Good morning... One week ago I rested like a fly on the wall in the foyer of KIPP Woodson Park Academy, waiting for the staff from PAWkids to arrive. As I sat quietly in a light filled corner, I texted myself snippets of conversations I overheard. "He's on the run," a teacher told a grandmother who had been [...]
Good morning... Yesterday was a joyful whirlwind of receiving much as we gave our little. Providing a beautiful breakfast for one hundred inner city teachers at KIPP Woodson Park Academy, hearing stories of the tears of joy shed by the elderly recipients of our fun filled 100 Valentine's Day gift bags, and helping to host a Valentine's Day [...]
Good morning... "I have another idea that you could possibly help me with," Larenzia Lawerence from PAWkids texted me last week. "So, I wanted to do some gifts for seven outstanding teachers at KIPP Woodson Park, five women and two men. They help the kids in our after school program so much. I can see in their eyes [...]
Good morning... This week I happened upon a powerful quote by Madeleine Delbrêl. "Once we have heard God’s Word, we no longer have the right not to accept it; once we have accepted it, we no longer have the right not to let it become flesh in us; once it has become flesh in us, we no longer [...]
Good morning... Our written word community is beautifully living out the joy of 2 Corinthians 9:7 (CEB): Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver. We were given a fun invitation by LaTonya Gates, the founder and director of PAWkids. "Sue, everyone [...]
Good morning... In December, many of you pitched in to donate items to fill 100 gift bags for the senior citizens of the impoverished Grove Park area of our city. A handful of us joyfully assembled the Christmas gifts at Corinne Adam's art studio over two magic-making work shifts. Then I drove the precious presents to PAWkids, who [...]
Good morning... Yesterday, spontaneously, the chorus of an old favorite song erupted in me. I unashamedly sang out loud as I drove to PAWkids for our therapeutic community group, remembering the comment made there the night before by a first time homework helper: "You can definitely feel God's presence in this place." "Surely the presence of the Lord [...]
Good morning... "You can definitely feel God's presence in this place," said one of the new volunteers after we helped kids with their homework at PAWkids yesterday. I totally agree. God's presence feels unmistakable in such a life-giving space. Don’t you know? Haven’t you been listening? Yahweh is the one and only everlasting God, the Creator of all [...]
Good morning... One month ago today, I filled our car with generously donated items and drove the requested "snacks and drinks" to PAWkids for New Year's Eve. Homemade cupcakes, cookies, and oatmeal packets. Waters, juices, cocoa mix and milk. Chips, protein bars, and paper goods. The day before, I had also made a big batch of homemade turkey/vegetable [...]
Good morning... In our post We Need Friends, I shared about our grieving friend who lost her first grandchild to a miscarriage. "Oh my!" one reader wrote from South Carolina. "God is surely speaking in stereo AGAIN. My heart hurt and my eyes pricked with tears this morning when I read about your class participant’s loss. In 2012 [...]
