Good morning from The Men’s Shelter on Phinney Ridge. It’s warm and dry inside, and the company is pretty good. It’s that time of year when a person gets just a little bit tired of turkey even when it is cooked beautifully by the loving hands of our friends at the KAPKA school, and served by parents who are trying to demonstrate to their children that it is better to give than it is to receive. Back in the day, it used to be part of school curriculum to teach the Golden Rule. Grandpa said it like “do as you would be done by.” That would be King James English. Today we say something like “treat others the way you want to be treated.” Good job KAPKA and we are looking forward to your Christmas serving. You are building quite a reputation for your school.

Still, Sam’s lasagna was a welcome change Saturday night. The volunteers have been even better than last year at the shelter, although we have yet to hear a rendition of “Dancing Queen” from Megan and friends, or any blues harp from Kaitlyn’s family. Music is good.

And speaking of music, we have the Yule Tide Session coming up on the tenth of December. This event is a fund raiser for the Shelter and has been very well attended by the Phinney Ridge community, and very entertaining, thanks Katie. Funding for the Shelter is provided, basically, by several groups. Emmanuel donates the space and heat, the Union Gospel Mission (a privately funded organization) provides a paid staff person for the overnight supervision. Volunteer staffing for cooking and serving comes from Mosaic Church who holds Sunday services in Emmanuel’s gym and has offices above the Shelter. Mosaic also provided our nice beds (20) in the Shelter last year. Very comfortable. Emmanuel provides more serving volunteers and more of the supplies that make the Shelter run smoothly, like Socks. I’ve already mentioned KAPKA’s good service and there are other individuals who give. Some give and wish to remain anonymous. It seems they have made some deal with God where they don’t get anything, even recognition, from this world, and God repays them in a more substantial and lasting way. It seems a little tricky to do, this giving in secret. After all, doesn’t one want to take advantage of the tax break when giving to a charity? Giving money usually leaves a paper trail that someone will surely see. Is it cash only with God?  I don’t see how the actual serving of dinner can be done in secret. Oh well, God can work it out. Jesus asked us to give. We love Jesus for what He did, and so we give. As far as working out the proper motive for doing so, we can just leave that to Him also.

I hope to see some of you in the Shelter soon, and so do the men.

That’s the news from the Men’s Shelter on Phinney Ridge.

Ben Paul