Fruit of the Spirit: Love…
After spending eight weeks reflecting on the fruits of the Spirit in my own life and in the operations of Love City, it culminates into the final of the nine fruits: Love. Love is hard to explain, one of my favorite movies of all time is Interstellar. In it the protagonists, played by Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, face a decision of where to go. McConaughey’s character argues that they cannot make the decision based on Hathaway’s emotion of love. Hathaway argues back in a beautiful monologue, saying that Love is more than an emotion, it transcends space and time, can defy logic, and is a higher authority. It seems to be based in some biblical truth as 1 John 4:8 states that “God is Love”.
How powerful an endorsement that of all the words and concepts and ideas in this world the one word that God uses to sum up His entire character, His entire essence, that word is Love. In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul extrapolates the word and gives us characteristics associated with Love: peace, kindness, truthful, humble, hopeful, enduring, never ending, forgiving. Paul says that is above all things, that without it, nothing matters. I cannot provide a description that rivals that of Paul in understanding and beauty. I cannot provide a description that is more beautiful than Anne Hathaway’s description. Thankfully, I don’t need to. Every one of these newsletters gives you a glimpse into what Love looks like in our community. What Love looks like in action. That is why these stories we share are titled the Love Letters. They are examples of Love on a scale that ranges from small everyday interactions of Love, to large acts of Love that help transform our community. So I will continue that with an incredible act of Love that was shown to me this week.
I will call him Mr. E. He is one of our neighbors that lives across the street from Porkland. He is an old Portland raised boy, ex military, rough and scruffy. Not willing to take any guff from anyone. I’ve had a couple of conversations with him over the years, some nicer than others. Sierra and I worked on shoveling the Porkland parking lot to be able to open this Friday. I had to leave for a bit to go to a meeting and when I returned, standing there next to her with shovel in hand was Mr. E. I got out of my car and he said “I tried to get her to let me or my wife give a ride a home, but she said she needed to get this parking lot cleaned, so I figured I would help”. So us three worked on clearing a path into our parking lot to be able to let vendors in to deliver. As we worked he told us he used to shovel this parking lot as a kid. A bunch of the kids would come over to help the priests shovel so that they could have “mass, bingo, and an f’ing fish fry” in Mr. E’s words. He asked for nothing in return and made it through about a half pack of cigs in our 45 minutes shoveling. Mr. E, like many of our neighbors, has been a Saint in this community since before Sierra and I were even thought of. Has been exemplifying Love through action since before us. He represents the Love that some much of our community has to offer, and encourages in our mission to try and instill that Love into the next generation. God is Love. Portland is also Love.
Ethan Essex
Mighty Oak Supplies Lists!!!
As we continue in our Spring Semester we are looking again at our supplies for the rest of the year. If you would like to support through purchasing supplies, it’s not too late. You can find those lists here:
Supply Wishlist: https://a.co/4IDGPaN
Snack List: https://a.co/g4DnQYr
Merriment Online!!
If you are missing browsing our shelves, don’t fret, there are plenty of ways to browse online. To view our ebay store click here. If you want to view our larger items visit our Facebook Marketplace here. We are still accepting donations, if you would like to donate call (502) 930-9006. Check out one of this week’s featured items below, we have a whole selection of woodworking items for the woodworker in your life.
Fish Fry Open!!!
Lent Season is upon us!! Come get your Fish!!! 11-7pm at 2519 St Cecilia Street.
If you are interested in volunteering or to find out more information about supplies needed please email: info@lovecityinc.org or call (502) 272-078.