many of these men began meeting years ago when they were still working...at six; of late, because of my walking schedule, they have moved from meeting at 7 to 7:30...that's a.m.!
they meet to socialize and to exchange stories and tails that seem to be longer and bigger perhaps each time. but there is an element of wisdom in everything they say -- really!
they support one another, pray together, and study the scripture for the coming sermon. it is a great help to me, as they are a wealth of knowledge. and sometimes, we even stay on topic!
and so just before christmas we do what seems very traditional; we pack socks and underwear for the men; the traditional part, it seems, is that when no one knows what else to get the mail gender at christmas, the default always seems to be socks and underwear.
and these guys appreciate it! we find holiday bags and wrap the gifts in tissue. we sign cards for them, and deliver them. we hope to make a difference in their daily lives. and this bit of missional giving makes a difference in our lives.
our hope is that we will be able to do something with this group more often than just once-a-year-at-christmas; build a relationship with them; share goodness and mercy with them as it has been shared with us. friendship is a valuable gift in this day and age!
we didn't have everyone in our thursday morning men's bible study group, but below shows a picture of some of the group and our finished project. christmas is a time of sharing, and our hope is that you are able to find the gift of love that is shared freely to you from the one who gives us life.
and the best thing to do with a gift, of course, is to share it! merry christmas!
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