Last Saturday was special

Nine years ago, a high school student interned at CCSC for the summer, and she made a strong connection with our mission, clients, and staff. Her name is Danielle Cox, and she has since completed her masters degree and was ordained into ministry this past Saturday.

Danielle grew up at First Christian Church-Houston, and I appreciated seeing how her home church wrapped their arms around her, making her ordination personal and rich in meaning. This church was overflowing with love for her.

Near the end of the ceremony, Danielle presided at the communion table for the first time as an ordained minister. Her words resonate with me still. She said we as Christians need to make room, lots of room, for more people to join us at "the table". She was not simply talking about the communion table, but metaphorically about the church being a place of hospitality. A place that draws people in and models the teachings of Jesus. A place of love, just like First Christian Church.

I'm glad all that is now officially in her job description - she's going to be an amazing minister.

Are you fluffy?

Below is a picture of Judy, one of CCSC's Emergency Services & JobNet clients. She's looking for an administrative job, and we've had the privilege of working with her.

When asked about her experience with us, she said "I came into JobNet flat, but they fluffed me up." I just love that quote. So if  you're feeling a bit flat, come by CCSC, and we'll fluff you up.

Someone is happy because of your donation

There is a gentleman we've helped several times this year with food and clothing. He is recovering from a stroke (so he's not working), and his family depends on his wife's income. Her hours have recently been cut, so the family is having a tough year.

This week he told us that the clothing he received earlier was extra-special: it gave him something appropriate to wear to his son's high school graduation. He related to us how very much this meant to him because without CCSC, he wouldn't have been able to dress up.

I understand his situation well because my daughter graduated from high school a few weeks ago, and it is a moment to mark and celebrate. Clothes are not the most important thing, but most of us want to wear our Sunday best to momentous occasions. It's difficult to imagine not being able to do that. It's also difficult to imagine going hungry, not being able to buy shampoo, and worrying about routine bills many of us pay without thought.

If you are someone who donates your clothing to us, THANK YOU.  If not, put a box like this in your closet, and once it's full, bring it to us. We'll sort it, parcel it out to different areas of the ministry, and make sure it is given new life on someone else.

I've had some traffic woes

This week I've gotten stuck in Houston traffic several times. Today I was idling next to a city bus and remembered a client many years ago who was searching for work, but didn't have a car. He had to take several different buses for his appointments and job interviews.

What I remember most is his description of riding the bus, day after day. He said there was despondency on the faces of some riders that affected his mood. Maybe it was the routes he took, but he described people who were glum and seemed weighted down with sadness. He shared this to explain how CCSC's JobNet program was an antidote for him: he would get off the bus, walk into our offices, and be greeted by upbeat staff and volunteers. He said they encouraged him to persist and kept him going on those days when he felt his hope waning.

He's long gone (because he found a job) but his comment on our environment has stayed with me.

We're in the process of developing a campus plan that will include a new building to better integrate and grow our services. Over the next year, a lot of attention will be given to office spacing, storage, work flow, and those kinds of matters. We have smart people who will come up with just the right plan.

Yet the aura of CCSC - the gracious, encouraging environment that sees the sacred in all people - will not change. It will just have more space to work and breathe in.

We alleviated someone's burden

She is in her mid-twenties and attends a local university, paying for her education by working and receiving some financial aid. She just moved into a new apartment, closer to school, and within a few days, realized it was infested with bed bugs. The cost to eradicate the bugs - which the landlord opted out of helping financially - was left to the tenant.

So she paid for the extermination and then bagged up her clothing and soft goods to kill the bugs. The experience took an emotional toll on her - you could see it in her face. But it also took a financial toll because the cost of eliminating the bugs meant she couldn't pay the full amount of her rent that month.

As a Houstonian, I really don't want someone who is working hard to complete her education to become homeless. I want her to succeed and contribute to our future economy.

More importantly, I was deeply touched by how much this seemingly small incident (for those of us who can easily afford extermination services) put her on the brink, emotionally and financially. So I'm grateful she came to CCSC, where we could alleviate her burden. I hope she left our offices feeling a bit freer and able to focus on her upcoming finals.

My son's feet smelled really bad

When I leaned over to tell my teenage son good night, I was assaulted with the smell of dirty socks. It was pungent.

With a sheepish grin, he confessed that he couldn't remember how many days he'd worn the socks, so he reluctantly took them off, tossed them into the laundry basket, and opened a drawer chock-full of clean socks. Boys!

This little incident reminded me of "Mr. Smith", a now-deceased CCSC friend who couldn't tolerate the thought of anyone being cold, so he generously donated blankets, coats, and socks. He worried about people who lived on the streets as well as those who lived in run-down apartments without adequate heating and cooling systems. So he did what he could and donated these items.

In contrast with my son, there are people who wear one pair of socks for several days in a row because it's the only pair they have. My son, like most of us, is unaware of the bounty in his life: a drawer full of clean socks, a closet full of clothes, a bed with sheets and a blanket, and items such as toothpaste, shampoo, and dental floss.

I share all of this to make two points. First, pause sometime this weekend and take in - really take in - all the good things you have that are taken for granted. I know I'm guilty of overlooking the little things in life. Second, when you're buying personal items such as those listed above, pick up an extra item and donate it to CCSC or another human services agency. I can assure you it will be a much-appreciated donation.

Still finding greatness in the parking lot

When I drove into my regular parking space on Monday morning, I was greeted by Winston. Winston is a former CCSC client who utilized our JobNet program several years ago to find work. In addition to his regular job, he now also runs a landscaping service. CCSC is one of his customers, so we see him twice a month.

He always greets me with a "how are you" that is authentic, not the "how are you" that most of us use as our standard conversation starter. 

This week we visited about our respective Sunday mornings. I gave a "moment for mission" at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and he was called upon (at the last minute) to fill in for his minister. Luckily he is well-equipped: he has read the Bible multiple times and conscientiously applies its principles to his life.

Winston is saturated in God's word and love, and it shows in his humility, authenticity, and deep faith. Whenever I speak with him, I come away feeling more centered and grounded. I imagine he has that effect on most people.

While I'm grateful CCSC was able to help him years ago, I'm even more grateful we still get to see him regularly. A talk with Winston is like a much-needed shot of spiritual B12.