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Santa Claus came to the Mission on a City Bus today.

Driving behind the bus on my way to work, it stopped at the corner next to the Rescue Mission to pick up a passenger. I bet the driver gets a lot of "regulars" at that corner I thought, as the bus started up again, only to stop only 20 yards further. I wasn't impatient, only curious, as I work at the Mission, and was glad that the driver was probably being kind to someone who had forgotten to get off.

That was when I saw Santa Claus step down, with a torn blue hoodie and carrying his possessions - er toys, in a grocery bag. The bus moved on as I swung into the alley leading to the Mission employee parking lot and glancing I saw that the passenger had stepped up to an unused door, kept locked. I thought about jumping out of my car to direct him, then saw he would find the way himself.

Coming into the building, it was 1 twenty something...if I moved fast I could grab a quick bite to eat before starting my day - the kitchen closes at 1:30. They were taking up the food but I successfully cajoled the cook into giving me a plate. Which is why he had to make the same exception for two other stragglers that had come in late... and how I found myself inviting "Santa" to sit at my table in the large (now empty) dining room.

With very little whitening the man's beard could be snowy white, and he had curly white hair, blue eyes with a short pleasantly round red nose. The only thing missing was that he wasn't really all that jolly. Not angry, or sad, just subdued. I couldn't blame him - he had been walking about in -5 wind chill weather without a coat.

Mike, as he introduced himself, had found himself without a job, after losing his transportation not having the money to replace the transmission in his 1996 Chevy Caravan (I have a 1998) - and his home was or had been "on the very top of a remote mountain near Blacksburg"

There probably is more to his story, but I will never know it, as we kept the conversation light. People come through the mission like fall leaves swirling down a creek. Some stay awhile, then move - or get pushed on downstream by circumstances. But sometimes, you make a connection, a moment that makes you feel like you are just two friends having unexpectedly met at the local diner.

I just hope Santa finds his way home in time for Christmas. Til then we'll give him a coat and a warm bed. And in case anyone is wondering, no, I didn't tell him he looked like Santa. I thought about it, but didn't.

It's another day of miracles at the Rescue Mission.

Small miracle #1: I'm still employed and have a "regular" job.

Drumstick Dash is upon us, which was the first "event" I enjoyed working on here at the Rescue Mission when I started a little over a year ago. Learning the job here, and trying to not miss deadlines...there has been no time to work on Kyle Edgell Caricature Entertainment, let alone blog...but life is about balance, and after a shift to rising earlier, retiring earlier, I am allowing myself a moment to step out of the hamster wheel, here at the mission, and spend time on my business - now that I am learning how to PLAaaaaaaN (once a foreign word to me) and I appreciate more and more the amazing benefits of the process.

Small miracle #2 I did it. Got up that is.

One of my mantras is "If nothing changes, nothing changes." It isn't fun getting out of bed at 6 a.m. when I have been accustomed to 8:30. Here at the Mission, they start at 4:30. Kind of puts a cork in my whine when I think about it. So here's to productivity, controlled chaos (which I love), and more time with my family and friends. Call me. Get me out of myself if you are out there...I'd like to see you!

Long time, no post...

Time has a way of getting away from us all...I only wish I had more to show for the time that has passed. I still have a job. I still have friends, and made some more. I still have had a few frustrations, e-mail not working, my niece deciding or rather not deciding what direction she wants to go now that she has graduated, my dog insisting on his walk everyday which makes ME exercise - especially when I don't want to...so life is good, and God is still working it seems.

Grant me grace to accomplish what I need to, and to let go of what I need to.

Prayer for forgivenness = Healing?!

We are all praying for you.

Consider me your prayer warrior today, my day is saturated in it at the Rescue Mission Ministries we start every meeting checking in with God and reviewing prayer requests. Today is YOUR day because you just happened here, and your name will come to mind often in those prayer warriors who love you.

My own lil pondering for the week - lingering from a Sunday school study...

The book of Matt. has the story of Jesus forgiving a man of his sins,

and follows with, "in order that you may know that the son of man has

the POWER to forgive sins, I tell you, take up your pallet and walk."

The thought occurred to me that those who repent, and approach God for the first time with a humble heart, may have a greater need to know they are forgiven. Perhaps they have God's ear, and as He as wants them to know he has the

power to forgive, to demonstrate that He HEALS...

Does this mean that those in despair over their greatest sins would be in a position to have their prayers for HEALING granted?

Experiamental prayer study...Go out and find a repentant

sinner....and ask them to pray for anyone you know that is suffering

illness! and let me know what happens!

Watching for miracles....Kyle

A note to my nephew a junior at VMI who has been restricted to baracks.

The dog is staring at me and it is disconcerting - he does not have your typical "I adore you" puppy dog stare. When Tank takes notice of me, it means he is going to demand somethng. It's time for a walk, My water bowl is empty, my bone is stuck under the dresser or my least favorite It is time to go to the den It's bedtime !!! He paws, claws and gives impatient growls that escalate into sharp barks and is successfully teaching me to understand dogspeak! For all those who embarrass their pet by humanizing them with clothes and baby talk, mark one up for the canine, I have been puppyfied. I was going to write a long letter, but this bully here wants the light out. Just thought you'd like to know you are not the only one being confined to quarters!

Keep your spirits up! That little bible promise book that I showed you was telling Mr. Jackson, $ ;D

He will send help from heaven to rescue me, disgracing those who hound me (Psalm 57:3

Can you believe I randomly opened the book to that verse?? Really! Page 28 Are you sure this stuff doesn't happen to anybody else? Love you Aunt Kyle

My nephew (here) accuses me of being the "Oracle" because I am aware of "coincidences" and make more of them than I should. In short, an example would be riding in a van from the airport in San Diego, CA and surprisingly find that another passenger on the van was someone I had drawn in Wytheville, Virginia, in an alpaca barn. Another was being in the right place, at the right time to rescue a terrified small dog on the run. A chance meeting that turns into an answered prayer...you know small world stuff...most of it has no significance, some is just weird, but occasionally I wonder if these happen as it were, by divine appointment.

I created a brochure comp and needed a generic photo of a guy to fill in for what will be my clients portrait, at first I used a photo of my husband, but then decided I needed to find a picture of someone that was in a business suit (he never wears suits in pictures), so I jumped onto the millions of google images and found the perfect shot for a temporary fill in...Less than 24 hours later while picking up my local newspapers off the couch - I saw an ad for a local retirement community, and there staring at me was the same man...different picture casually dressed..

Most likely a model who was a major player in stock photography, which would increase the chances of that happening... nothing deep, no spiritual lesson, just a "coincidence". My nephew claims I have more of these "coincidences" than other people. I think that they do happen to everyone else, they are just smart enough to keep their mouth shut to avoid being taken for a nut! I kind of enjoy the curiosity and amusement of the moment and don't take it seriously - most of the time...

When the house directly across the street, identical in layout, came up for sale just when my sister needed a place for herself and three small children after a sad divorce, I mused that God had just made it possible for me to be closer to my niece and nephews - and over the next three years I was able to share with them many everyday moments, reading before bedtime, the first big snow, car washes....

Then Kim was tragically was killed in an auto accident, it suddenly seemed as if the fall had been cushioned by our proximity to each other... it made the transition easier for the kids as they could still come home to my house after school, until their Dad picked them up after work. Just a coincidence, her living next door, but it seemed to have God's purpose written all over it. Perhaps it was a God incident...

It is comforting to believe, the alternative would be to believe in randomness, which has no personality, or intent, and certainly isn't a Someone to share and anticipate an abundant and curiously coincidental life with.