sweater for mad dog (page 2)

At one point, he was speaking passionately about how we have to have God's word in our souls, in our hearts, in our memory because one day, we will no longer be able to read the Bible. But if we had studied it before, there would be no loss.

It is no my place to judge whether these guys are true believers...but what I can do is listen to their lessons and learn. Even simple ones like asking "what would Jesus do?" if someone asks for your jacket or blanket...or needing that reminder that it's important to know God's word and hold it in our hearts. Someone like me, who has grown up in church, can learn from someone who sleeps in doorways or finds his meals in garbage cans.

Before we left, Mike asked, "You know what you ladies can do for me?" I expected him to say he needed money and I was prepared to say that I didn't have much money in my wallet. But he surprised me said he needed a blanket. I didn't want to make empty promises, to seem that we did care, but not *that* much. We said we would see what we could do. He didn't even look at us with hope in his eyes. He just said, "If you come back, you come back. If you don't, you don't. But I'm not holding my breath. But I'll be waiting right here." We gave them handshakes and hugs and walked back to Downtown Plaza.

It was hard for us to even think about buying coffee or candy without feeling guilty that we had the luxury to do so. We were warm, had a nice car, yet a few blocks down, there were guys huddled in storefronts under garbage bags, or clothed only in thin material, inadequate to brave the harsh winter elements.

After visiting a few stores, Trish found a wool sweater at Gap for $10. On our way home, we stopped at the corner where we met Mike, and Trish hopped out with the Gap bag. All I could see was the look on his face...you could tell he was surprised that we had come back. As Trish bounded back to the car (ignoring the paper he was waving at her, asking for her phone number), "Mad Dog" then waved to me in the car, putting up his fingers in a peace sign.

I don't know the real stories of these lives that we came in contact with tonight, nor do I know where they will be in a few days. But I can only pray that they will read the tract and feel compelled to pursue a personal relationship with Christ. Trish and I talked about how we shouldn't feel guilty about having a lot...it's not like we had to abandon our families and lifestyles and live in cardboard boxes too. It was a matter of your attitude and mentality and making sure that we didn't take advantage of God's blessings.