{"id":3417,"date":"2020-07-20T12:52:30","date_gmt":"2020-07-20T02:52:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3417"},"modified":"2020-07-20T12:52:30","modified_gmt":"2020-07-20T02:52:30","slug":"barbaras-monday-email-20-07-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/?p=3417","title":{"rendered":"Barbara’s Monday Email 20-07-2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hello Faith Pals,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I am not sure when you will receive this email.\u00a0 I am having internet problems!\u00a0 The things we take for granted-until they go wrong!\u00a0 You will receive this sometime.\u00a0 If it is tomorrow-remember-it is still Monday somewhere in the world!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now, I know home schooling is back, as is being on site for senior students.\u00a0 A reminder that I set you some homework several weeks ago.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Do you remember?\u00a0 Some of you have already submitted them to me (virtual gold stars for you!).\u00a0 Favourite Bible verses or parts of Scripture.\u00a0 I have some, but I would like more!\u00a0 Then I can compile them and we can all have a handy page to turn to during these challenging times in lockdown (which will end).<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The 11th July was listed as The Feast of Non-Pilgrims<\/em>.\u00a0 Edward Hays writes that this is a good day to stay at home, instead of heading off on pilgrimage.\u00a0 Now you know why I have chosen to write about this feast day! Hays quote these words of the 14th century Kashmiri poet, Lal Ded:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

‘I was passionate,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

filled with longing,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I searched<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

far and wide.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

But the day<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

that the Truthful One<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

found me,<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I was at home.’<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Hays points out that Christian pilgrimages to the Holy City of Jerusalem and other holy sites did not become popular until after a few centuries.\u00a0 In the first centuries of the early church, Christians believed that Christ could be experienced,\u00a0 as though on pilgrimage, in one’s home, or when visiting a neighbour [we are not to do that at present, though!] The home was holy because that was where worship, and the Lord’s Supper, took place.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Well…isn’t that where worship is taking place now? We often talk about church buildings being ‘soaked in prayer’- surely our homes also come under that category?\u00a0 If not…now is the time to give them a good soaking!\u00a0 Look around.\u00a0 What have you got on display, or tucked away safely in a drawer or cupboard, that can be brought out to signal that your home is also a place of worship?\u00a0 A Bible that could be left open on a table, a candle, a cross?\u00a0 An Easter card…a Christmas decoration…a sculpture of praying hands?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Set aside an area if you would find that helpful.\u00a0 I know I mentioned a Christmas decoration-yes, there is a tradition that states that if you don’t take down all your Christmas decorations by January 6th (Epiphany) you will suffer bad luck (and no, the fact that I ALWAYS find a stray one AFTER they have been packed away IS NOT the reason for covid 19!), but I am now of the opinion that a little reminder somewhere of the birth of the baby Jesus is suitable all year round.\u00a0 My angels might come under that category, or the Australian nativity set that I still have arranged on a bench because it is so cute.\u00a0 I’m\u00a0 not good at maths, but I figure I don’t have as many Christmases in front of me as behind me…so I will enjoy the beauty and the reminder of God’s son, in a small way, all year round.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

How does it alter things, seeing the home as holy?\u00a0 Remember the saying that Jesus is the unseen guest at the table, and at every conversation?\u00a0 Would we be kinder to one another? Or more mindful of the important things and let the petty things disappear?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

News: David is improving-hopefully home Thursday or Friday.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Erica \u00a0said that James has been discharged from hospital (they decided against operating) and he is now at Goldlinks Road Rehab.\u00a0 Please remember Erica and family in your prayers too. It is hard for families working from home, juggling children etc.\u00a0 Long hours and much tiredness.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Rob : could we keep his Aunty Elv and Uncle Kev in our prayers please?\u00a0 Rob’s uncle, who is in Aged Care has developed a nasty chest infection (not covid), and is struggling.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I have forwarded a lovely story from Margaret. You will probably need a tissue or hanky-very moving.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

One of my favourite quotes is from Abraham Heschel ( I don’t think I have shared it before…if I can’t remember, you probably don’t either!):<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

‘When I was young I admired clever people.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Now that I am old, I admire kind people.’<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

-Abraham Heschel<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Remember:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

God will visit you at home.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Blessings and love<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Barbara Allen<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Grab a cuppa and keep the tissues handy, well worth the read.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

This obviously originated in America but it\u2019s a \u201cfeel good\u201d sort of story!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Folded Napkin … A Truckers Story<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

If this doesn’t light your fire … Your wood is wet!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn’t sure I wanted one. I wasn’t sure how my customers would react to Stevie.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I wasn’t worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don’t generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids travelling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded “truck stop germ,” the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I shouldn’t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

After that, I really didn’t care what the rest of the customers thought of him. He was like a 21-year-old kid in blue jeans and Nikes, eager to laugh and eager to please, but fierce in his attention to his duties. Every salt and pepper shaker was exactly in its place, not a bread crumb or coffee spill was visible when Stevie got done with the table. Our only problem was persuading him to wait to clean a table until after the customers were finished. He would hover in the background, shifting his weight from one foot to the other, scanning the dining room until a table was empty. Then he would scurry to the empty table and carefully bus dishes and glasses onto his cart and meticulously wipe the table up with a practiced flourish of his rag. If he thought a customer was watching, his brow would pucker with added concentration. He took pride in doing his job exactly right, and you had to love how hard he tried to please each and every person he met.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over time, we learned that he lived with his mother, a widow who was disabled after repeated surgeries for cancer. They lived on their Social Security benefits in public housing two miles from the truck stop. Their social worker, who stopped to check on him every so often, admitted they had fallen between the cracks. Money was tight, and what I paid him was probably the difference between them being able to live together and Stevie being sent to a group home.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That’s why the restaurant was a gloomy place that morning last August, the first morning in three years that Stevie missed work.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

He was at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester getting a new valve or something put in his heart. His social worker said that people with Downs Syndrome often have heart problems at an early age so this wasn’t unexpected, and there was a good chance he would come through the surgery in good shape and be back at work in a few months.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

A ripple of excitement ran through the staff later that morning when word came that he was out of surgery, in recovery, and doing fine. Frannie, the head waitress, let out a war hoop and did a little dance in the aisle when she heard the good news.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Marvin Ringers, one of our regular trucker customers, stared at the sight of this 50-year-old grandmother of four doing a victory shimmy beside his table. Frannie blushed, smoothed her apron and shot Marvin a withering look. He grinned. “OK, Frannie, what was that all about?” he asked.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“We just got word that Stevie is out of surgery and going to be okay.” “I was wondering where he was. I had a new joke to tell him. What was the surgery about?” Frannie quickly told Marvin and the other two drivers sitting at his booth about Stevie’s surgery, then sighed: ” Yeah, I’m glad he is going to be OK,” she said. “But I don’t know how he and his Mom are going to handle all the bills. From what I hear, they’re barely getting by as it is.” Marvin nodded thoughtfully, and Frannie hurried off to wait on the rest of her tables.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Since I hadn’t had time to round up a busboy to replace Stevie and really didn’t want to replace him, the girls were bussing their own tables that day until we decided what to do.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

After the morning rush, Frannie walked into my office. She had a couple of paper napkins in her hand and a funny look on her face.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“What’s up?” I asked.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“I didn’t get that table where Marvin and his friends were sitting cleared off after they left, and Pete and Tony were sitting there when I got back to clean it off,” she said. “This was folded and tucked under a coffee cup.” She handed the napkin to me, and three $20 bills fell onto my desk when I opened it. On the outside, in big, bold letters, was printed “Something For Stevie.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

“Pete asked me what that was all about,” she said, “so I told him about Stevie and his Mom and everything, and Pete looked at Tony and Tony looked at Pete, and they ended up giving me this.” She handed me another paper napkin that had “Something For Stevie” scrawled on its outside. Two $50 bills were tucked within its folds. Frannie looked at me with wet, shiny eyes, shook her head and said simply: “truckers.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

That was three months ago. Today is Thanksgiving, the first day Stevie is supposed to be back to work.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

His placement worker said he’s been counting the days until the doctor said he could work, and it didn’t matter at all that it was a holiday. He called 10 times in the past week, making sure we knew he was coming, fearful that we had forgotten him or that his job was in jeopardy. I arranged to have his mother bring him to work. I then met them in the parking lot and invited them both to celebrate his day back.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Stevie was thinner and paler, but couldn’t stop grinning as he pushed through the doors and headed for the back room where his apron and bussing cart were waiting.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Hold up there, Stevie, not so fast,” I said. I took him and his mother by their arms. “Work can wait for a minute. To celebrate your coming back, breakfast for you and your mother is on me!” I led them toward a large corner booth at the rear of the room.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

I could feel and hear the rest of the staff following behind as we marched through the dining room. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw booth after booth of grinning truckers empty and join the procession. We stopped in front of the big table. Its surface was covered with coffee cups, saucers and dinner plates, all sitting slightly crooked on dozens of folded paper napkins. “First thing you have to do, Stevie, is clean up this mess,” I said. I tried to sound stern.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Stevie looked at me, and then at his mother, then pulled out one of the napkins. It had “Something for Stevie” printed on the outside. As he picked it up, two $10 bills fell onto the table.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Stevie stared at the money, then at all the napkins peeking from beneath the tableware, each with his name printed or scrawled on it. I turned to his mother. “There’s more than $10,000 in cash and checks on that table, all from truckers and trucking companies that heard about your problems. “Happy Thanksgiving.”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Well, it got real noisy about that time, with everybody hollering and shouting, and there were a few tears, as well.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

But you know what’s funny? While everybody else was busy shaking hands and hugging each other, Stevie, with a big smile on his face, was busy clearing all the cups and dishes from the table..<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Best worker I ever hired.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Plant a seed and watch it grow.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

At this point, you can bury this inspirational message or forward it fulfilling the need!\u00a0 If you shed a tear, hug yourself, because you are a compassionate person.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Well.. Don’t just sit there!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Send this story on!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Keep it going, this is a good one.\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The Folded napkin<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/td>\nVirus-free. www.avg.com<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hello Faith Pals,   I am not sure when you will receive this email.\u00a0 I am having internet problems!\u00a0 The things we take for granted-until they go wrong!\u00a0 You will receive this sometime.\u00a0 If it is tomorrow-remember-it is still Monday somewhere in the world! Now, I know home schooling is back, as is being on site for senior students.\u00a0 A reminder that I set you some homework several weeks ago.\u00a0 Do you remember?\u00a0 Some of you have already submitted them to me (virtual gold stars for you!).\u00a0 Favourite Bible verses or parts of Scripture.\u00a0 I have some, but I would like more!\u00a0 Then I can compile them and we can all have a handy page to turn to during these challenging times in lockdown (which will end). The 11th July was listed as The Feast of Non-Pilgrims.\u00a0 Edward Hays writes that this is a good day to stay at home, instead of heading off on pilgrimage.\u00a0 Now you know why I have chosen to write about this feast day! Hays quote these words of the 14th century Kashmiri poet, Lal Ded: ‘I was passionate, filled with longing, I searched far and wide.   But the day that the Truthful One found me, I was at home.’   Hays points out that Christian pilgrimages to the Holy City of Jerusalem and other holy sites did not become popular until after a few centuries.\u00a0 In the first centuries of the early church, Christians believed that Christ could be experienced,\u00a0 as though on pilgrimage, in one’s home, or when visiting a neighbour [we are not to do that at present, though!] The home was holy because that was where worship, and the Lord’s Supper, took place. Well…isn’t that where worship is taking place now? We often talk about church buildings being ‘soaked in prayer’- surely our homes also come under that category?\u00a0 If not…now is the time to give them a good soaking!\u00a0 Look around.\u00a0 What have you got on display, or tucked away safely in a drawer or cupboard, that can be brought out to signal that your home is also a place of worship?\u00a0 A Bible that could be left open on a table, a candle, a cross?\u00a0 An Easter card…a Christmas decoration…a sculpture of praying hands? Set aside an area if you would find that helpful.\u00a0 I know I mentioned a Christmas decoration-yes, there is a tradition that states that if you don’t take down all your Christmas decorations by January 6th (Epiphany) you will suffer bad luck (and no, the fact that I ALWAYS find a stray one AFTER they have been packed away IS NOT the reason for covid 19!), but I am now of the opinion that a little reminder somewhere of the birth of the baby Jesus is suitable all year round.\u00a0 My angels might come under that category, or the Australian nativity set that I still have arranged on a bench because it is so cute.\u00a0 I’m\u00a0 not good at maths, but I figure I don’t have as many Christmases in front of me as behind me…so I will enjoy the beauty and the reminder of God’s son, in a small way, all year round. How does it alter things, seeing the home as holy?\u00a0 Remember the saying that Jesus is the unseen guest at the table, and at every conversation?\u00a0 Would we be kinder to one another? Or more mindful of the important things and let the petty things disappear? News: David is improving-hopefully home Thursday or Friday. Erica \u00a0said that James has been discharged from hospital (they decided against operating) and he is now at Goldlinks Road Rehab.\u00a0 Please remember Erica and family in your prayers too. It is hard for families working from home, juggling children etc.\u00a0 Long hours and much tiredness. Rob : could we keep his Aunty Elv and Uncle Kev in our prayers please?\u00a0 Rob’s uncle, who is in Aged Care has developed a nasty chest infection (not covid), and is struggling. I have forwarded a lovely story from Margaret. You will probably need a tissue or hanky-very moving. One of my favourite quotes is from Abraham Heschel ( I don’t think I have shared it before…if I can’t remember, you probably don’t either!): ‘When I was young I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.’ -Abraham Heschel   Remember: God will visit you at home. Blessings and love Barbara Allen               Grab a cuppa and keep the tissues handy, well worth the read. This obviously originated in America but it\u2019s a \u201cfeel good\u201d sort of story! The Folded Napkin … A Truckers Story If this doesn’t light your fire … Your wood is wet!   I try not to be biased, but I had my doubts about hiring Stevie. His placement counsellor assured me that he would be a good, reliable busboy. But I had never had a mentally handicapped employee and wasn’t sure I wanted one. I wasn’t sure how my customers would react to Stevie. He was short, a little dumpy with the smooth facial features and thick-tongued speech of Downs Syndrome. I wasn’t worried about most of my trucker customers because truckers don’t generally care who buses tables as long as the meatloaf platter is good and the pies are homemade.   The four-wheeler drivers were the ones who concerned me; the mouthy college kids travelling to school; the yuppie snobs who secretly polish their silverware with their napkins for fear of catching some dreaded “truck stop germ,” the pairs of white-shirted business men on expense accounts who think every truck stop waitress wants to be flirted with. I knew those people would be uncomfortable around Stevie so I closely watched him for the first few weeks.   I shouldn’t have worried. After the first week, Stevie had my staff wrapped around his stubby little finger, and within a month my truck regulars had adopted him as their official truck stop mascot.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3417","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorised"],"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Leighmoor.Master","author_link":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/author\/leighmoor-master"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":"Other Posts<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Hello Faith Pals,   I am not sure when you will receive this email.\u00a0 I am having internet problems!\u00a0 The things we take for granted-until they go wrong!\u00a0 You will receive this sometime.\u00a0 If it is tomorrow-remember-it is still Monday somewhere in the world! Now, I know home schooling is back, as is being on…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3417"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3418,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3417\/revisions\/3418"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3417"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3417"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.leighmoorunitingchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3417"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}