now hiring

Position: Lawn Maintenance crew member
Hours: Thursday 8:00-3:00 (or anytime you have some free time)
Requirements: must know how to operate lawn mower, weed-eater, leaf blower ect.
Pay: none

Yes, this is a joke but it's also half-way serious.  The joking portion is that we aren't really hiring anyone to cut, edge or keep up with the lawns on the properties Cross and Crown owns.  The serious portion is that every spring and summer, whenever the grass and weeds start to sprout up, we have an additional responsibility to keep up with several lawns.

Ron and I are generally pretty capable of knocking out the yards at Cross and Crown, Rock Island and the apartments across from the mission.  But, in the last couple years through the, "Rebuilding the Walls", program (which is currently on hold) we have acquired 4 new properties.  As we all know, each property represents a front and back yard, which also represents a new opportunity!  Also, we have several neighborhood friends, one which just happens to be a widow (James 1:27 anyone?), that either aren't physically capable of mowing or don't have the resources to cut their yard.

Especially during the summer, because many volunteers are either students or have children that are school age, there tends to be a increase in willingness and ability to help out at Cross and Crown and Rock Island. Well, if that's you or even if that isn't you but you still desire to help out join the Cross and Crown Lawn Maintenance Team, aka, C&C-LMT.  This also serves as a great way to knock out required volunteer hours for students and/or those who have to do community service.

By the way, Thursday is not the only day we need this kind of help.  If you or someone you know decided to help out with this need it can be done any day and any time of day.  It's not restricted to just when we are cutting the lawns.

Email me at lwhitmire1@gmail.com or leave a comment on the blog if you're interested in helping or have questions.

Here's a picture of the C&C-LMT team leader, Clyde...

Rockin the goggles full throttle.  Safety first.

Speaking of Clyde, I want to thank www.NorthChurch.tv and @clintsmithxp for their help during ShareFest this past weekend.  They came, they saw and they conquered at Clyde's house on Saturday despite the rain.  The did serious demo work, disassembled a struggling fence and are still in the works of completing a brand new fence for Clyde and his wife, Judy.  I'll post pics as soon as the job is done.  Thanks again for all the individuals that were apart of the effort.

Here are some additional pictures from Thursday morning breakfast with a couple of the Rock Island boys.  They did some shopping in the clothing store at Cross and Crown and came up with these outfits...

Ron and I decided our favorite part was that the three of them were actually excited about being dressed up in nice pants, collared shirts and ties.  We figured they would think it was funny to dress up and make it a joke but they actually were concerned about looking nice.  As you can see from the bow tie...they looked real sharp.  Oh yeah, the boy in the middle, he's wearing a snowman tie with a little speaker sewn into it that plays, "Frosty the Snowman".  Real sharp.

catchy titles are alot tougher to come up with than it seems

Like most, I go in and out of blogging from time to time.  When I don't blog it doesn't mean there isn't much going on but, rather, it usually means there is too much going on.  And, on the flip side, if I am blogging a lot it means one of two things...either there isn't much going on or I am forcing myself to blog because I know I won't later.  (Is that confusing? That's even confusing to me as I re-read it.)

So, based on the happenings at Rock Island and Cross and Crown lately I haven't been blogging much.  But, that won't stop me from showcasing this update.  Here goes...

These two index cards are notes that our friend, "Mitchell", gave to Don at Cross and Crown this past Tuesday.  The cards read, "Bro Don, I am writing you, this note or letter to let you know that I did not attend, Bible class, this Tuesday.  I enjoyed it, last Tuesday, and I hope that I will do good because the guys that were in the study last wk. seems very ahead of me. I hope that I will be good enough and I hope I know enough to be a regular participate of the Bible class." - "Mitchell"

Mitchell came to the Bible class that Don teaches every Tuesday morning before the food pantry and clothing room open.  He attended last week but, unfortunately, he wasn't able to make it this week.  It is completely voluntary and is open to any and everyone interested in participating.  Most studies include 8-12 individuals and the role call looks something like this...4+ homeless men/women, 1 widow, 1 mid-twenties orphan, 1 former stripper, 1 married couple, 1 middle-class man.

As you can read/see Mitchell is concerned that the other Bible study go-ers might be a little to far ahead for him to keep up.  But, he wants and hopes that he can keep pace.  I think Matthew 5:6 is appropriate here...

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."