Paisano's

I was at Paisano's yesterday and Rhea Lynn (left) let me snap her picture so long as Debbie (right) stood in as well.

Hilarious

I saw two things that were uniquely Three Rives today.

First, I drove by Rite Aid on Michigan Avenue where a middle-aged, pot-bellied guy who was wearing a sleeveless muscle shirt was coming out with the largest case of Natural Lite beer I’ve seen. He was able to get by without sleeves by virtue of his ample body hair. I watched him lumber over to his 1987 Honda Magna motorcycle and try to figure out how to get the beer to stay on as he rode away. Finally, he got it to stay on, and I saw a gorilla riding away with a huge silver and blue box of beer strapped to the back of his cycle.

Second, I was at the Tap Room and saw Jim entertaining the kids. We had an all male cook off, which I entered with my world famous macaroni and cheese. Jim didn’t enter, but he came to eat. Jim has a debilitating disease which has resulted in his using a motorized wheelchair. Anyway, he was zipping back and forth through the bar as fast as that little electric chair would go with one kid at a time on it with him. I don’t know who enjoyed themselves more…the kids or Jim. It was heartwarming to see him so happy.

Photo is of the vacant Greystone Hotel which will likely be gone very, very soon.

Dave

This is Dave.

We were at the "Tap Room", a neighborhood bar about a block from our apartment, tonight, and while I worked on my computer, Jen talked to Dave. Dave ended up confessing that he believes and God and is terrified by that belief. He also confessed to holding on to the anger from his wife's suicide 20 some odd years ago. It has crushed his life and brought him to a real low point. He openly cried as Jen and he spoke. He is afraid of trusting God and going to heaven because he believes that there is no forgiveness for suicide since the offender can't ask forgiveness. If he goes to heaven, he'll never see his wife again. Wow. That's a real struggle. I believe that my sins are covered by Christ's work not my asking forgiveness.

If Dave ever sees this, I hope he knows that I have a lot of respect for what he's gone through and where he is in life. Dave isn't really any different from the rest of us. He is struggling. I struggle. You struggle. The church is full of Dave's in one form or another. I pray the Lord opens his eyes just as I pray the Lord opens mine.

I found myself thinking about how little difference there is between Dave and I. Wow. I struggle with issues that are just as core and unsettling as Dave does. I feel like crying openly sometimes as I thrash about in this world. I wonder if Dave is an evangelistic opportunity or a vist of an angel unawares...