Our Hangout

About that last picture... not only does it capture POG but it also shows you how they wash dishes... Wash in the left sink, rince in the right and then stack on the left again. I was happy to leave the kitchen after using that set-up. ;-)

And... I agree. Our guys do a fabulous job!! I noticed one new guy (a guest) pitched in during the clean up as well. That was cool.

Yes, several people noticed the "guest" help.

As for weird, quirky dish set-ups - we're guys...can't expect too much :)

Hi Ed &Vun! I saw the pictures and am still in the process of reading the pages...Wow!!! I'm impressed with seeing the poor fed, not only spiritually but physically also! Hats off to you guys!! Lucas's baptism is awesome to see too! Everything is so exciting! Continue the great work of building up His Kingdom!!! God bless you all!!!

So who would like to see Ed role up his sleeves and wash dishes?

Eddie, I all to quickly sent the original comments without further noticing the option to choose "no" to remember personal info when I sent it...which were just intended as encouragement for you but not meant to be publicized for all to see.The second comment was just to get the ball rolling again for people to continue chatting on a lighter note.Nothing else was meant by it, I just thought I'd clarify since I know how the enemy can twist our words around to mean something they didn't.I'm assuming now that by choosing the No to remember personal info, no one else will see this message but it will be intended for your eyes only! If not, I'm sorry I'm not sure I'm working with this program correctly.
I've been up several hrs last night and today-Sunday,just reading a lot of the journaling you've been doing over the yrs...I feel like for once I'm really seeing into your heart and mind not just from the outside and what I see (whether wrong or right),but from you personally opening up your heart and mind,which is beautiful despite all of the criticism I'm sure some may give from they're "sunglasses/darkened-perspective".I have to say that I'm really proud of you! Not only the journey you've come through (and I know all that's written doesn't cover it all),but how you're really growing daily more and more in God's wisdom and away from man's...He's been exchanging your thoughts for His thoughts,your viewpoint for His perspective on things,your heart for His heart and mind,your ways for His ways,your will for His will,your mouth for His mouthpiece,ultimately your whole life and self to its death so that His life and self can be raised to a new life in and through you.Christ in you the Hope of Glory! And I'm seeing it as I read through your thoughts,coming from your heart and mind.I see His love for you through the journey even when you were far away from becoming more like Him...to where you're at now spiritually and where you will be as you continue in the journey,even after you enter into heaven to continue to know Him there.I sincerely do mean it when I say I'm proud of you! What do I mean? I'm not talking about how much you know-no, I was never to impressed with that in the past to be honest with you...I'm proud to see that you're really allowing Him to transform you so much so that I can see you becoming the man He desires you to be! And even the godly young man you've turned out to be already at this point! I hope that when you look in the mirror now, you see what God sees-that He's pleased with you- not because of your "wisdom" (and having received that from Him because of asking)-but rather, I am not a "worm self image but made in His image and therefore wonderfully made self image". I know we're all growing in that area, myself included-to see ourselves as He sees us and then to see others from that same perspective also-His perspective. The world looks different through those glasses for sure,it's then that we understand-"For God so loved the world"...that he gave...His ONLY Son.WOW! What a Love-eh?! As a dad, I know it takes on a different meaning for you. You probably wouldn't believe it if I told you that I have loved you sincerely from my heart and seeing you the way He sees you even when you saw and thought of yourself as "unlovely" and far from where you wanted to be in Him (spiritually that is).Because when we are at a place of not loving ourselves (I know you've been there before...(I'm not saying you're there now)it's hard to believe in our hearts that anybody else does truly love us then.I think we all hear it and know it in our head,"God loves you"...but at times in our lives if He were to expose what we're really thinking in our heart about this matter, we'd be found at times saying-God will love me more when...I'm the obedient child...more when I'm full of His Word...more when I'm humble...more when I'm wise...but do people really believe He loves them just the same and not any less when they are lost and angry with God...or feel stupid and like a nobody-a fool...or proud and selfish...or full of insecurities and inadequacies...what are people's belief systems and why is it so hard to grasp hold of the Good News and live transformed by them? I believe God is taking people out from the old and into the new- out with the old nature, in with His nature-as we see the difference in both and make our choice to die to self daily. The new can only come through spending time with Him (all of our attention,mind heart will and devotion to love and be loved and exchange the old for the new as we simply Behold Him and out of that, flows all of the fruit of the Spirit that is in us already because we are carriers of Christ within us who carries that in Himself!)What a glory manifested in us indeed!! And now to share that with the world-what a priviledge! That they too can enjoy and be carriers of Him in them!If they but only choose to receive and believe!! May thoughts that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God be pulled down through prayer as Paul mentions...so His mind may become ours and many can truly simply receive and believe all that He has for us. I can see that I can share these things with you now because you are at a different level to where you were before- and yet, always remember this,that we don't look at ourselves as wise but we turn from evil and reverence God...because worship/reverence is the "beginning" of wisdom.A "lifestyle" of worship and all that means will be evidence that we're walking in wisdom and don't stay at the beginning place only... I keep that verse in mind for myself from Proverbs about not seeing myself as wise but turning from evil and reverencing God- often, to keep myself in check from pride. God gave Paul his thorn in the flesh, to keep him "humble" from what he saw and experienced...otherwise he might let pride get the better hold of him and give satan a foothold.One of my favorite verses is, that we've been given all authority over all the power of the enemy...my weakness has always been to tell you where in scripture that is found...somewhere in the New Testament...but that was a side tangint.Anyways, I think it's great that you're "blogging" as you call it,God has been impressing on me lately to do the same during my journey too.I haven't really started yet, other than one night when I woke at about 3am or so and felt strongly that I should write down some of the dreams He's given me in the past that I had hidden in my heart.They're generally one of the ways God speaks to me to tell me to pray for people-family,friends,co-workers...you've been in some. I am pleased to see that because He is in control and His grace really is sufficient,in the end it is well with your soul and mine even as we trust and depend on Him. Keep loving on Him and receiving and believing-It is His good pleasure to give you the kingdom where there are great riches much greater than just financial,(although that's good too). I had an idea last night,to give some of the money that I will get back from inc tax soon to buying some food for the homeless in your ministry- are you ok with that? Can you send me an email with a list of practical needs such as food,clothes,etc...they have for prayer. I want to pray it through and see what to believe God for in my part to play-even if it's only one item that might make a difference in demonstrating GOD'S LOVE to them.They don't need to know its coming from me,they don't know me anyway-but just to say God does love them and wants to bless them! That has to be God that planted that desire in me wouldn't you agree?It certainly wouldn't be the flesh or satan. Love you bro,keep in touch.

Wow, Sandra.... I don't think anyone, not even me, has written this much here at one sitting. Thank you for your kind words. will talk to you soon

I'd have to agree that was pretty long!!!(I found that choosing "no" to personal info didn't work...on a side note.)
Back on topic- considering I've never opened up to you like this before, or am in the habit of "communicating" like this with you...I think that was a good long summary for a number of years unspoken.I'd like to see more of your friends open up and share their heart and mind like this,rather than just one liner sentences.What do people out there think about what's being shared? Or what do they think period even if it disagrees with what we think? What is your personal email address anyway?

I hope you don't think I was upset when I wrote the last comments...(perhaps a little defensive),but that's the thing about how easily writing can be misunderstood when it's not heard...

Sandra...My e-mail is edefreitas@ourhangout.net

A couple of thoughts...share your thoughts freely, and you don't have or need to be defensive.

On the other hand...I've been doing this for almost three years, so you find that there's stuff that people like to comment on lots and other things that they just like to read and not comment on. Basically, that's fine, trust me, you won't comment on everything I write either. That and sometimes I write lots and other times I write little.

There's a bunch of people that read this everyday and have never commented. Nothing wrong with that. To each his/her own. There's a lot of people, also, who don't comment here, but e-mail me with their thoughts. Either way works for me.

So, feel free to comment or not, whenever...enjoyed your thoughts.

Feel free to e-mail anytime! edefreitas@ourhangout.net

Thanks, I appreciate that...