Singing the National Anthem with the Xavier Band

This was so much fun. I wish I could do this all the time. I love performing with a live ensemble.

Overflow happens

When I decided to ask some friends to join me in a little outreach to help the homeless of downtown Cincinnati, I was so happy that a few people wanted to help. I felt pushed to email my friends Morgan and see if she wanted to help out. Her response was an emphatic "yes."

I made some more calls and sent some more emails. I decided early on not to be pushy or demanding. I didn't want to push guilt onto anyone. I rarely asked people more than once if they wanted to help.

Just before this all started, I heard a podcast that talked about blessings in your life. The theme was "God will only bless you as much as you have the faith to believe." If you have faith that God will overflow your cup, then it will (in due time) overflow.

Here's where it get's interesting.

If you have faith that God will overflow not just a cup, but a bucket, you will be abliged..again, in due time. The same goes for a bucket, a barrel or a barn. If you trust and believe, it will happen.

I decided early on to trust big. When I asked companies/generous individuals for donations, I said "We're going to put together 200 bags, but whatever you can do will help. If you can do 200, that would be amazing." To me, 200 was "barrel" territory. I'm not to barn level yet, but I'm working on it.

The response was overflow.

• 288 decks of playing cards
• 350+ resuable shopping bags
• 200 pairs of socks
• 400 handwarmers
• 300 foot warmers
• 100 sets of toothbrushes and toothpaste
• 100 sets of scarves, hats and gloves.
• 200 bottles of water
• 100 boxes of candy
• 100 coupons for a free breakfast combo @ Wendy's
• 16 top-quality rolling duffle bags (to be filled for families that we encounter)

Keep in mind, this is in addition to the bags that were donated by individuals. The above list is just what was donated above-and-beyond the (care)bags. I prayed for a barrel and got a barn. You can bet your arse that I switched to barn. I feel a stadium coming on.

(care)olers and (care)cincinnati were figments of my imagination. A "what if" that my over-active mind dreamt up. I finally had the courage to tell one person. The response gave me the courage to tell two more. From there, it went all nuts...in a great way.

Tomorrow, 300+ citizens of Cincinnati that don't have an address, telephone number, or roof of their own will be shown compassion. They will be loved without conditions. They will be warmed in body and soul. I couldn't have imagined that this would happen. I couldn't be happier that it has.

God has truly blessed this group. I feel it everyday. I have had things happen to me that have NEVER happened before. I have dreamt things that have happened and things have happened that I could NEVER have dreamt in my wildest dreams.

I hoped for 50 bags and we have over 300. My next hope was for 50 (care)olers. I can't wait to see what the morning brings. I'll be in Washington Park @ noon singing Oh Come, All Ye Faithful with my newest friends. I pray that all of you have the courage to do the same. What a day for Cincinnati...what a day.

Peace, my friends.
BPJ.

For more information on (care)olfest, (care)olers, and (care)cincinnati, visit us @ http://www.carecincinnati.org/.

Oh-Eight, Oh-Nine, Oh-No....

I sensed this two year ago. My particular industry works in three-year terms sometimes, so we started dealing with 2010 during 2007. People had been saying, "Oh-Six to Oh-Nine" for that three-year term, and then I heard them start saying, "Oh-Seven to Oh-Ten.". Beh.

I'll agree with you that there is a zero before the ten in 2010. However, you didn't say "Double-Oh Seven" for 2007, did you? Huh? No.

If you don't want to say "Oh-nine to ten", just say "Oh-nine to One-Oh." Personally, I prefer "Ought-Nine to Twenty-ten." I think that it has a nice ring to it.

So, you car dealerships out there, you are NOT selling "Oh-Ten Elantras" or "Oh-Ten F-150s". Just say "Two-thousand and ten."

Jen Ludwin Update

I've exchanged e-mails with Jen's mom over the last few days and all seems to be going well. Jen is going through a round of surgery on her hands/fingers that are very painful, but she seems in good spirits. She still has a trach in, so they have to read her lips.

They're watching TV, movies, doing crosswords and taking good naps. Not ready for visitors yet, but we'll keep you posted.

Keep praying...it's worked so far.

Father God,
Thank you for all that you've done for your daughter, Jenny.
Thank you for knowing that there is more for her to do here
on earth than in heaven.
We praise you for knowing the reasons and ask that you make
them known to her when the time is right.
Through your Son we pray,
Amen

Winter haiku

battery is dead
it sure picked the wrong morning
please start tomorrow

(care)olers

I haven't written much on here about this, but I am heading up the formation of a non-profit group called (care)cincinnati. Our main outreach is called (care)olers. Read all about it by clicking here.

I have TONS of bags that I can give to you to fill. I'm going to get some business cards with our information on the front and a shopping list on the back. If you are interested in passing some out, just let me know. Even if 25% of them come back, that would be hundreds of bags. Awesome. Just...awesome.

We are working with some venues downtown to get approval for singing and I am trying to coordinate with a shelter or homeless organization to coordinate a distribution of the bags on the afternoon of December 19th.

If you are interested in helping in some way, please contact me through this blog or through the website above.

Peace,
BPJ