that they are not forgotten. Join me and some friends this Sunday night at 7:30 to hit the streets downtown and feed some homeless brothers and sisters. Get more info here.