A WHOPPER OF A DEAL!

We're back on the old blogger site! Thanks to all my readers that found this venue a bit more user friendly. I'm more comfy here, too. So without further delay, let's roll...

Today is January 31st, winter has a grip on the Midwest. The wind is whirling, the snow is whipping and the temperature has plumeted. I don't mind a bit because you know what starts tomorrow. February, the month of LOVE; my favorite cold weather month. So snuggle up and keep hope. Spring is on the horizon!

I've had some pretty crazy things happen to me this winter season. I never thought that I would get in trouble with the law; but I have been known to raise a few eyebrows lately. Before you all get together and try to put together my bond money, let me explain. When your best friend is an outdoors guy, you tend to invite him to get into your car to warm up at every available opportunity. Now I will admit that I do have quite a diverse group of friends, Steven is probably my most "Colorful". If you blink, you may even miss him in his camoflauge. Then again, you will no doubt catch a glimpse of the two carts of stuff that he hauls around. (Don''t get me started!) He's a street preacher and ministers to the homeless and often spends the cold winter months in the woods by night and preaching the Gospel by the light of day.

Many a day, I'll be in town and just happen to pass by and stop to check on him and his little black dog. Gabby just loves the lap-sit and a warm heater, even though Steve keeps her as warm as possible in her little tented area. Steven, on the other hand, is always happy for a kind word and a friendly face. Its obvious that people often perceive things differently than they really are. One day as I approached the intersection, I found my friend in dire straits. Steve had hit a patch of ice and tipped his carts over. Oranges were rolling, Gabby was hanging out of her quarters and Steve was having a heck of a time keeping his things from going from bad to worse.
Quickly, I pulled into a parking lot near by, got out of the car went to my knees and began calling Gabby to myself. Everyone looked at this circus of an event without helping. As Steve contained the chaos and got his carts upright he came towards Gabby and me with that look of "It's been one of those days!". Meanwhile a woman approached me and asked me "Lady, is that man bothering you?" "What,I asked? Oh..no, he's my brother." I could understand her concern after a while when I realized that she had probably seen me crawl to reach Gabby's leash. Hey, you do what you've got to do!

I can't really blame people for being curious and thinking that things just might be not quite right. One day we had met in front of the thrift store where there was an opportunity for Jerry and I to hand Steve a Whopper in exchange for a hug for me. Cars stopped, the owner of the thrift store quizically stared out the window and passer-buyers did a double take. That's OK, cause here's the deal. Whoppers are now 2 for $3.00, even homeless people need love and affection and God's Word will prevail. "Love your neighbor as yourself." It's a whopper of a deal for us all.