My new priorities began last week. If you didn't read about it, make sure you check out the "New priorities" blog some time. In that blog, I promised to give you any updates. Holy cow, do I have a boatload today! I must say, being employed by God and leaving my life in His hands has REALLY blown my mind this week. Those who don't believe in God will question everything from this point on, I know. If this is you, try to ignore my obvious bias and see what's happening in my world and my heart.

Last week I had a lot of time that was contracted that helped me make quite a bit of money. I also signed a contract for part time with Cypress Christian School and started that adventure, which includes the possibility of future full-time employment (with benefits!) I also had an impromptu meeting with Dave Holdren, a former head of the Wesleyan denomination, that was really great and provided some potential opportunities and some great discussion about the stuff I've been blogging about. I also had some lessons added that really surprised me. Apparently, through no work of my own or attempt of my own, googling Pickerington guitar lesson brings up a site that points to http://www.kblast.com/lessons - and I've gotten a number of calls asking about my lessons.

One of my lessons was for a student who did not have a clarinet yet. I did some research and found 2 Buffet B-12 resin clarinets on Craigslist and decided those would be good. As I was trying one out, I fell in love with it. Since it was a good used clarinet at a great price, I decided I'd purchase one and let the student buy the other.

Well, the second one was not working out well and I had almost given up on the seller when he called and asked to meet me on Saturday here in Pickerington (he lives in Dublin which is a 45 minute to hour long drive from here). He forgot his phone though, so Saturday fell through. I told him he could meet me at my church on Sunday morning after service was over and sent him to the church website, http://www.crosslinkchurch.com to get the address. He showed up after church as planned, and I tried to be as sensitive as possible to this "stranger" to our church. He told me that was not necessary, he had gone to our site for the address and watched "that guy" (he pointed to our pastor Jesse) on our online video messages until midnight the night before and felt like he was at home. I was blown away! He then asked when services were so he could come to church next week! I purchased the clarinet and told him to contact me if he had any other questions, and I hope to see him on Sunday! As if this wasn't cool enough, God STILL had more for me!

I was out geocaching with my 7 year old daughter, Shelby, last night. We were in the heart of Columbus looking for a cache when a man walked up to us.

Man: Excuse me, sir... how are you all doing today? Have you eaten well today?

Ok, I know where this is going. I lived in inner city Chicago and have first hand experience with this stuff. I learned in my training that people asking for spare change are supporting cigarette and alcohol addiction, and people asking for dollars are supporting drug addiction. I'm not going to be part of that.

Me: Yes, we've eaten ok.

I don't have a steady job and I'm working hard anyway and you're going to ask me for money for food? You've got to be kidding.

Man: Well sir, I hope you can give me a few bucks - I'd like to go to one of the restaurants up the street where they have sliders for 61 cents. Could you spare some money?

Me: No. I don't carry cash. I only use my debit card. Sorry I can't help you.

I usually DON'T carry cash. I got paid in cash today for one of my lessons and have 10 bucks on me, but I'm not letting you know that so you can badger me for your drug money.

Man: Well, I'm very hungry. I was hoping you could help. What's that on your shirt? Take the Deal? It looks like a cross, is that about Jesus?

Why did I wear this shirt today of all days?! What would Jesus do? I don't think He'd support a drug habit, either.

Me: Yeah, it's a cross and about Jesus. I'm sorry I can't help you.

He went on and found another group of people to ask and I was glad that was over.

Shelby: Daddy, if you HAD money, would you have helped him?

KABOOM. My world was now spinning out of control. The book I'd been reading, "The Hole in Our Gospel" emphasized how we well off Americans don't understand being poor. We accept the Gospel of Jesus saving us from our sins, but we ignore the fact that he called us to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison, give water to those who need a drink. If a man comes to you with need and you tell him to go on, be well-fed, but do nothing to help with that need, what good is the Gospel to that man, and what Gospel are you sharing in? (BK paraphrase from the Bible). Also - who am I to judge what someone does with the money I give him? The difference between him and me is that HIS drugs got him into this problem, while my "drugs" (sins, habits, selfishness, etc.) didn't. God provided for me despite my problems, maybe God is providing for this man through me and Shelby despite his?

Me: Would you help him?

Shelby (over and over for the next hour): Yes, I would. I'd give him money because he's hungry. Poor guy... he hasn't had anything to eat! He needs some money to eat. I hope he doesn't die, because you can die from not eating. I wish we had money so we could have helped him!

So now I'm wondering if I should go back and give him some money. We'd already gotten in the car and had headed for the park.

Me: How much money would you give him, Shelby?

Shelby: Hmm... I don't know. (After thinking a few minutes) $2.20.

Me: $2.20? Why?

Shelby: I don't know - that sounds right.

So I call my wife and talk to her, expecting her to talk me out of it. But I make my "you were hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink" case, and she says, "Why don't you go, buy a meal at a restaurant, and take it back and find him?"

Wow. I totally expected her to tell me to just get home, it's too late, yada yada, and this is what I got. So I explain to Shelby what we're going to do, and she is all excited and helps me pick out a Bacon Cheeseburger combo with onion rings and a Pepsi. I buy it with my debit card because it plus the ice cream for me and Shelby was more than 10 bucks. We drive into Columbus again, around 10:00 pm (a couple hours after the first encounter).

Me: Shelby, do you remember what the man looked like? Was he wearing a black shirt or anything?

Shelby: There's only one thing I know FOR SURE. He was carrying a brown bag. I think that's where he keeps his money.

So now I'm looking for a man who is carrying a brown paper sack. That's all I have to go by. Where would I even look for this guy? I guess I'll go back where we ran into him. He's probably long gone by now. What am I going to do with this food if we don't find the man with the brown paper sack? God, this one is totally in your court.

I pull up to the area we were at, and there's a man walking with... you guessed it... a brown paper sack.

Me: Excuse me sir... are you the guy I talked to earlier?

Man (looking at me funny): Are you the po-lice?

Me: No. My daughter Shelby and I talked to someone earlier, I thought you might be him.

Man: I'm James, and no, you didn't talk to me earlier. But sir, I am really hungry - I've had a hard time with my family...

Me (cutting him off): Well, I think God sent me back here to give you this. Here's a Bacon Cheeseburger from DQ, onion rings, and a Pepsi.

James (totally taken aback by the weirdo who had food waiting for him): Um, thanks, but I'm allergic to onions. (He gives those back.) Now sir, I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I'm really hard up, could you spare some cash for bus fare?

Crap. Not again. Not this time.

Me: Here's 5 bucks. Is that enough for a bus?

James: Yes, I believe so. And I don't mean to be ungrateful, but I could really use some more...

Me: Here. God apparently sent me here to give you 10 dollars. It's all I have to give you, and it's not from me, it's from God. It's God's money, and He wants you to have it.

James: Thank you, sir! Have a good night!

We drive off.

Shelby: I wonder if we can find the other man and give him his onion rings?

Oh my goodness. We search for him for a while, but no luck. We even went to the local White Castle and didn't see him.

Shelby: I wish we knew his name. I wish we knew his house number so we could have brought his food to his house!

The question I have to ask myself is, am I just as naive sometimes? Not in the same way as Shelby, but naive to what God wants to do with me? Am I so callous that I avoid helping others around me for fear that they will do worse things with my money than I will? I wonder what my questions sound like to God. I'm going to guess they sound very similar to my daughter wishing we had the house number for a homeless man.

I know, this has been long, but there's one more amazing God thing that happened. I'm sitting at Bob Evans, telling this story and discussing ministry with a friend of mine this morning. As we're finishing up, a familiar face walks in. Remember last week how I felt called to help out the local band? I've been trying all week to reach them with no luck, and in walks the assistant band director. What are the chances of THAT?!! I let him know that I would like to help, he says they have no money to pay me, and I explain that I'm called to help out the band, not called to be paid. I think I really surprised him, but I'm excited, because I now have permission to swing by and help out whenever I want, and he has my number to contact me.

Looks like I'm getting ready for my NEXT big God-employed adventure!