Hi Jen,
Thank you for sharing this delightful story with us. It really touched my
heart.
Virgie and Hoshi
----- Original Message -----
From: "jen and Star" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 15, 2005 10:00 PM
Subject: Fw: the brown gloves
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
>
> ------=_NextPart_000_0146_01C601C2.F5B79450
> Content-Type: text/plain;
> charset="iso-8859-1"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
> awesome! made me cry!
> Jen and Star
> "Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble =
> remembering how to fly."
> Author unknown
> AIM: jenibear1998
> msn=20
> [log in to unmask]
> ----- Original Message -----=20
> From: [log in to unmask]
> To: Jenifer Barr=20
> Sent: Monday, October 11, 2004 6:40 AM
> Subject: the brown gloves
>
>
> Original Brown Gloves....
>
> I sat, with two friends, in the picture window of a quaint restaurant =
> just off the corner of the town-square. The food and the company were =
> both especially
> good that day.
> As we talked, my attention was drawn outside, across the street. There, =
> walking into town, was a man who appeared to be carrying all his worldly =
> goods on
> his back. He was carrying, a well-worn sign that read, "I will work for =
> food." My heart sank.
> I brought him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others =
> around us had stopped eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture =
> of sadness and
> disbelief.
> We continued with our meal, but his image lingered in my mind. We =
> finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to do and =
> quickly set out
> to accomplish them.
> I glanced toward the town square, looking somewhat halfheartedly for the =
> strange visitor. I was fearful, knowing that seeing him again would call =
> some response.
> I drove through town and saw nothing of him. I made some purchases at a =
> store and got back in my car.
> Deep within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back to =
> the office until you've at least driven once more around the square." =
> Then with
> some hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third =
> corner. I saw him. He was standing on the steps of the storefront =
> church, going
> through his sack.
> I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, yet =
> wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be =
> a sign from God:
> an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached the town's =
> newest visitor.
> "Looking for the pastor?" I asked.
> "Not really," he replied, "just resting."
> "Have you eaten today?"
> "Oh, I ate something early this morning."
> "Would you like to have lunch with me?"
> "Do you have some work I could do for you?"
> "No work," I replied. "I commute here to work from the city, but I would =
> like to take you to lunch."
> "Sure," he replied with a smile.
> As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface questions.
> "Where you headed?"
> "St. Louis."
> "Where you from?"
> "Oh, all over; mostly Florida."
> "How long you been walking?"
> "Fourteen years," came the reply.
> I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from each other in the =
> same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered slightly =
> beyond his
> 38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with an eloquence =
> and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to reveal a =
> bright red
> T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending Story."
> Then Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in =
> life. He'd made some wrong choices and reaped the consequences.
> Fourteen years earlier, while backpacking across thecountry, he had =
> stopped on the beach in Daytona.
> He tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and =
> some equipment. A concert, he thought.
> He was hired, but the tent would not house a concert but revival =
> services, and in those services he saw life more clearly. He gave his =
> life over to God.
> "Nothing's been the same since," he said, " I felt the Lord telling me =
> to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years now."
> Ever think of stopping?" I asked.
> "Oh, once in a while, when it seems to get the best of me. But God has =
> given me this calling. I give out Bibles. That's what's in my sack.
> I work to buy food and Bibles, and I give them out when His Spirit =
> leads."
> I sat amazed. My homeless friend was not homeless.
> He was on a mission and lived this way by choice.
> The question burned inside for a moment and then I asked:
> "What's it like?"
> "What?"
> "To walk into a town carrying all your things on your back and to show =
> your sign?"
> "Oh, it was humiliating at first. People would stare and make comments. =
> Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and made a gesture that =
> certainly
> didn't make me feel welcome. But then it became humbling to realize that =
> God was using me to touch lives and change people's concepts of other =
> folks like
> me."
> My concept was changing, too. We finished our dessert and gathered his =
> things. Just outside the door, he paused. He turned to me and said,"Come =
> Ye blessed
> of my Father and inherit the kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I =
> was hungry you gave me food, when I was thirsty you gave me drink, a =
> stranger and
> you took me in."
> I felt as if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I =
> asked.
> He said he pre ferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was =
> not too heavy. It was also his personal favorite. "I've read through it =
> 14 times,"
> he said.
> "I'm not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and =
> see." I was able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and =
> he seemed
> very grateful.
> "Where are you headed from here?"
> "Well, I found this little map on the back of this amusement park =
> coupon."
> "Are you hoping to hire on there for awhile?"
> "No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone under that star =
> right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going next."
> He smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his =
> mission. I drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours =
> earlier, and
> as we drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.
> "Would you sign my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages =
> from folks I meet."
> I wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had =
> touched My life. I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a =
> verse of scripture
> from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, "declared the Lord, =
> "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a Future =
> and a hope."
> "Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really just =
> strangers, but I love you."
> "I know," I said, "I love you, too."
> "The Lord is good!"
> "Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged you?" I asked.
> "A long time," he replied.
> And so on the busy street corner in the drizzling rain, my new friend =
> and I embraced, and I felt deep inside that I had been changed. He put =
> his things
> on his back, smiled his winning smile and said, "See you in the New =
> Jerusalem."
> "I'll be there!" was my reply.
> He began his journey again. He headed away with his signdangling from =
> his bedroll and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you =
> see something
> that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"
> "You bet," I shouted back, "God bless."
> "God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.
> Late that evening as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold =
> front had settled hard upon the town. I bundled up and hurried to my =
> car. As I sat
> back and reached for the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of =
> well-worn brown work gloves neatly laid over the length of the handle. I =
> picked them
> up and thought of my friend and wondered if his hands would stay warm =
> that night without them. Then I remembered his words:
> "If you see something that makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"
> Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They help me to see the =
> world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember those two =
> hours with
> my unique friend and to pray for his ministry.
> "See you in the New Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...
> If this story touched you, forward it to a friend!
> "I shall pass this way but once. Therefore, any good that I can do or =
> any kindness that I can show, let me do it now, for I shall not pass =
> this way again."
> My instructions were to send this to four people that I wanted God to =
> bless and I picked you. Please pass this to four people you want to be =
> blessed.
> This prayer is powerful and there is nothing attached. Please do not =
> break this pattern. Prayer is one of the best gifts we receive. There is =
> no cost but
> a lot of rewards. Let's continue to pray for one another.
> God bless and have a nice day!
> "Father, I ask you to bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies =
> reading this right now. Show them a new revelation of your love and =
> power.
> Holy spirit, I ask you to minister to their spirit at this very moment.
> Where there is pain, give them your peace and mercy.
> Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed confidence through your =
> grace, In Jesus' precious Name. Amen."
> !!
> ------=_NextPart_000_0146_01C601C2.F5B79450
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> charset="iso-8859-1"
> Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>
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> <STYLE></STYLE>
> </HEAD>
> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>awesome! made me =
> cry!</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV>Jen and Star<BR>"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when =
> our wings=20
> have trouble remembering how to fly."<BR>Author unknown<BR>AIM:=20
> jenibear1998<BR>msn <BR><A=20
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A></DIV>=
>
> <DIV style=3D"FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----=20
> <DIV style=3D"BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A=20
> [log in to unmask] =
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]</A>=20
> </DIV>
> <DIV><B>To:</B> <A [log in to unmask]
> href=3D"mailto:[log in to unmask]">Jenifer Barr</A> </DIV>
> <DIV><B>Sent:</B> Monday, October 11, 2004 6:40 AM</DIV>
> <DIV><B>Subject:</B> the brown gloves</DIV></DIV>
> <DIV><BR></DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Original Brown Gloves....</FONT></DIV>
> <DIV> </DIV>
> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>I sat, with two friends, in the picture =
> window of a=20
> quaint restaurant just off the corner of the town-square. The food and =
> the=20
> company were both especially<BR>good that day.<BR>As we talked, my =
> attention was=20
> drawn outside, across the street. There, walking into town, was a man =
> who=20
> appeared to be carrying all his worldly goods on<BR>his back. He was =
> carrying, a=20
> well-worn sign that read, "I will work for food." My heart sank.<BR>I =
> brought=20
> him to the attention of my friends and noticed that others around us had =
> stopped=20
> eating to focus on him. Heads moved in a mixture of sadness=20
> and<BR>disbelief.<BR>We continued with our meal, but his image lingered =
> in my=20
> mind. We finished our meal and went our separate ways. I had errands to =
> do and=20
> quickly set out<BR>to accomplish them.<BR>I glanced toward the town =
> square,=20
> looking somewhat halfheartedly for the strange visitor. I was fearful, =
> knowing=20
> that seeing him again would call some response.<BR>I drove through town =
> and saw=20
> nothing of him. I made some purchases at a store and got back in my =
> car.<BR>Deep=20
> within me, the Spirit of God kept speaking to me: "Don't go back to the =
> office=20
> until you've at least driven once more around the square." Then =
> with<BR>some=20
> hesitancy, I headed back into town. As I turned the square's third =
> corner. I saw=20
> him. He was standing on the steps of the storefront church, =
> going<BR>through his=20
> sack.<BR>I stopped and looked; feeling both compelled to speak to him, =
> yet=20
> wanting to drive on. The empty parking space on the corner seemed to be =
> a sign=20
> from God:<BR>an invitation to park. I pulled in, got out and approached =
> the=20
> town's newest visitor.<BR>"Looking for the pastor?" I asked.<BR>"Not =
> really," he=20
> replied, "just resting."<BR>"Have you eaten today?"<BR>"Oh, I ate =
> something=20
> early this morning."<BR>"Would you like to have lunch with me?"<BR>"Do =
> you have=20
> some work I could do for you?"<BR>"No work," I replied. "I commute here =
> to work=20
> from the city, but I would like to take you to lunch."<BR>"Sure," he =
> replied=20
> with a smile.<BR>As he began to gather his things, I asked some surface=20
> questions.<BR>"Where you headed?"<BR>"St. Louis."<BR>"Where you =
> from?"<BR>"Oh,=20
> all over; mostly Florida."<BR>"How long you been walking?"<BR>"Fourteen =
> years,"=20
> came the reply.<BR>I knew I had met someone unusual. We sat across from =
> each=20
> other in the same restaurant I had left earlier. His face was weathered =
> slightly=20
> beyond his<BR>38 years. His eyes were dark yet clear, and he spoke with =
> an=20
> eloquence and articulation that was startling. He removed his jacket to =
> reveal a=20
> bright red<BR>T-shirt that said, "Jesus is The Never Ending =
> Story."<BR>Then=20
> Daniel's story began to unfold. He had seen rough times early in life. =
> He'd made=20
> some wrong choices and reaped the consequences.<BR>Fourteen years =
> earlier, while=20
> backpacking across thecountry, he had stopped on the beach in =
> Daytona.<BR>He=20
> tried to hire on with some men who were putting up a large tent and some =
>
> equipment. A concert, he thought.<BR>He was hired, but the tent would =
> not house=20
> a concert but revival services, and in those services he saw life more =
> clearly.=20
> He gave his life over to God.<BR>"Nothing's been the same since," he =
> said, " I=20
> felt the Lord telling me to keep walking, and so I did, some 14 years=20
> now."<BR>Ever think of stopping?" I asked.<BR>"Oh, once in a while, when =
> it=20
> seems to get the best of me. But God has given me this calling. I give =
> out=20
> Bibles. That's what's in my sack.<BR>I work to buy food and Bibles, and =
> I give=20
> them out when His Spirit leads."<BR>I sat amazed. My homeless friend was =
> not=20
> homeless.<BR>He was on a mission and lived this way by choice.<BR>The =
> question=20
> burned inside for a moment and then I asked:<BR>"What's it=20
> like?"<BR>"What?"<BR>"To walk into a town carrying all your things on =
> your back=20
> and to show your sign?"<BR>"Oh, it was humiliating at first. People =
> would stare=20
> and make comments. Once someone tossed a piece of half-eaten bread and =
> made a=20
> gesture that certainly<BR>didn't make me feel welcome. But then it =
> became=20
> humbling to realize that God was using me to touch lives and change =
> people's=20
> concepts of other folks like<BR>me."<BR>My concept was changing, too. We =
>
> finished our dessert and gathered his things. Just outside the door, he =
> paused.=20
> He turned to me and said,"Come Ye blessed<BR>of my Father and inherit =
> the=20
> kingdom I've prepared for you. For when I was hungry you gave me food, =
> when I=20
> was thirsty you gave me drink, a stranger and<BR>you took me in."<BR>I =
> felt as=20
> if we were on holy ground. "Could you use another Bible?" I asked.<BR>He =
> said he=20
> pre ferred a certain translation. It traveled well and was not too =
> heavy. It was=20
> also his personal favorite. "I've read through it 14 times,"<BR>he =
> said.<BR>"I'm=20
> not sure we've got one of those, but let's stop by our church and see." =
> I was=20
> able to find my new friend a Bible that would do well, and he =
> seemed<BR>very=20
> grateful.<BR>"Where are you headed from here?"<BR>"Well, I found this =
> little map=20
> on the back of this amusement park coupon."<BR>"Are you hoping to hire =
> on there=20
> for awhile?"<BR>"No, I just figure I should go there. I figure someone =
> under=20
> that star right there needs a Bible, so that's where I'm going =
> next."<BR>He=20
> smiled, and the warmth of his spirit radiated the sincerity of his =
> mission. I=20
> drove him back to the town-square where we'd met two hours earlier, =
> and<BR>as we=20
> drove, it started raining. We parked and unloaded his things.<BR>"Would =
> you sign=20
> my autograph book?" he asked. "I like to keep messages from folks I =
> meet."<BR>I=20
> wrote in his little book that his commitment to his calling had touched =
> My life.=20
> I encouraged him to stay strong. And I left him with a verse of=20
> scripture<BR>from Jeremiah, "I know the plans I have for you, "declared =
> the=20
> Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a =
> Future and=20
> a hope."<BR>"Thanks, man," he said. "I know we just met and we're really =
> just=20
> strangers, but I love you."<BR>"I know," I said, "I love you, =
> too."<BR>"The Lord=20
> is good!"<BR>"Yes, He is. How long has it been since someone hugged =
> you?" I=20
> asked.<BR>"A long time," he replied.<BR>And so on the busy street corner =
> in the=20
> drizzling rain, my new friend and I embraced, and I felt deep inside =
> that I had=20
> been changed. He put his things<BR>on his back, smiled his winning smile =
> and=20
> said, "See you in the New Jerusalem."<BR>"I'll be there!" was my =
> reply.<BR>He=20
> began his journey again. He headed away with his signdangling from his =
> bedroll=20
> and pack of Bibles. He stopped, turned and said, "When you see =
> something<BR>that=20
> makes you think of me, will you pray for me?"<BR>"You bet," I shouted =
> back, "God=20
> bless."<BR>"God bless." And that was the last I saw of him.<BR>Late that =
> evening=20
> as I left my office, the wind blew strong. The cold front had settled =
> hard upon=20
> the town. I bundled up and hurried to my car. As I sat<BR>back and =
> reached for=20
> the emergency brake, I saw them... a pair of well-worn brown work gloves =
> neatly=20
> laid over the length of the handle. I picked them<BR>up and thought of =
> my friend=20
> and wondered if his hands would stay warm that night without them. Then =
> I=20
> remembered his words:<BR>"If you see something that makes you think of =
> me, will=20
> you pray for me?"<BR>Today his gloves lie on my desk in my office. They =
> help me=20
> to see the world and its people in a new way, and they help me remember =
> those=20
> two hours with<BR>my unique friend and to pray for his ministry.<BR>"See =
> you in=20
> the New Jerusalem," he said. Yes, Daniel, I know I will...<BR>If this =
> story=20
> touched you, forward it to a friend!<BR>"I shall pass this way but once. =
>
> Therefore, any good that I can do or any kindness that I can show, let =
> me do it=20
> now, for I shall not pass this way again."<BR>My instructions were to =
> send this=20
> to four people that I wanted God to bless and I picked you. Please pass =
> this to=20
> four people you want to be blessed.<BR>This prayer is powerful and there =
> is=20
> nothing attached. Please do not break this pattern. Prayer is one of the =
> best=20
> gifts we receive. There is no cost but<BR>a lot of rewards. Let's =
> continue to=20
> pray for one another.<BR>God bless and have a nice day!<BR>"Father, I =
> ask you to=20
> bless my friends, relatives and e-mail buddies reading this right now. =
> Show them=20
> a new revelation of your love and power.<BR>Holy spirit, I ask you to =
> minister=20
> to their spirit at this very moment.<BR>Where there is pain, give them =
> your=20
> peace and mercy.<BR>Where there is self-doubt, release a renewed =
> confidence=20
> through your grace, In Jesus' precious Name.=20
> Amen."<BR>!!</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
>
> ------=_NextPart_000_0146_01C601C2.F5B79450--
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