Mardi Gras Break

I took off a little early from work at the end of last week so I could do my Slave Driving Agape Lady thing this past weekend up at St. Francisville for Kairos Prison Ministry. The ladies who cook were able to work out of the culinary school at the Main Prison complex at LSP. The men go inside the prison each day starting Thursday evening during a Kairos Weekend--which is actually 3 1/2 days. They hold a Christian workshop while we ladies stay outside and do the cooking and the agape.

My job is less glorified and less "glam" but I love it just the same. Besides, it's all to the same end --the glory of God in His service. I work from out of the hotel when we go up there. I get the agape bags together and get the place mats and other agape gifts together including the prayer chains. Then I make sure the tables are ready for when the guys return from the prison each night. When I am done I sometimes have time to go inside and see if Juanita, the head cook, needs any help. It's rare that she does. She's good and a couple of the ladies she trusts to help do the actual cooking are good. The rest just like the idea of being in the kitchen.

There was a new lady on the team named Carolyn. She was very excited as most first timers are, about her first time. She couldn't wait to get inside. Juanita actually had enough cooks and she and the leader wanted to make sure I had help. Both Juanita and I have been ill lately. I just had my last chemo treatment for lymphoma in December and she is struggling with fibromyalgia. Still, everyone wants to get into the kitchen and I rarely have help. I don't do staying up late as well as I used to.

Carolyn and another sister, Sandra, who's been around for a while, were a lot of help Thursday evening. I knew Carolyn wanted to get inside so I told her I could do by myself Friday. That meant there was more for me to do on Friday but that's alright. I'm used to it! I just wanted to have enough free time on Saturday to get some earrings from Grandmother's Buttons, a nice local boutique. Carolyn had a good idea about placing bags with the guys names on them so they could but little notes in each one for each other evenings when they returned from the prison. I dubbed them "Affirmation Bags" an had them out that evening. Of course it took more of my time so I didn't make it inside the prison to glory-kitchen. But that's OK. I wasn't too excited about making that trip.

Closing was spectacumous! The residents were truly touched and truly touching! This was the first time my Hunnee was not on a team but he came up for the closing. So I was able to sit by him the whole time.

One thing I missed was Hunnee singing in church. He had to leave service early to get up to St. Francisville. Pastor called him to his office as he does the associate pastors. The Cheryl, the music minister drafted him to sing with the men's chorus. During his last sermon he'd requested Cheryl play "Surely The Presence" a song we use in Kairos. Cheryl liked it and said she'd play it more in church from now on. So this Sunday was the beginning of "now on" and she points at Hunnee and says, "Brother M, You're drafted!" My mother missed it, too because I had her pinch hitting for me in the four- and five-year-olds' class for Children's Church. So I couldn't get her usual report on how he did.

Hunnee went to evening service. I made sure he left in enough time to grab a bite to eat because he will sometimes not leave himself enough time. I went straight home and fell out on the bed. I didn't even unpack. Mr. Bob Buttons joined me by standing on his blanket at the end of the bed, first watching me and then joining me in a good snooze.

This was Mardi Gras weekend also. We don't do Mardi Gras but it's nice to have the time off. Usually after a Kairos Weekend I have to go straight back to work on Monday morning. But once in a while the Winter/Spring Kairos weekend falls over the Mardi Gras break. This is great because I don't have to try so hard to pace my self when I know the next day I can sleep in! Hunnee is getting used to a quieter Mardi Gras. He's used to being closer to New Orleans where things get a bit wilder and he can't stand all the noise. I told him that there are only two parades here, a few across the river and only one is not strictly family. The ones here don't try to compete with new Orleans so they are usually held before Fat Tuesday.

My daughter and I went to a movie and the rest of the weekend Hunnee and I just hung out at home. We ate lunch out and breakfast at the IHOP.

The picture above is blackmail fodder for his mom. Hunnee smokes but not in the house, so he will stand in the door if his favorite TV show is playing. Here he is getting ready to light up. Busted! This will give Mom something to fuss about. We're both praying that he can stop smoking someday.

It was a nice break for Mardi Gras!