Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Thursday! All is well here at 811.  I had the most wonderful day with my friend Tammy Dugan.  Breakfast, a stroll through Sam Moon’s and then a wonderful walk and look at a collector’s store called Gracie Lane. Yes, it is pretty much as the men in my life would call it a “chick store”, but they have created a Man Cave complete with easy chairs, a large screen TV, magazines all kinds of sports décor.  It is really a neat place. Take time to visit if you can.  They are in the process of putting in a small restaurant hopefully opening in the summer. They also have really cool giveaways.

Dear God, Thank you for being present with me throughout today. Thank you for a great friend who added joy to my day.  Help me to slow down when reacting toward others so that I may treat them with compassion, love and truth. Thank you for the wisdom that comes in the simple truth spoken by others. I love hearing your voice in its power and kindness. I praise you Lord for your Word that allowed me to hear you clearly today. I love you Lord. In Jesus name, amen.

I have begun my journey with Maya Angelou. The beginning of the book shares just a bit about her life. There was a time in her life when she was homeless. What she discovered while she lived in the homeless community was that the people within that community were not critical of each other. The wisdom she gained was to be tolerant of others. God is compassionate toward others, gracious to others, slow to anger and abundant in faithful love and truth. This is the image of God we should be imitating.  The world tells us that in order to achieve we need to be ruthless, quick to react and make judgments. God calls us to act in love, truth, compassion, and grace toward others and not react quickly in anger, intolerance or make quick judgments.  As believers acting slowly with compassion and a tender heart with self-control brings honor and glory to God. It also builds up the people around us.  May we think before we speak and remember how the abundant faithful love, grace and compassion of God has been given to each of us with such a tender compassionate heart.  God is good and love wins!

“You, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abundant in faithful love and truth.”

Psalm 86: 15

People who make fun of wisdom cause trouble in a city, but wise people calm anger down.”

Proverbs 29: 8

Take joy in the journey treating each other and all we meet with kindness, tolerance and abundant faithful love. Wear comfortable shoes and get some sleep. Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene