From the Wayside Chapel by Graham Long

Dear Inner Circle, Yesterday, I was talking to someone near the front and I saw a car stop and park  illegally over the road. Two men, who looked like they spent their lives in a gym, got out of the car. They were both wearing singlets to show off their muscles for the world to admire. It was clear that they'd not been to Wayside  before and there was something odd about their manner as they made their way to the front door. Finally, they got to our front desk and asked if we could  inform them where they could buy some cocaine! Unfortunately for them, they were talking to Mon, who is a short woman but not one to ever respond kindly to disrespect. It was funny to watch these two bags of hormones being escorted back to their car like two naughty boys. As they drove off,  Mon was still on the footpath with her arm held high and her finger pointing clearly in a gesture that showed that if they were still in sight, they had  not gone far enough away.    A woman sat with me yesterday and poured her heart out with years of difficult family history. There was so much to be broken hearted about but I think the thing that hurts her the most is that her daughter doesn't like her. The daughter refers to her mother usually as, "the moron". This intelligent  and articulate lady told me of everything she had done to improve this  relationship without the least sign of success. This was an attractive  lady with a stunningly beautiful face but she told me that it causes her  daughter immense pain even to look at her. We sat together without wisdom  and with no answers. When she was leaving I told her that, "The down side of coming to see me is that I can't fix anything but the up side is that I'm cheap."  It was her first little laugh for the day and possibly her first for a long time.   You won't believe this, but Christmas is nearly upon us! Now before you  get discouraged because of the commercialisation of Christmas or before you  get old and cranky that December seems to come every 3 months,  I want to remind you that Wayside shuts the street on Christmas Day and we provide a sit down lunch for the down and outs and the up and outs and for anyone else who'd like to spend that day in a happy community.  This event for us is a bit of a marathon to organise but each year the outpouring of goodwill from every part of our community makes it possible. And each year we are left feeling exhausted and fulfilled and encouraged because we've actually seen, "Peace on earth and goodwill toward all humankind." So, here we go again. Please check out our Christmas Wishlist.  Scroll to the bottom of the page and if there is something that you might be able to help with this year, please email stephanie.guerin@thewaysidechapel.com.   I'm a bit of a funny old sausage myself. I often look into a face that is asking me for a free coffee or a dollar and I think to myself, "If only you knew what  was on offer here." There is love on offer here and all you want is lollies.  There's presence here and all you want is presents. I was cuddling my 6 year old grand daughter the other day and I said,  "Do you think your Papa loves you just a little bit?” "No", she said,  "I think you love me until all the numbers run out." To be loved and not know it,  is still to be loved but to be loved and to know it, is permission to live.   thanks for being part of our inner circle, Graham     Rev Graham Long Pastor The Wayside Chapel Kings Cross http://www.thewaysidechapel.com/

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