Jacksonville is a city you have to DRIVE in, and usually you have to drive FAR! It is the largest city in the Contiguous United States by AREA or Land Mass. And gas is not cheap, so I haven’t been able to visit the Beaches as much and check on the homeless there. On the few occassions I did make it out there, I noticed that there were less there than usual, which makes me think they have been chased off from that area more than normal.

But I was able to collect some more blankets and supplies for them. And meanwhile, though I didn’t have any funds for having a good time myself… some friends decided that I needed a night out, after sleeping in a van for 2 weeks!

David and Bobbie would not take NO for an answer, and insisted on treating me to a night out with them. I accepted and it was actually really good to just have some fun for a change. So, we tore the place up! Ha ha!

Dj Eric Leffler was spinning tunes and keeping us moving to the grooves! Music was awesome, and we were dancing, toasting and having an all-around great time!

Yes, that’s a cigarette in my hand!  RELAPSE!!  I’m upset with myself, but… Come on God!!  You got me sleeping in a vehicle and it’s near freezing!  Can’t I get a little break on this? Just a TINY one?  LOL  Ok, ok…  I’ll get this licked!  Sorry God! I’ll do better!  :-)

When it came time to end the night, we walked out to our vehicles to leave, but Bobbie and David insisted that I follow them home, stay at their place for the night and have breakfast with them in the morning! I don’t remember being ordered around like that in the past for… GOOD THINGS!! They had been generous all night, and I couldn’t refuse their invitation, so… we went back to their home near Riverside. Bobbie’s spare bedroom suite was like 15 Grand or something! Needless to say… It was the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time! THANKS DAVE AND BOBBIE!!

A few nights later, I was able to help Eric out with lending him my PA Speakers for a huge gig he had at the Casa Marina Hotel at Jax Beach!

It’s an upscale place, so I suited up, but… I may have been over-dressed… or… actually UNDER-dressed from another point of view…

It was a HUGE HALLOWEEN BASH forwww.JacksonvilleScene.com and Costumes were the order of the day! Eric was pirated up, and making the hundreds of people there dance with his beats blaring through the courtyard!

Everyone was having a great time, myself included! There were some amazing costumes, and some of them went all out, to win the prizes for best costumes!

But only ONE can be the top winner, and that was…

Edward Scissorhands!!! This guy was the crowd favorite from the beginning, but there were some other really great costumes too! 

Though I was there to help a friend out, I ended up meeting a lot of great people, and got to dance a little myself too! It was a great night, and another successful gig for Eric!

But the next night was WORK for me, running Karaoke at Thai-Bangkok Restaurant! The owners are really great people though, and they have even gotten on board to help with my homeless efforts…

After the gig, Toy the owner, presented me with a large bag of shoes to distribute among the homeless. Toy also has let me know that whether I am working that night for him or not… If I ever need something to eat, he told me to just come into the restaurant and that he would take care of me. Toy and his wife Melissa have really good hearts!

And that EXACTLY has been the point of a lot of this effort. God wants to encourage us to HELP ONE ANOTHER again! We have forgotten what COMMUNITY means. We live more as islands these days. But sometimes a new friend is just an introduction away, and sometimes a small helping hand makes a HUGE difference in a person’s life!

And with that said, I wanted to name a few names of some people who have stepped up this week, and made donations, or offered help for this project in various ways!

There are more I will mention soon, but this will get us started…

ALL OF THESE PEOPLE have helped in some way, just this past week! And I wanted to thank each of them! So…

THANK YOU: Rebecca, David, Amanda, June, Crissy, Leslie, Jeff, Bobbie and Toy!!

BUT THIS WEEK DIDN’T END THERE!!

Though I can’t drive around as much as I like right now, I still have internet access wherever I stay in my vehicle! So, I have been contacting people and agencies and working on ideas for ways that I can help others!

AND A BIG ONE JUST GOT CONFIRMED!!

WOOHOO!!!

KEEP READING….

Jeff Nanan (DJ Free) Eclipse Nightclub Jacksonville

This is me and Jeff (DJ Free) from Eclipse Nightclub in Jacksonville! — We had a meeting about an event that David Jimenez was helping me work on, and we needed a venue to host it for us!

JEFF AGREED TO LET HIS NIGHTCLUB BE USED!!!

“WARM 4 WINTER” is the Name of the Event, and it will be help on 11/22/11 (I love that date! lol) Tuesday Night, November 22nd, in just two weeks, we are holding “WARM 4 WINTER” a KARAOKE-FOR-CHARITY EVENT to be held at Eclipse Nightclub! Everyone who brings an article of clothing for donation GETS FREE ADMISSION!!

We are getting some help from Local News for promoting the event! We will be collecting blankets and clothing for helping the homeless get through the winter!

What could be better? You get a FUN NIGHT OUT, and get free admission, in a high-tech venue in Jax! — What better way to get in the Christmas Spirit of giving, than by providing some clothes or socks or blankets to the homeless who sleep outside, even in winter! And the beautiful thing, is that THESE DONATIONS are going straight into use within A FEW DAYS!! You will KNOW that someone is sleeping a little more comfortably and a little more safe from the cold, because of YOUR HELP!! And you had a GREAT TIME doing it!!

AND TRUST ME… THE SOUND SYSTEM AND LIGHT SHOW at ECLIPSE is…

Eclipse Nightclub - Jacksonville FL

AMAZING!!!!

I have some AMAZING SINGERS coming to this Charity Event, and EVERYONE who sings, will be singing on an elevated stage, with stage lighting, effects, a monitor on stage and a GIANT SCREEN monitor for the Bar Crowd! The sound system is FANTABULOUS here, and customers and singers will enjoy hearing themselves through the DOZENS OF SPEAKERS throughout the venue!! The light show is awesome, and you cannot ask for a better venue for having a Karaoke Charity Event like this one!!

ALSO: There may be NEWS CREWS on hand for the event as well. We are working on what they can do for us, as we speak! More details soon!

I HOPE EVERYONE READING THIS will come out to support a worthwhile event, that will help people DIRECTLY, and get your Holidays started off right!!!

GOD IS AMAZING!!!

Thank you Jeff and Eclipse Nightclub!!!

WARM-4-WINTER - Karaoke for Charity!

WARM 4 WINTER – Make plans now to be there!!

http://www.facebook.com/events/244813262242348/

I will be sending out EVENT INVITES for this Charity Event tonight and tomorrow! PLEASE CLICK “ATTEND” If at all possible! GOD BLESS YOU ALL for your hearts and help!!

END OF DAYS 012-13-14

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AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, from a previous PHOTO-JOURNAL… THIS is what almost happened to me last week! It was only GOD that spared it from occurring. I became aware of a plot to rob me, and steal everything in my van!

As you all know, I have been living among the homeless, as an exercise in FAITH and to HELP and MINISTER to people, who we tend to overlook, or be embarrased by. But as you have seen, many of them are VICTIMS of very difficult, even horrific life experiences, and others are suffering from mental illnesses and drug and alcohol addiction. ALL CAN BE LOVED, and some can even be HELPED to find a changed life and new hope!

But it is not all HAPPINESS and LIGHT sometimes!

When I first became homeless, I kept all my DJ and Music Equipment with me. Thousands of dollars worth of equipment that I use to make a living, since I started DJ’ing!

I kept it covered as well as I could, and just tried not to stray too far from my mini-van for too long! But… The people around me probably knew there was more than CLOTHES in there, and likely caught a glimpse here and there, of some equipment, speakers, etc… They ALL knew I had a computer with me, in order to document my experiences through this journey!

After I became aware of the Criminal Plot against me, through a series of events that occurred, I knew that God wanted me to get out of there for a few days, and let things die down. Meanwhile, I needed to UNLOAD MY EQUIPMENT, and catch up on some personal and business responsibilities, while I was being kept away from the Beaches!

My mother let me store my Equipment in her Recording Studio thankfully! And since I only need it a few times a week right now, it has taken a HUGE BURDEN off my mind, not to worry it will be stolen every day and night that I am living outside in parking lots and rest areas, surrounded by other homeless people ususally. I have let them sleep in my van on cold nigths before as well. And now… that will be even easier if necessary, when the temperature is below freezing!

There several other benefits to lightening my load as well!

Gas should go further, now that I have reduced the weight in the vehicle considerably! There is also more space for collecting and distributing supplies and resources to the Homeless I have been working with as well!

AND… MORE SPACE FOR ME TOO…

No, there is NO WAY IN HELL, that I can stretch out on the Bench Seat in the van, since I am almost 6ft tall, which is wider than the vehicle of course! But… When I put the Captains chair down, I can extend my ahem… “bed” and at least ”sort-of” stretch out now! LOL

Trust me: It is MUCH better than it was previously, with a full van and sleeping in the FRONT SEAT every night! — It was SO UNCOMFORTABLE before, that I literally crash from exhaustion and sleep for about 2 hours before the pains and kinks wake me up, and it takes me a while to fall back to sleep, only to start the process over! I was getting NO REAL SLEEP like this at all, and it was already taking a toll on me, after more than 10 days of it!

This provides a little more relief, and sleeping in the BACK is preferable to slepping in the front, where everyone (Especially Police) can see me clearly, sleeping in the vehicle. I feel like I have a little more privacy now, in addition to more space!

WOOHOO!! — I received my FIRST DONATIONS of Blankets and Socks to aid the Homeless as we enter the Winter Season! Sleeping LITERALLY on streets, or out in the open on the beaches… They are fully exposed to the elements, and NONE OF THEM looks forward to the cold weather!

These donations will help IMMENSELY and let them get through the night easier, more safely and in a little more comfort! Socks are a BIG DEAL too, since they end up wearing the SAME PAIR for weeks and even months sometimes, rarely taking them off, and this does tremendous damage to their feet, which only exposes them to further illness.

This Donation came from my mother, June Maxim, but there are plans in the works to get more supplies and resources from a half dozen others who have volunteered to help this cause!

I didn’t have the gas to go back to the Beaches right away, so I had to hold onto these supplies for now, but luckily it wasn’t as cold the last few nights as it had been!

With the Mini-Van emptied and re-organized and some donations collected, it was time to get some PERSONAL & BUSINESS chores done! Particularly: BUSINESS!!

I SHOULD MENTION: PRIVATE GIGS and WEDDINGS are not as cheap as the Flier lists! LOL — The $150 to $175 Per Night Price is only for WEEKLY GIGS! The price is lowered when the Gig is WEEKLY and GUARANTEED to repeat the same day each week!  Private Parties are generally $100 Per Hour with a 3-4 hour minimum! I do events in Jax, St. Augustine, and some cities in Georgia. I do MANY events in Upscale Golfing Communities, but I am just as comfortable in an Urban setting! I do sometimes offer serious discounts on a case by case basis, depending on the events and circumstances.

I am really good at what I do! DJ’ing and KJ’ing! — When I DJ’ed at Applebees for example, I DOUBLED their night business in a MONTH, and it only grew even more after that, over the next several months. But the company I worked for and I, parted ways, and I had to give that gig up, since it was through a THIRD company even!

I do Weddings and Private Events as well, but these are infrequent right now, since I only recently went out on my own, and haven’t had time to build up business through marketing and networking. And aiding the homeless has only been a GREATER draw, on my money and time! So… I HAVE TO GET at least one or two WEEKLY GIGS, so I can keep my bills up (Cell Phone, Car Insurance, etc…) and I needed to make some fliers, that I could bring with me to businesses, while I discussed my getting booked with them!

I’d really like to get my FRIDAYS booked again, so I can not only keep my bills up, but have some more resources for helping the Homeless here in Jacksonville.

With the economy in shambles, this problem has only GROWN recently! And it will likely get WORSE, before it gets better! IF YOU KNOW OF KARAOKE OR DJ GIGS, please let me know!!

I was pleased enough with my Design for the fliers, and I printed them off on some gaudy/loud colors to attract attention, and put them in a folder, so that when I went back to the Beaches to serve the Homeless, I could also pass out fliers and speak with businesses about potential gigs!

So, a day or two had passed, which meant….

GIG NIGHT!!! — On Saturdays I KJ (A Karaoke DJ) at Thai-Bangkok Restaurant off Wells Road in Orange Park. It is a SMALL PLACE, but that has never stopped us from having A LOT OF FUN THERE!! — The smaller size is nice actually, because we all know each other really well, and it is like EVERYONE THERE being a friend! Well… Not “like”… EVERYONE “IS” FRIENDS there! And the new ones that come, just end up becoming NEW FRIENDS!

This night was no different! We all had a GREAT TIME, and… As is our “Tradition” there… whoever is left at the end of the night MUST GET UP and sing “Closing Time” all together, to say goodnight with! Megan started our tradition, and we’ve been doing it ever since!

So, a few days had passed, and I finished my Gig on Saturday night! It was time to return my Equipment to the Recording Studio and… I felt like I deserved a day off, after almost getting robbed, and sleeping like HELL every night for 10 days! So, I just did some PERSONAL things that day, and took it easy the rest of the day! I still slept outside, but… IT WAS A MUCH NEEDED BREAK!

But as Monday rolled around, it was BACK TO WORK…

I was pretty anxious actually, to check on my Homeless friends, after several days now had gone by, to see how they were doing, and find out if anyone needed anything! I was especially curious how one brother was doing, after I had found him a roommate and gotten him off the street the week before! But I didn’t see him while I was there!

I did see some other people I knew, and a few I didn’t… yet!

I had a little money from my gig left over, and asked if they were hungry. THEY WERE! So, I offered them a meal at McDonalds, not much, since I don’t make much right now, but… I let them pick any 3 things off the dollar menu EACH, and they could mix and match whatever they wanted!

NONE of them wanted to take advantage of the generosity, and they all, only ordered one or two things each!

They’ve gotten to know me pretty well, and… We all like each other! As we talked at the table, I found out that one of them had recently GOTTEN A JOB, and I was invited to go to their restaurant sometime, and say hello! I think my having gotten a few others off the streets, and just talking and ministering to these people, about POSSIBILITIES and HOPE, has made a difference, and a few have gotten a little more serious about CHANGING THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES, now that those opportunities seem a little closer, and they realize THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO CARE, and will lift a hand when needed!

Well, since they didn’t clean me out of money at McDonalds, lol, I stopped into a General Dollar store to see if they had some Tooth-Pain medicine. While in there, I couldn’t believe that they had some clothes on clearance for $1 each! Yep, ONE BUCK, for shirts, and even some JEANS! — I’ve lost two pants sizes since getting more serious about my weight over the last few weeks, so… Some cheap JEANS and SHIRTS came in handy! Ha ha!

After wasting some time, and with the sun going down, I wanted to stop by McDonalds one more time before leving the area, to see if anyone else I knew had shown up.

This is what I drove up to…

Police all over the McDonalds! — I didn’t know at first whether it had to do with my Homeless friends or not, but I needed to fin out! 

I glanced across the parking lot, and saw several officers checking ID’s and aksing many questions of a young couple next to their car!

Yes, I knew this couple, and they WERE homeless, having been living out of their car for a few weeks while they looked for work in the area.

I walked over, with my camera…

I didn’t know whether this was a LEGITIMATE stop, or whether it was HARASSMENT! I decided to take a few pictures to document the stop, and let the officers KNOW that someone was documenting this… Just in case! They turned around when the flash went off, and told me move along. Hmmm…

I moved away to respect the Officer’s orders, but I stayed mearby to see how this panned out.

After checking ID’s and whatever other documents they obtained, they asked the couple to LEAVE THE AREA immediately, which I don’t think they really had a right to do.

What was the couple’s crime? Arguing too loudly. There was NO VIOLENCE and not PHYSICAL CONFRONTATION of any kind! They could have been told to “Keep it down” and thatis what SHOULD have occurred! But.. when you are Homeless, you DON’T COUNT in this country! It is virtually ILLEGAL to be homeless in much of America!

Sad but true!

When I began this journey, God let me know that this was an exercise in Faith, but… It had much more to do with OTHER PEOPLE than with my own Faith! God knows I am faithful to Him, and have no problem making big sacrifices for Him! He let me know, that he would “USE THIS” to increase other people’s faith, and to get them to WALK THEIR OWN WALK, to see what He can do through just a little… FAITHFULNESS!!

You can even help others and make the world a little better, from a position of HOMELESSNESS!! And THAT is the message He is giving through this! WE HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES IN THE WORLD, but people are HOMELESS and STARVING and IN NEED! God told me that He had provided us ALL THE RESOURCES WE NEED, the proble is, that… PEOPLE ARE NOT SHARING! THEY ARE NOT HELPING ONE ANOTHER!! The Anti-Occupy-Wall-Street types will be happy to know that God doesn’t want people WHINING for the government to solve all their problems, when… IT IS WITHIN OUR OWN POWER to solve them! We just need to OPEN OUR HEARTS MORE and let God work through them! But the Occupy-Movement people will also be VERY HAPPY, to know that GOD IS DISAPPOINTED and even ANGRY with how we treat one another, and particularly how Governments USE THEIR OWN CITIZENS instead of… SERVING THEM! — It is a matter of BALANCE! Government “SHOULD” be involved, but… Government should NEVER be a replacement for what A FEW KIND HEARTS can accomplish THROUGH GOD’S GREAT LOVE!!!

God is great! His love is endless! We just need to LET GO OF EGO and SELFISHNESS and let that LOVE shine through OUR OWN HEARTS!!

What will you do today? Tomorrow?

Try looking for opportunities where YOU can be of service to others! The NEEDS are all around us! We just have to CARE ENOUGH, to help solve some of them when we have opportunity!

END OF DAYS 009-10-11

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Day 008 Started off with Me giving one of my Homeless friends some of my socks. Their Feet end up suffering quite a bit, since they often wear the SAME SOCKS (if they have any) and the SAME SHOES for days and even WEEKS at a time! And because they are outside in the elements 24/7 their feet and shoes get SOAKED and they continue wearing them like that, they often let them dry out STILL ON THEIR FEET and the process gets repeated MANY times! They can’t afford medicated powder to help the situation, and they certainly rarely have EXTRAS to change into!

This really struck a nerve for me, and I have been working on getting clothes donated, inclusing SOCKS and SHOES, to help alleviate the situation. I also end up counseling them quite a bit now, about ways to utilize good hygene… EVEN while homeless! But it is NOT an easy situation to rectify, and because a good percentage of the Homeless are Mentally Ill, some of them don’t listen or care, about such advice!

I liked Ronald Reagan as President for MANY reasons, but THIS was one his failures! Under the Reagan Administration the Mentally Ill without INSURANCE and no way to pay for their care, were simply PUT OUT ON THE STREETS when funding for mental health care was stopped. JUST PUT THEM ON THE STREETS EN MASSE!!!

HOMELESSNESS INCREASED DRAMATICALLY as a result!

Not all Homeless People have Friends or Relatives that can send them money when needed, but some do. Bill is one such Homeless Person. I took him to get money his Sister had sent him, and even had to help him fill out the form, but… There was no money there for him, when he submitted the paperwork. I lent him my Cell Phone so he could call his Sister, and he was able to reach her to work things out!

Meanwhile, I took some others to the store so they could buy cigarettes and whatever else they needed. Cigarettes don’t last long, because ALMOST ALL of the Homeless I have known, are willing to share with each other if they have a whole pack.

Driving to the Publix for the Western Union, I found out that Bill had been a victim of violence a few days earlier…

Violence against the Homeless is all too common! They are easy targets since they SLEEP OUTDOORS, and also because people DEHUMANIZE them in their minds, and otherwise normal people, may end up inflicting VIOLENCE on them, seeing them only as “Bums” or “Dregs of society”.

Hate is not the only motivator. Robbery is also a motive, and this can be from criminals or from other Homeless, who want an easy score!

Sadly, abuse is also inflicted on the Homeless by… COPS!

Some of the have shared their experiences with me, on Police Abuse, with one telling me, how he saw one of his friends TAZED four times, when they didn’t like his response to an order given. The guy being tazed happened to be mentally ill though. According to this person, the cops only tazed him that many times “To Watch Him Dance!” which is what some cops call the “FUN” of attacking their nerous systems enough, to make them flail around uncontrollably!

I KNOW that this occurs, and it is simply: EVIL!

Not all violence is AGAINST the Homeless though… Sometimes it is INFLICTED BY THEM on others! Whether due to anger or mental illness, or…. ROBBERY!!

Even those who are HELPING the Homeless are not immune from being potential victims, and… I am sad to report, that I was likely an intended VICTIM myself this day!

I’m probably fortunate to be ALIVE in fact…

I am CONVINCED that I was an intended target for a Robbery and probably MUCH WORSE!

Some of the Homeless I work with have my Phone Number, so they can reach me in Emergencies, or just if they have needs I may be able to answer!

But, this can also be a RISKY MOVE in some cases!

One of the Homeless who has my number, tried to set me up for a robbery, I believe. And because I KNOW this person’s face and name, it was possible I was in for MUCH MORE TROUBLE than a simple robbery, if he didn’t want to be fingered for the crime!

He has called me for help before, and I did what I could for him. But for the last few days, I haven’t been able to offer him food or cigarettes or a few bucks for whatever he needed!

I suspect he decided to take matters into his own hands!

The other Homeless people don’t like this person very much, because he STEALS FROM THEM quite often! Many homeless won’t steal from each other, even if they normally steal from NON-HOMELESS people! They draw the line at those in the same boat as themselves. But NOT this guy!

He has been around me enough to know I have a computer, but… He may have realized that I have THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS of Musical Equipment with me as well! I had kept the equipment covered as well as I could, but… He may very well have caught a glimpse of some of it. I knew it was not the wisest thing to keep my Equipment with me, but leaving it in a safe place, would mean extra gas-money needed to retrieve it for a gig, and then bringing it back, and then returning to where I sleep at!

But that is EXACTLY what I intend to do from now on!

I cannot be SURE that I was an intended victim, but reason tells me that I was! I got a phone call from this person, with a special request asked of me: “Hey Craig, could you do me a favor?” I said that I would, if possible. “What do you need?” I asked. He said: “I am stuck in downtown right now! But I have a friend who owes me some money. He’s going to give you the money for me, and you can use some of it for GAS, since you are driving all the way Downtown and back!”

I asked him: “How much money is it, and where is your friend at?” He responded: “I’m not sure how much he is going to give me, but I can tell you where he is… It’s close to the Beaches where you are! Let me call him, and I’ll call you back with the information.”

I told him: “Ok”

A little time passed, and I felt my phone vibrate. But I was in the middle of a very important conversation with another homeless person, and didn’t want to interupt it at that moment. I finished my conversation, then dialed his number!

When I did however, I heard a PHONE RINGING… Not only in the phone itself, but… NEAR TO WHERE I WAS!!! I follow the sound, and… LO AND BEHOLD… THERE HE IS RIDING HIS BICYCLE IN CIRCLES, on the other side of the building where I was at!!

THIS IS THE GUY WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW!!!

It dawned on me, that what he likely had planned, was for me to drive somewhere isolated under the guise of picking up money for him, where he would have an accomplice or two, ready to roll me, and who knows… Possibly KILL me!

Later that night, I caught him putting a RAZOR (the box cutter kind) into his pocket!

I can think of no other realistic reason for him to pull this charade, than that he intended to ROB ME, and steal my Computer and whatever else he could cop from my Mini-Van!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!! I NEED THEM EVEN MORE THAN I REALIZED!!

But the DANGERS of this day, were not over yet!

This next danger however, was of the SPIRITUAL variety!

If you are averse to believing there are SPIRITUAL FORCES at work in the world, you may want to SKIP this page! — This will sound WACKY to many of you, but… what the heck… I’ve shared WACKY things with you all before! LOL

I had spent a couple days working with Timothy! He is a person who is spiritually open, more of a gift of INSIGHT than anything else, but… He DOES have a gift. He could tune in, to places I was going in a conversation and almost finish my sentences! This is not necessarily easy to do with me, since I often present viewpoints that people have NEVER heard before! But it manifested itself in other ways too. For example, when Timothy found out that I was a Musician and Songwriter, he wanted to hear some of my songs. I indulged him, and he loved my music, and kept wanting to hear more! I played a song I have called “Freedom” and before I even press PLAY, he mentioned Bruce Sprinsteen! In the song, there happens to be a few lines that basically “Bitch Slaps” Bruce Springsteen! LOL

Hey, I like Bruce’s music too! But what I DON’T LIKE is his lack of respect for our TROOPS! He has some songs for example, that purport to GET IN THE HEAD of a fighting soldier… where the soldier is confused and suffering guilt, and not wanting to fight a war, something along those lines. When soldiers are on the FRONT LINES and engaged in a WAR and COMBAT on a regular basis… They don’t need some Hollywood-Style jerk-wad playing Psychiatrist for them, when they need to be SHARP and FOCUSED on the battlefield! Sure there are many other anti-war and anti-soldier songs out there, but most of them are NOT put out by an “All American” type ICON who wraps himself up in the American Flag, like he came out of the womb that way! It would be like John Wayne writing a book on the merits of Communism!

But the song does not NAME HIM as “Bruce Springsteen” and instead calls him “The Boss” Sprinsteen’s nickname! In any event, Timothy NEVER SAW those particular lyrics! Once the song started, he tuned into BRUCE SPRINSTEEN though, which is pretty amazing considering THAT is a huge part of the song.

This happened too many other times with him, to be dismissed as coincidence!

BUT TO CONTINUE:

I had been discussing God quite a bit with Timothy, since he believed in God, but had struggled for years, in JUDGING GOD for some of the tragedies in his life! I explained things to him, that he had never considered himself, and this led to MANY MANY crying jags, as he became liberated from his anger towards God, and then felt GUILTY, realizing he had made a terrible mistake for MANY YEARS!! After two days of helping him with this issue, but also other issues involving his family and his past… Timothy was feeling like a NEW MAN! You could see it in his disposition. He had told me as well: “Craig you saved me from this hatred! I’m ready for a new life! I want get off this alcohol too!”

It was VERY rewarding to see him RENEW his Spritual Life, through our discussions!

BUT… That would get challenged THIS DAY in a very powerful way!! As I was talking with Timothy on the second day, A MAN came meandering up to the passenger’s side window, where Timothy was sitting. When he came up, I felt something unusual SPIRITUALLY… something VERY POWERFUL and it shook things up around me! I knew these were SPIRITUAL things happenening, and they surprised me, by their FORCE! I have felt spiritual entities that were DARK before, but… NTOHING LIKE THIS!!

But I continued listening to this guy, as he said hello to Timothy (Clearly they knew one another) but then things turned even MORE bizarre!!

This person INSISTED that we KNEW one another and had had a big conversation many years ago! I am VERY GOOD at faces and people, and I KNEW that I had NEVER met this person before… EVER!! But then he tripped me out, by recounting a conversation we allegedly had… and all of it was VERY FAMILIAR as he told me the advice I had given him all those years ago, when I was much younger!

Realizing there was literally a SPIRITUAL BATTLE going on, between the forces around him, and those around me, I lined my good forces up, and FOCUSED THEM and got very serious in the way I spoke with him. Every time he LIED I called him on it, and I flooded him with TRUTH while turning all the lies he was trying to use, back on himself! The spiritual environment around me, gained strength and it made some of the spirits using him FLEE temporarily! I regained control of what was going on, and he began to change his demeanor and calm down dramatically, becoming more calm!

Just before this though… My spiritually aware friend Timothy, had turned to me, and said solemnly: “The Devil is trying to send a message, and he is standing right here next to me!” He was referring to this Spiritually Possessed man standing next to him at my passenger’s window!!!

I told Timothy: “He is NOT the Devil, but he has some very powerful spirits having their way with him! But God’s love is stronger, so don’t fear!!”

Well, well… It turned out that TIMOTHY and the POSSESSED GUY, had run into one another SEVERAL TIMES over the years! They first ran into each other 30 years ago, and then again 10 years ago! THEY KNEW ONE ANOTHER! And right when I am deep into helping Timothy find spiritual liberation and rekindling his love for God… This guy shows up???

During the discussion with the possessed guy, he mentioned the state where we had met: VIRGINIA! I knew the CONVERSATION he claimed we had, and that conversation DID take place in Virginia, but… NOT WITH THIS GUY!!! It was ANOTHER GUY,yet this man KNEW EVERYTHING there was to know about it!

Suddenly God made me aware, that this was not the SAME MAN I had that conversation, but it was the SAME SPIRIT I had had the conversation with!!! In other words: This SPIRIT had invaded a man in Virginia, that I had had a conversation with, and NOW this SAME SPIRIT had invaded THIS NEW GUY, and the spirit was recounting our previous conversation THROUGH THIS GUY NOW!!! Woah!!! I mean…. WOAAAH!!!

God told me that what I was doing for Him was VERY IMPORTANT, and that it would become MUCH BIGGER in time. And He told me, that this was ONLY THE BEGINNING!! More powerful forces than THIS would be aligned against me as this progressed! — I have always been VERY CLOSE to God, and that closeness has left me fearing NOTHING. I always KNOW that God’s love is stronger than anything else, and because I am deep withthin it, I have NEVER had fear of spiritual entities who intend evil and harm! Defeating them has been easy. But now God was telling me: “You must RESPECT my adversaries, or they will manipulate you!” He told me: “Now that they understand your importance to Me they will work together against you! BE SERIOUS! BE STRENGTHENED! BE READY!!”

I know this all sounds WHACKED, but… it also seemed WHACKED that A Psychic, the real deal… One who has solved crimes for Police.. told me 10 years ago: “You are an old soul, and you have a message to give to the WORLD! It is both an old message and a new message, and… The World *WILL* receive your message!” She had also asked whether I was a musician or singer, and I had confirmed that I was a singer, Musician and Songwriter! She told me: “Music is involved!”

If you had the whole background on this conversation with the psychic, it would be even more unusual and amazing to you!

And this psychic is not the only one, who has told me such things! Devout Christians (who would think psychic ability comes from the Devil) have had Visions and Revelations in dreams about a “great mission” that I would have in the future!

If this all comes to pass, as I know it will, then it would make an AMAZING BOOK! If it doesn’t: I will willingly let you lock me away, for being crazy! Ha ha! — But seriously, what is the chances of this many people, some only strangers, telling me essentially the SAME THINGS!!!

I’ll lose some friends over this, but… I’ve said that before, and somehow my friend’s list only grows, no matter who deletes me! LOL

All I can say for myself, is that: I TRUST GOD! I TRUST HIM COMPLETELY! And I love Him, more than I love anything or anyone else… Including my own life! He chose me from childhood, and one day, I will be able to share even more profound experiences than this with you all!

GOD IS REAL, and He has been assembling an army for a long while now! Evil is real too, and it has been doing the same! The days mentioned in the Bible and in many other sources, are not “near” my friends… THEY ARE HERE! 2012 will not be pretty! PRAY ALOT and then PRAY MORE!!!

I decided that I needed to LEAVE the Beaches area for now, at least for a few days! So I got out of there, and went to catch up on some personal errands…

LAUNDRY DAY!!! WOOHOO!! Ha ha!

Living in a vehicle for 8 days, creates A LOT OF DIRTY CLOTHES!! The Homeless can get Mission House charity to do their laundry for them, but… I am essentially HOMELESS BY CHOICE! So… I didn’t want to burden them with my own things. There were several loads and I didn’t have the money to spare for Coin Laundries and Detergents etc… So…

I WENT TO MY MOM’S HOUSE!!

Her house is not a mansion, but it is not shabby either! It may as well BE A MANSION THOUGH, compared to living on the streets, but… God has a plan, and living among the Homeless is part of that plan for me, for now!

What I miss MOST though, about her house, is the Recording Studio inside of it….

My mom had a Recording Studio built into her house! It is a professional space and designed to spek with acoustic tiles on the ceiling, and a special foam-like Soundproofing material that complete encircles it all.

I had hoped to turn it into a Professional Studio for paying customers, and was working towards that end, but several things delayed it coming to fruition, not the least of which, was God putting me on this Homeless Journey!

My Mom had built the studio more than 10 years ago, yet did VERY LITTLE with it herself! I had always wondered why she didn’t utilize it more, as a source of revenue, and it was only after moving back to Jacksonville, that she finally told me “WHY” she had built it in the first place…

GOD TOLD HER TO BUILD IT!!  

After my return to JAcksonville, my mother and I got into a conversation about the studio, with me asking her: “You have this amazing space, this recording studio, and you have NEVER really used it for anything! Why would you BUILD IT, if you weren’t going to USE IT??!!”

She answered: “God told me to!”

I said: “Wow! Why did He tell you to build it?”

She said: “He told me it was the only way to get you to come back to Jacksonville, and He wanted you HERE!”

Woahhh!!! I was stunned!

I knew it was sort of miraculous that she was able to build it in the first place! She had NO MONEY to build it… Not to build it as professionally as this! But she BELIEVED God on FAITH, and she began taking the steps to do what God had told her to do! She had limited funds though. It seemed impossible!

But one day she was talking to a friend of hers, and she casually mentioned that “God told me to build a Recording Studio at the house.”

Right then and there, her friend… who happened to be a professional contractor, told her: “Well, if God told you to build it… Let’s build it!” he said: “If you can buy the materials, I will design it and provide all the labor, including the other workers I’ll need!”

Wow! God is good!

She built it, and then WAITED, for God to move ME HOME! 

END OF DAY 008

GO TO DAYS 009-10-11:  http://craigmaxim.wordpress.com/2011/12/02/day-009/

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Day 007 of being Homeless was getting a little more serious now! I had donated my LAST $20 to the Good Samaritan Church which I had attended the night before. I was saving it for Gas and a few Coffees though… since I need to buy something, in order to use McDonald’s wonderful WiFi. LOL

But now I had NOTHING!

So, the next morning when Clifton saw me, and mentioned that he was going to eat lunch at the Mission House, and asked if I wanted to go with him (Since he knew I had no money, after donating it all) I accepted the invitation to get a hot meal, with the other homeless in the area. They were TEACHING me now, how to survive, where to get food, ways to get cash, laundry washed, showers, etc…

After all the help I had been giving to these people, now they were looking after… ME!  :-)

So, we walked to where the Mission was, since I had NO GAS to drive there. I was basically STRANDED in the McDonalds Parking Lot at this point!

As we approached the Mission House, you could see the many bicycles lined against the fence. It was obvious that this was an important stop for the homeless. 

We walked into the gate and past the sign attached to it:

-Mission House-
MEAL HOURS:

They can get a hot meal here, twice a day on weekdays, and once on weekends. I asked questions about protocol and I was instructed to “sign up” so that I could get my name on the “Jobs List” and set up an appoitment with Amanda, one of the “Case Managers” there. These are basically “life coaches” who help them get ready for job interviews, by providing showers, clean laundry and the like, as well as providing a list of companies in the area that hire regularly. The list was half a dozen pages long, and had addresses and phone numbers for each place of potential employment. Not having a PHONE is a potential problem, but the good people at Mission House, allow their number to be used on job applications, and they will field the calls from employers. They also provide BUS FARE for them to get to job interviews when they have one lined up.

Inside the place, were several rows of tables, with plastic utensils already on them, and you could smell the scent of LUNCH being prepared, as one of the administrators explained to everyone present, which lists they should put their names on, what was expected of them as they went through the Mission House system, etc…

After a brief “meeting” it was back outside for everyone, as they waited to be “called” back in, by groups, to eat.

 Outside as we waited, I noticed a large container of water with plastic cups beside it. The water not only tasted fine, it was COLD as well! – BONUS! – LOL

Everyone waits outside, as “volunteers” are brought in, to assist in the serving of lunch and clean-up, etc… The guy guarding themain door, was not the nicest fellow, as he got onto me, for having a plastic cup, outside the FENCED AREA! I apologized and explained that this was my first time here at Mission House and I was only just beginning to learn the ropes!

I stepped a few feet forward, so I was now INSIDE the fenced area, and I simultaneously “GOT ONTO” some of the homeless I KNEW there already, telling them: “I see how it is… let the new guy take the cup outside the fence, and NONE OF YOU WARN ME?? Y’all did that on purpose didn’t you?” I smiled as I said this, then laughed as they laughed with me, telling me: “Sorry brother… we didn’t notice you had the cup on you man!” Ha ha!

Suddenly, amidst the laughter, a well dressed woman, came outside with a GIANT CHECK, like the over-sized ones you see on TV charity programs. Some of the homeless joked, that they couldn’t fit that into their wallets, while others said: “Need help cashing that?” The woman also laughed, but explained that THIS MONEY represented the amount raised in a recent “Charity Sale” put on by Queen’s Harbor, for the Mission House and the homeless they attend to. Everyone clapped, and I quickly snapped a picture. She wasn’t used to the homeless having digital camera with them, but… kindly, she smiled and posed with the “check” and let me grab a shot of it!

People are brought into lunch by groups of five. After some time, my name was called along with four others, and I went inside to get something to eat! 

I made my way through the line with the others, and was encouraged by the volunteers there, who were dishing out very healthy portions of food, usually with a smile on their face, along with a piece of bread, bowl of salad, and there was even dessert available, sitting on paper plates on industrial food racks ready for the taking.

I sat down with my stash, and sampled the fare before me. Tasted good actually. Hot food with meat, beans and rice… not bad! I looked for something to wash it down with, and I was WARNED to stay away from the pitcher of a murky beverage sitting on the table. “Whoever made that, should be forced to drink a pitcher of it before serving it again!” said one fellow, drawing laughter from everyone within ear-shot!

After lunch, it was back to McDonalds for me and Clifton.

But this time, there was something good in store, it turned out…

I hope everyone is seeing that PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE, and we cannot always know their circumstances.. what they have been through, or even… Where they are going! Sure, MOST of the homeless are mentally-ill, drug addicted, alcoholic or a combination of these! MOST of them are NOT ready to move forward in life, but… SOME ARE! And even those who aren’t, I have compassion for. You don’t know what they have been through, and as I have learned first-hand, some of them have experienced tragedies and abuses that I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies! Drugs/Alcohol end up being a “self-medication” for many of them, being administered to save them, from even more pain in life. Sure, it doesn’t REALLY work out that way, but… It sure FEELS that way to THEM!So remember: HAVE COMPASSION!Most of these people are fairly harmless, and don’t steal or intentionally hurt others. They pan-handle or sell blood, or get short-term gigs that pay some cash to them. They already feel WORTHLESS and none of them really need, the rest of us, assailing them for their “laziness” and “worthlessness” and being “useless bums” — All too often, their families all through childhood made them feel WORTHLESS enough as it is! Anyone remember Chris? Whose father by adoption MOLESTED HIM REGULARLY since childhood? Then hit him in the head with a baseball bat for finally telling the evil man: “No!” when he turned 16? Well, Clifton also, suffered abuse growing up, particularly from an UNCLE who sexually molested him as a child! Clifton’s parents NEVER believed him however, when he reported it to them! The uncle later died of AIDS, and though Clifton has never wavered from his story, his parents still… NEVER believed him. It’s bad enough to suffer abuse, but when YOUR OWN PARENTS end up calling you a “LIAR” on top of the abuse, well… How hopeless does that feel?Most of the homeless are nice people, and some of them are incredibly COLORFUL…GO JAGUARS!!!

It was just TOO COLD to turn Pony-Tail out onto the streets. I told him he could sleep in the van tonight. He cried again, thanked me, and… began snoring in seconds!! LOLI placed the blanket over him, and resigned myself to sleeping in the Driver’s Seat with a steering wheel in my lap, and… NO BLANKET EVEN!! Ha ha!!But hey… I knew God’s Love would provide a little extra warmth for me tonight anyway! PLUS: I had extra gas now… just in case! One more Homeless person off the street, and TWO MORE homeless people, who were EMBRACING WITH ALL THEIR HEARTS, the same God they had harshly judged only the day before!It was a… GOOD DAY!

Thank God for McDonalds at the Beach!
This is where the Homeless in Jax Beach area congregate most often. I’m sure it is the 24 Hour Lobby that makes it the choice location! Bathroom when you need it. Warm inside and hot coffee if you need it, for only $1 ANY SIZE!

They are usually well behaved though, and they purchase a drink or a sandwich or whatever they can afford, so they are not freeloading.

So, I started my day off at McDonalds with a cup of coffee! And while I was on the computer at a table, somehow a conversation got started with a guy who is not homeless YET, but about to be. His name is Herbert. He is looking for work he explained to me, and said he was pretty desperate to get something going. He said he would work for $3 bucks an hour, if someone would just give a chance.

I told him there was a church that I knew, which had phone numbers for various groups that could help him, maybe even with a job, or at least something to eat, etc…

I offered to go get the information for him, so he would have numbers of places that could help him. He thanked me for taking the time to help him.

I went back to the church that had helped Chris two days earlier, to get back home to Dublin, GA. I went to the Administration building of the Beaches United Methodist Church, and I met Cheryl, a very bright spirit, and lovely both inside and out. She was all too happy to bring me a Business Card that listed some agencies for helping homeless people.

She apologized though, because apparently they only had ONE CARD LEFT!! I was hoping to get a small handfull, so I could pass them out to other homeless people when needed!

I thanked her, and then went on my way, heading back to McDonaldsso I could get the card to Herbert!

But as I was driving back, I thought: “Maybe I could stop in a few businesses on the way back, and one of them may COPY this card for me, so I could have a few extra to pass out!

So, I started looking for businesses that I knew would have a copy machine handy!

First one I came to, and decided to try, was Vystar Credit Union. Surey they were large enough to help the Homeless with a few simple copies of that business card!

I walked in the Bank (Sorry… Credit Union – lol) and walked up to the gentleman who was at the Welcome Desk. I explained my needs, and asked whether they couldn’t do a little good, gratis, and make a few quick copies of that business card for me!

The gentleman there, basically told me: “Yeah, well, I’m sorry, but… we only use our copy-machine for Vystar-Related copies.”

I asked: “Are you sure? Because I am also Blogging about my experiences helping the homeless, and… I would have to document the rejection, just as I would if some help were offered.”

Again he said: “Sorry, that’s our policy.”

I responded: “I’m sorry too. But have a good day.”

Vassar Clements

Gary is the nephew of Vassar Clements! This Fiddler has had a storied career… Albums and hit songs he has played on, and famous people he has played with!

Here’s a YouTube video of Vassar:

Of course I asked him to hold it up, so I could get a picture though! Ha ha! I have to document all this stuff… God told me to!

Clifton took the card and tucked it in his pocket, and told me “Thank you”. But he also added: “Craig, could I ask one more favor?”

“Of course” I responded, “What do you need brother?”

He said: “My mother. Would you mind praying for her? She has alzheimers and some other problems and she has not been doing very well lately… I’m worried about her. Would you pray for her?”

I told him I would.

About this time Herbert came back over, and we talked about God and how this world sometimes, just doesn’t seem worth living without His great love pouring out on us all.

But Herbert had kept asking me whether it was 7:30pm yet or not, every 5 or 10 minutes! Finally it WAS 7:30pm and I told him so, asking: “Are you on time? Everything ok?”

Herbert said: “Everything is fine, but on Tuesday Nights my church has Bible Study, and I didn’t want to be late!”

“Wow, he’s going to church RIGHT NOW! Hmmm… It had been months since I was last in church myself!” I thought to myself.

So I asked Herbert: “Do you mind if I go with you to church?”

He said he didn’t mind, so I made room for him in the Van and we drove over to his church: “The Good Samaritan” Church!

We pulled up to a small building….

Nothing fancy about it, from the outside, that’s for sure! It was a small humble looking church, and had a long inviting walkway, leading up to the double doors, leading into the sanctuary!

As we neared the Entrance, I could see the Sign clearly, at the front of the building….

“Good Samaritan”

Life Changing Ministries

We made our way into the Sanctuary and there was a small group of members there, preparing themselves for the Bible Study…

A nice woman came over and had brought Herbert a Bible to use, so he could read along with the Scriptures himself. She noticed that I also, was in need of a Bible and asked if I would like one as well. I told her “Yes, Thank you so much!”

And she came back moments later with an extra Bible!

From the MOMENT I had walked in, I could feel God’s presence there, and I KNEW that this was a good church, whose members were true believers and who also knew how to BRING GOD into service and study, to fill the place with his spirit!

The Associate Pastor was very serious about his lesson, and he carefully took the members through each verse, one at a time, asking them to make note of certain words and phrases, and hilighting them, for those with markers.

The Lesson was on Ephesians Chapter 1, verses 3 through 14.

What was a joy to see however, was that the Associate Pastor was not just TALKING AT THE MEMBERS for this Bible Study, but… ENCOURAGING discussion and questions among the members. Everyone participated, sharing what they understood the verses to be saying, and there was dialogue back and forth, as they dug deeply into the lesson!

I felt encouraged by them, to share some of my own insights on the verses we were delving into! Apparently everyone was blessed by them, because they lifted up a bunch of “Amens” and the Main Pastor (who was there the whole time as the associate taught) even clapped aloud, praising God for the word He had delivered. Everyone else joined in, and shouted their own praises to God!

It was a real blessing to see EVERYONE getting involved in the lesson and the study of scripture TOGETHER! The Associate Pastor then spoke about… Walking the walk, to the congregation and not just TALKING the talk! He spoke of our needing a willingness to OBEY and even SACRIFICE when called upon to do so! I really felt that God had not only blessed ME during this Bible Study, but i felt just as strongly, that he wanted to ENCOURAGE the church as well, through sharing a little about what God was doing through my own journey of “Homelessness” that He had put me on! I asked if I might share a personal prayer request, when the Associate Pastor finished the lesson for the night. And he asked the Pastor whether that would be OK, and he agreed to let me share before the congregation!

When the lesson was over, they passed a collection plate, and I KNEW God wanted me to put something in there. The only problem was: All I had was ONE SINGLE $20 Dollar Bill to my name, and I was saving it, for food and gas for the next four days, especially GAS, because I had to have enough of that to get to my DJ gig this Saturday! But… I had also ALREADY told God before church, that I would be looking for a day laborer job, or some odd jobs from someone to get a little more gas money anyway!

I guess God really wanted me to TRUST him now for providing some gas and food money to me the next day, because… Now I had no choice! He wanted me to give that last Bill I had… the $20 dollars to THAT CHURCH as an offering. The Lord spoke to my heart, that if I was faithful in that offering, He would take that $20 dollars and MULTIPLY IT MANY TIMES OVER for them! I KNEW a good church like this, needed blessings like that! So, on faith, I took my last bit of money, and put it in the collection plate!

When the service was over, The Pastor reminded the Associate Pastor that “Brother Craig, had something to share with the congregation, for us to pray with him about.”

So the Associate Pastor called me up, and handed me the Microphone to address the church. I began by telling them what a BLESSING it had been to study and worship with them all, and that I could feel God very strongly in their church, and in the member’s hearts!

Then I shared how I had become Homeless for a few days, but when help was offered… God told me “No. I want you to STAY HOMELESS for a while longer! I want to show people what FAITH can do, when you live by it… I want to show the WORLD what is possible through FAITH ALONE!”

I explained how God told me to get the Domain: 

www.HomelessDJ.com

And I had obeyed, and sure enough.. It had been available. I shared how I was having to WALK the WALK right now, just as the Pastor had shared in his lesson, and that “some walks are harder than others we are given” — Then somehow I was basically PREACHING to them all, sharing how the WORLD was struggling right now EVERYWHERE but that God was wanting the world to know:

“There is more than enough resources for EVERYONE! There are people with no cars, but others with several… there are people with NO HOMES but others with extra homes and extra rooms, there is enough of EVERYTHING for EVERYONE!!”, and all we needed to do was SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER and HELP ONE ANOTHER!! — I explained that God was displeased with those who HOARDED WEALTH and HOARDED RESOURCES and that JUDGMENT WAS COMING, if we did not CHANGE and begin to HELP ONE ANOTHER instead of living selfishly, and HATING ONE ANOTHER and putting politics above compassion and decency!!

I emphasized this, by reminding everyone of Jesus’ own prayer, in which he TAUGHT US… “HOW” to pray!! And that Jesus prayer was not for HOARDING WEALTH or STORING UP POSSESSIONS, but instead Jesus prayed: (Lord) Give us THIS DAY… our DAILY BREAD!!! Just our DAILY BREAD!! He did not pray: “Lord, give me weakth so I am SAFE for the next 10 years! DAILY BREAD!!! DAILY!!! — Just as the Jews were commanded NOT TO HOARD THE MANNA and save it up in baskets… God told them, He would PROVIDE NEW MANNA… DAILY… EACH DAY, providing their needs!!

“Why?? Why??” I asked, “Why does God make this SO IMPORTANT? To “TRUST” him day by day, rather than HOARDE! Because, He wants to teach us to TRUST HIM!!! TO TRUST HIM COMPLETELY!! And TRUST, is the foundation of LOVE ITSELF!!! If we are not TRUSTING GOD, then we are not LOVING GOD!!!”

The Amens were Deafening quite frankly, as everyone praised God and praised the TRUTH of those words!!

After asking them to remember me in their prayers, I handed the mic back to the Associate Pastor. As quickly as I did, the Main Pastor filled with the Spirit, grabbed the microphone and began praying loudly: “Lord God, we thank you for your word, and for your blessings and love! We thank you that you remind us, that sometimes when we invite a stranger in, who looks differently than us, we are sometimes entertaining ANGELS unaware… We thank you for Brother Craig, who is faithfully serving you and doing your will in this world!”

The Pastor began praying even more strongly, asking for my protectioon, and church members came over and laid their hands on me, and the Pastor touched my head as he prayed and then my HEART as he prayed, and… What I can tell youo, is that I LITERALLY felt an energy, a force… pass through my body! As if I had been healed of some mallady, or thye like! Amazingly enough, I had told people for several years that I feared I had a brain tumor, and maybe even blocked arteries in my heart, or an enlarged heart… But the TWO AREAS I had felt the most pain, were my BRAIN and my HEART! And these were the VERY TWO places the Pastor Himself had laid hands on me!

Yes, I gave up the last money I had, and on faith, made my offering to the church and then spoke to them, to encourage their own walk with the Lord, but… What a Blessing in RETURN!! In God’s family, blessings tend to work BOTH WAYS!!! And I truly felt ENRICHED SPIRITUALLY this night, and I KNOW that this faithful church felt the same!

GOD IS SO VERY GOOD!!!

But He is also FED UP, with the unwillingness of others… ESPECIALLY those claiming religious affiliations, TO LOVE OTHERS!!! He is upset at our SELFISHNESS and our refusal to be GUIDED BY HIS LOVE!! We covet our own ANGER by putting it ABOVE GOD, where politics are concerned, or race relations, or other religions… WITHOUT LOVE, ANYTHING WE DO IS… MEANINGLESS!!

LOVE!! LOVE!!!! GOD WANTS US TO LOVE!!! 

All of humanity is ONE FAMILY!! And it is a FAMILY that MUST learn to LOVE ONE ANOTHER!!!

Well, I cannot count how many times people just came up to me, again and again to shake my hand, and to hug me strongly! From young members to older members, from women to big strong men, all wrapping their arms around me, as if they had known me all my life!!

It was a joy! Such a joy, to be among TRUE believers in God, and His great and long-suffering LOVE!!!

When we departed, I couldn’t wait, to come back and SHARE ONLINE all that had happend today, on Day 006!!

But… there was one little surprise left! 

When I came back to McDonalds to be able to get on the internet… Clifton came over, and… He had tears in his eyes… and they welled up in his eyes, and began falling to the ground, and he said to me through the tears…

“Hey brother Craig! I’m so happy to see you! I just had to come over and THANK YOU!! My mother is doing much better!”

I said: “Already? Really? She’s feeling better?”

He said: “I know it was your prayers! I talked to my dad before you came back just now… He said she is feeling pretty good and doing alot better! I just wanted you to know that, and to THANK YOU!”

Wow! Woooooow!!!

Is it possible that God is onto something here? Is it possible we SLEEPWALK through this life, and in doing so, miss the GLORIOUS and PROFOUND SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES and LOVING RELATIONSHIPS that are… ALWAYS THERE FOR THE TAKING!!

We only have to: 

1) Listen
2) Obey

I love you God! More than I love my own life even!

 —– END OF DAY 006 —–

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Ponte Vedra Beach

Well… This was Day 005 of being Homeless, and though not as DRAMATIC as some of the other days… It was still a day with Ups and… Downs.

Ponte Vedra Beach

One of the GOOD THINGS about living out of a Vehicle, is that I have no HOUSE to go home to! — I know that I have to stay in my Vehicle, so… I may as well keep it AT THE BEACH MORE OFTEN than not! So… I have been enjoying the Beach/Ocean so many more days, than I normally would… driving 40 minutes to it from the Northside!

And that has been a JOY, because…

God’s Creation is simply AMAZING!!! 

I have always felt home at the Ocean!

It’s been good for the soul, to spend more time there! 

Jacksonville is Awesome because the Beaches are SO DIFFERENT! You can find SANDY beaches, and Colorful Shell-Laden Beaches, and other kinds as well. Very different experience on the various beaches here!

I LOVE THAT! It’s like going to the Beach in SEVERAL STATES all within the SAME CITY!  

But… The sad thing about Ponte Vedra, is that people with means have HIJACKED the Ocean there! You can drive 5 MILES or more, RIGHT NEXT TO THE BEACH and not see it AT ALL during that time, because the Houses have been built in such a way, with trees and vegetation to provide Maximum Privacy, for the homeowner (Ocean Owner) and for everyone else? — SUCKS TO BE YOU! — And as my friend Beatrice Elias aptly pointed out… Many of them are just used as VACATION HOMES!! They block everyone’s view, and yet only live there… a FEW MONTHS out of the year!!!

THAT ATTITUDE of SELFISHNESS is part of what is WRONG with the world we live in!  

I still go there, for the Shark’s Teeth and Shells there, but… You have to drive 5 or 10 miles out of your way to get to the PEASANTS PUBLIC BEACH ENTRANCE! LOL

Joe's Crab Shack

Joe’s Crab Shack! LOL

An unofficial Jacksonville  Landmark!

Red Cross Station

RED CROSS Lifeguard Station!

TRUST ME: YOU WANT to remember where this place is, if you ever dance a Tango with one of our JellyFish!

They have the CURE in a convenient squeeze package! LOL

But, it wasn’t all Beach Fun only today!

There were some SPIRITUAL ADVENTURES as well!

Some “Good” and some “NOT SO GOOD”

FIRST THE GOOD…

New Friends

These brothers were AWESOME to rap with! 

And MOSTLY, we rapped about GOD!

The Brother in the Middle was doing most of the talking, of the three, when I was there at another table. But he has a strong voice, and you could not HELP but hear his conversation!

Part of it revolved around ANGER though. He has been working on some anger issues, but for a moment, it seemed more like he was BRAGGING about letting his anger get worked up!

I got some spiritual inspirations about him, and really felt like I should offer them up to him. So… I went over and introduced myself, and shook hands, and then just came out with: “Brother, I couldn’t help but overhear much of your conversation, and dude… If you don’t find some more LOVE, I am worried you are gonna end up in Prison or a Ditch!”

He responded that He really wasn’t PROUD of it, but… It was how HE DEALT with it, to avoid it being WORSE! In other words, he would express his anger at THINGS but try and not do the same with PEOPLE!

But I told him: You know, I get the feeling that ANGER is your way of avoiding PAIN actually! It is not that the ANGER is so strong it has to be let out or something. YOU ARE “CHOOSING” Anger so you don’t have to feel… HURT and PAIN! It is your way of AVOIDING Pain! Avoiding people hurting you or taking advantage of you. I told him it likely stemmed from a sense of being HELPLESS… Not in control of the situation, so… other people have the upper hand, and this was partly his way of GAINING CONTROL BACK!

But I expressed that, rather than go through a process of FORCING HIMSELF to feel ONE EMOTION (anger) to avoid the REAL EMOTION goin on (Pain) was a self-defeating strategy! It just ADDS A LAYER to the mix, that has to be REMOVED ANYWAY, so that the REAL EMOTION can be dealt with!

I suggested that, instead of this backwards process, he “COULD” if he CHOSE TO, just change HOW HE THINKS about the situation he is facing, rather than the process he uses now! I explained that THE EMOTION is stemming from HOW HE THINKS about the events! If you CHANGE how you perceive the events, then it WILL also change the Emotion that results from the thinking!

An example might be: Someone living on the streets because of Drug Additions! You could decide that these people are just undisciplined BUMS and that thought could lead to feelings of anger or disinterest. Or… You could decide that THEIR OWN LIVES are already punishment enough, and you could feel SORRY for them, and thankful that YOU aren’t living that way! Then what happens? A completely different emotion results! Now there is not anger resulting, but… compassion or pity.

THE EMOTIONS follow the THOUGHT PROCESS!

In any event… It turned out that these young men had a GENUINE interest in Spiritual Discussions and Philosophical Discussions and they talk about deep things together on a regular basis, they said!

I thought that was AWESOME, considering that 90% of the conversations of their peers, are probably penis jokes, and the like! It was good to see some YOUNG PEOPLE who ON THEIR OWN were searching for the TRUTHS that life offers! No one MADE THEM do this… they are just a little deeper sometimes than many of their peers!

I shared some of the theological break-throughs that God had revealed to me, and… though they were very different personalities from each other… They “ALL” seemed to appreciate the insights I offered, with a couple of them saying I made a lot of sense, and it helped them understand some things better, and clear up some questions they had!

These guys were really cool. And we must have rapped for an hour or more! One of them is Military and another is dropping out of school to get his G.E.D. so he can start college sooner. I know I know… Maybe not the wisest decision, but… They alerted me to the fact that you can NO LONGER SKIP GRADES in Florida? I had not heard that before! Last I knew, you could take some tests, and skip one or two grades!

THIS PART OF THE DAY WAS AWESOME!!!

Clothes on Clearance for $2

Even though I am homeless and poor right now… K-Mart gave me a New Wardrobe for $2.00 each item, CLEARANCE! Ha ha!

I never thought I would LOVE K-Mart clothes, but… In this set of circumstances, it may as well be Rocawear! Ha ha!

Thank God for small things that feel like BIG THINGS when your situation is a little more desperate!

But, it was not ONLY GOOD experiences today!

Sadly, I let God down a little bit today…

Cigarettes

Breakfast!

Bad night for sleep!  :-(

I drove up 95-South to sleep in a Rest Area. But I just wasn’t comfortable and couldn’t sleep long, even though I was exhausted!

I finally gave up trying after looking at the clock!

It was getting early already…

The sun would be up soon. Only 2 hours sleep.

“Oh well” I figured. “Maybe I can catch the sunrise on the ocean, if I head back now?”

So, I headed all the way back down to the beach!

I pull into McDonalds at The Beach, just in time to see Chris, from the night before, heading toward me. With a big smile on his face, he says: “Hey, I’ll be happy to take one of those biscuits now, that you have in the bag!”

I’m like: “Chris, those are old and thrown away now. But… Come on inside, and we’ll get you some breakfast!”

During Breakfast, Chris says: “Guess what? A pastor from the Methodist Church up the street, said if I go to church today, that he will get me a Bus ticket home! Do you think you might be able to give me a ride to the church at 10:30am?”

I told him I would. And I waited it out with him.

Getting Chris to Church

FINALLY! The appointed hour arrived, and we headed off to get Chris to the church on time!

As we were driving to the Church, it hit me:

“Ahh ha… THIS is why you wanted me to buy that little New Testament Lord… “

So Chris was going into church with his own Bible… even if it was only the New Testament… he wasn’t empty handed!”

I gave the Bible to Chris and he smiled, said “Thank you” and put it in his pocket! I explained it was only the New Testament though!

“That’s alright” Chris said, “I have an Old Testament at home I think!” I just laughed under my breath a little and said: “Well, the Old Testaments tend to come with a New Testament already Chris… unless you’re Jewish!” ha ha!

Beaches United Methodist Church

We pulled up to the Beaches United Methodist Church…

The pastor he had spoken to, wasn’t there, but I explained the situation to another gentleman standing at the door. He agreed to take Chris inside and try and find that Pastor! I left Chris in the church’s hands and hoped for the best!

Beaches United Methodist Church

But, because the pastor had not been waiting for Chris… I went back to McDonald’s and WAITED for church to end, to see if he made it or not. To see whether he got any help or not.

Chris After Church

Free Ice Cream Cone

Chris and I then went into McDonalds and let some of the employees know that Beaches United Methodist had come through for Chris, and he was going home!

They had known Chris a little, but.. this news inspired them, that good things REALLY ARE possible sometimes, and some of them offered Chris things…

One gave him the Monopoly Ice Cream Cone winning ticket she had gotten on her own lunch, while on break!

Ice Cream Cone

Chris looked like a little kid again, enjoying that Ice Cream Cone dipped in Chocolate!

After the cone, Chris humbly asked: “Craig, I know you are homeless too, and I saw your clothes in the van… I don’t suppose… no, never mind.”

“What Chris?” I asked.

“I don’t suppose you have a bathing suit in any of those clothes bags do you?”

I told him that I did.

Chris said: “You know, I shouldn’t have asked… don’t worry about it… It’s just that I hadn’t even been IN the ocean, since I was in Jacksonville. I only had these jeans to wear.”

I told Chris that it just so happened, that I had grabbed TWO PAIR of bathing suits for some inexplicable reason, when I packed them up! “I have TWO bathing suits with me Chris!”

“Really? Two? Does that mean you would go in with me?” Chris asked. “Sure I would” I told him. He said: “Can I tell yo something? I thought you would think I was a baby if I told you, but… I’m scared to go in by myself! I don’t swim really, and I ALWAYS get stung by Jelly Fish when I have gone in the ocean before!”

I assured him I would be right there, if anything happened!

And I would NOT let anything happen to him!

Jacksonville Beach

I gave Chris a bathing suit to put on, and we headed out to the Beach to let him have some fun in the Ocean! I explained about the currents and how to navigate the waves, and before long, Chris was right at home, having the time of his life!

Thumbs Up!

Chris was doing great, but he struggled whenever he had to kneel down or put his head down to pick something up. He would get dizzy. He said he had problems ever since growing up with an adopted family. There was abuse, and his adoptive parents weren’t very good parents at all!

Jacksonville Beach

He said that when he was 16 they moved. Not him. These “parents” moved, and had left him a note on the door that read: “You need to find your own place to live now, and make your own way.”

He lived with friends on the streets for a short while, but couldn’t really take care of himself well, at 16 years old!

But his Grandmother stepped in and stepped up. She let him move in with her, and she took care of him until he grew up, and then… They kind of took care of each other, until he was 30 and she had to go to a nursing home.

Being alone again, had him running the streets and doing drugs.

I asked him what his grandmother thought about the abuse her own daughter and son-in-law had inflicted on him. He said she had disowned them as a result, and no longer had anything to do with them!

Jacksonville Beach

The abuse must have been pretty severe I told him, for his grandmother to disown her own daughter and son-in-law! He then said to me: “Can I show you something?”

“Sure Chris” I replied.

He showed me two scars… one on each hand, and signs of damage to his head as well. Chris said: “My father took two knives and ran them through my hands into the table… then he did this… (pointing to his head) and he hit me with a Baseball Bat!

I asked Chris: “What? Why would he do such a thing?”

Chris said: “Because I was 16, and I had told him ‘No!’ for the first time in my life!”

When he said this, I KNEW, he wasn’t referring to simple disobedience! I asked: “He sexually abused you?”

Chris said: “Yes sir”

“How long? When did it start?”

Chris said: “It was very early on, because… I don’t have a memory of a time it WASN’T happening!”

I just buried my face, into my hands, and began crying profusely, at the horror and sadness of it all. I told God: “Now I understand why you put me in this man’s life Lord.”

I remembered hearing someone yell at Chris: “You’ve been harrassing people all day here haven’t you?” he ignored the comment, and was following some people into McDonalds… But even the people he was following, let the door close in his face, as if he was worthless!

I thought: “If only they KNEW what this man had been through in his life… That horror of a childhood! Adopted into it. No choice, but to ENDURE it!”

Jacksonville Beach

I sat down in the water, beside him, and said: “Chris, is that when you stopped having faith in God? Did you blame God for what had happened?”

He said: “Yes. I did blame God for what happened!”

I said: “But Chris… As horrible as that was, God cannot be blamed for what PEOPLE CHOOSE TO DO in this world! He provided us with FREE WILL, and by it’s very nature, FREE WILL means that SOME PEOPLE will “CHOOSE” to do Good, while OTHERS choose to do EVIL! God cannot be BLAMED for “OUR” choices! He does NOT intervene in our Free Will Chris! If He did… He would be REMOVING our Free Will… we would then be ROBOTS, and sure… Doing Evil would NO LONGER be a possibility, but… Neither would being able to LOVE, be a possibility! God would not just be removing EVIL from our lives, but He would by default, also be removing LOVE from our lives, since LOVE can only exist by FREE CHOICE! — Can robots love anyone Chris?”

He said: “No way. They are robots. They don’t make their own choices.”

“Right” I told him! “Robots ONLY DO what they are PROGRAMMED to do, and as a result… They CANNOT love! They are not free and autonomous beings! They have PROGRAMMING but not CHOICE… not DESIRES and DECISIONS made of free will.”

So I told Chris: “Hard as it is to understand sometimes… The existence of WRONG or EVIL is actually PROOF that God has not given up on us! He has not ROBBED us, of our free will… He is STILL leaving the door open… leaving FREE WILL in tact, so that we can, IF WE CHOOSE, be able to have a loving relationship with God!”

This answer seemed to sit well with Chris. And he agreed, that God should not be blamed for the CHOICES that people DECIDE to make, of their own accord!

Jacksonville Beach

He told me he had been saved, when he was 12 years old. We started singing “Amazing Grace” together, every verse, sitting right there in the Ocean! He knew EVERY LINE!And I asked him…”So Chris… What did we learn about God today?”

He answered: “That He is a God of Love, and that He answers prayers!”

I said: “Right He is… woah… what? How do you KNOW that God answers prayers Chris? Have you been praying to Him?”

He responded: “Yes, I prayed to Him this morning in fact!”

“What did you pray for?” I asked.

“I was just very hungry, and I prayed: ‘Dear God, I’m so hungry… Please feed me.”

I said: “Wow. Then what?”

Chris said: “I walked to McDonalds and… You pulled up right when I got there!”

Well, I cried all over again, because… I had only had 2 HOURS SLEEP that night… I didn’t want to drive all the way back down to the Beach, but… I just couldn’t sleep, and something pulled me to go back to the Beach where my new friends were.

We just sleepwalk through this life sometimes, when… God would REALLY LIKE to be able to USE US more often, to make a difference, sometimes… just to be in the RIGHT PLACE at the RIGHT TIME! Maybe the world would be a far better place, if we just learned to: LISTEN and to OBEY!

Jacksonville Beach

I told him: “I love you Chris!”

And Chris said: “I love you too brother!” and he added: “Hey, I didn’t even hesitate when I said that!” and he had such a big sincere smile on his face, as he said it!

Bus Station

We finished our time at the Beach, and dried off, and headed out to the Bus Station, to be there early, and make sure he caught that Bus home. His grandmother is in a nursing home, and I asked how often he sees her. “Every day” he said. “Every single day”. I asked: “Are you able to talk normally with her?”

“Most days” he said. “She has alzheimers, but… only a touch.”

Well, when you get home, are you gonna try to clean up, and be there for your grandmother… and make something better of your life? Will you get some help, so you can beat the drugs?”

He said that he would. That he truly wanted to, and felt sure that God wanted to give him a new life, and that I was a big part of helping him see that. He said: “I know I won’t blame God anymore for what happened to me. He sent you to me. I am grateful to Him.”

He took his thick army jacket off, and said: “Would you give this to someone who NEEDS it, when you go to McDonalds next? I have another jacket at home, and… Those guys are still living on the streets… It will be getting cold again now… Someone else needs it more than me!”

I told him that I would MAKE SURE that someone who needed it, got it. He smiled, and kept thanking me over and over! I told him to thank God, because it was GOD that kept putting me in the right place to be of service to him, and others.

Bus Ticket

He filled out his Bus Pass and I went outside with him, so he could have a smoke, before the Bus boarded!

New Friend

Outside, we met THIS WOMAN, who called herself “C”I told her: “Well… “C” guess what? This is Chris with a C right here, and… I am Craig with a C, so… I think we will all remember each other’s names a little easier, huh?Chris said to me: “I think God wants us to help C out some way.” I said: “Well, if YOU received that inspiration, maybe YOU should “Obey” (which interestingly enough, was what the Sermon was on that day at Beach Methodist… “Obeying your Parents” and I asked Chris: “Who is your parent?” and he said “Elizabeth and Aaron Maddox.” and I said: “Those were FAKE parents… Who is your REAL parent?”

Chris smiled and said: “Oh… yes… I see… It’s God! God is my real parent!” and he reached into his pocket, and gave some of the money he had for food, to Mrs. “C” and told her: “I think God wants you to have this! Remember… He loves you!”

Bus Driver

Chris and the Bus Driver hit it off immediately! Ha ha!

Bus Driver

As you can see!

I know Chris is safe at home by now, and grateful for all the experiences he had! And to be honest… So was I.

GOD IS GOOD! He is ALWAYS good! 

We just have to learn how to: LISTEN & OBEY!

Musicfest!

My friends Jeff Wade and Deborah, had invited me to the Gator Creek Music Festival in Middleburg the day before… I didn’t know that I would be spending 5 HOURS with Chris though! LOL

But they understood, and… I still made it there in time to catch a couple rockin’ tunes! And of course, once again, Jeff added: “You know brother… You can always stay with us if you need to!”

GOD IS GOOD!

Musicfest!

It was really one big JamFest! Everyone was switching instruments, rockin’ out… Brought back memories! ha ha!

Jeff and Debra

Me, Jeff and Debra!

Oh yeah… YOU KNOW, that afterwards… I drove ALL THE WAY BACK to the Beach, with that Jacket of Chris’s firmly in hand!

Jacket

And it was only minutes, before Rick showed up… As he walked over to me, I held out a Cigarette for him (from those I had left over) and… He accepted with a smile, cause he hadn’t even ASKED yet! LOL

But he did add: “Thank you for the cigarette friend, but… Actually, I noticed you had clothes hanging up in your van, and I didn’t know whether you had brought them to pass out or not?”

I asked: “What were you needing bro?”

Rick said: “It’s starting to get cold again…”

“So… you need a Jacket?” I asked.

“A jacket would be amazing!” he said. “I just have this t-Shirt right now!”

“Well Rick… Guess what I just happen to have right here? A special friend of mine gave this jacket up, for someone to use, and… I think he would probably like YOU to have it, but… It’s gonna cost you a PICTURE!” LOL

“Not a problem” Rick said! Ha ha!

And as you can see above… He was pretty happy with his score for the night! I know he’ll be more ready for that cold at least now!

REMEMBER MY FRIENDS:

 

God is LOVE. ALWAYS and ALL THE TIME!!

 

So… Let Him LOVE… THROUGH YOU!!

 

—– END OF DAY 004 —–

 

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Craig and Ken

God is Good! — THE PROBLEM: My VGA out is… out. Ha ha! And I need to go out of the VGA to an external monitor for doing my Karaoke Gig. The ONLY GIG keeping me in gas and food, while I have been Homeless! — But as I said before, God is wanting to show people, what is possible with a little FAITH and a little help from others! Well, my wonderful friend Leslie Cheesman Rovero contacted me and told me that Ken Arnold, a professional Computer Tech (And Bass Player! WooHoo! A fellow musician!) was touched by my Journey and he wanted to fix my computer, if fixable… FOR FREE!

Thank you Leslie! And thank you Ken!! What amazing friends you are, and also wonderful children of our Father in Heaven!

Amazing how RICH I suddenly feel… In Homelessness!

While at Ken’s I actually also made… A NEW FRIEND!!!

Freddy the Freeloader

MEET MY NEW FRIEND!!!

He didn’t exactly START OFF friends with me though! He growled when I first walked up to the House! Ha ha!!

Ken said he is known to bite sometimes, so… he put him away until I came in and got settled! But once I sat down at the kitchen table, Fred (His name is Fred) came over, put BOTH his paws on my knee, and lowered his head for me to pet him! Which I did, OF COURSE! How could you refuse an invitation like that? LOL

After petting him a bit, he went under my legs and curled up at my feet, and… Just stayed there, as long as I did! Aww…. My new Pal is pretty cool! They call him “Freddie the Freeloader” but… I’d say he earns his keep, being the gatekeeper for the family!

Fast Friends!

Kisses and Tail Wagging! 

Is there supposed to be a greater reward than this?

It’s funny, how being Homeless really makes you APPRECIATE the smaller things in life!

FOR EXAMPLE…

24 Hours McDonalds

‎24 HOUR MCDONALDS!!!! Ha ha!!

This is where me and my new Homeless friends gather in the mornings! You may see 5 to 10 here, coming and going… a Little community! They know one another, they “usually” try and help one another in various ways… advice… whoever has cigarettes shares with the others, and the next day they get shared with back!

I know it says “No Bikes” but… Pretty sure they mean RIDING on the sidewalk there. A bike for a homeless person, may as well be a Mercedes! I’d keep my eye on it at all times TOO!

And another small Blessing this month….

COFFEE!

ONE DOLLAR COFFEE…. *gasp* ANY SIZE!!!! WOOHOO!!

Ray Kroc, founder of McDonald’s Corp, deserves a special place in Heaven for his wonderful business! Ha ha!!

This is the LAST PIC from yesterday, but… In case you thought God was slowing down some… Oh…. No Sir!! NOT BY A LONG SHOT!!

Wait till you read what is happening…. TODAY!!!

JUST WAIT!!! No really… You have to WAIT, until I post about it…

TONIGHT!!

Keep Praying for God to work through this Adventure, because my friends… HE REALLY REALLY IS!!! Thank you all.

END OF DAY 003

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Park by the River

I woke up and drove a bit, and remembered this park, with benches and a view of the river. I had been to Dollar Tree for some essentials earlier, and as I was checking out… I saw a small New Testament for sale, right there at the cash register.

It reminded me of my deceased Grandmother (Gran Gran) and I felt a draw, to get one and go do some reading a meditating!

Park Bench

 I chose this bench.. Sat down and… Pulled out my Little New Testament. 

New Testament

Excuse the hand… I suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns on my hand, when flaming grease spilled all over it a year ago.

In any event… The New Testament reminded me SO MUCH of my Gran Gran (Grandmother) because as a child, she would give me one of these to make sure I always had one. She probably gave me 5 or more growing up.

She and my Pa Pa took me to church as a child, especially when I lived with them. My mom was a single mom, and I got put with relatives (pretty much all of them, at one time or another, lol) very often as a child.

It was my Grandfather, a retired Railroad Engineer who taught me about Sports. He would watch one game on TV and listen to one or two more on radio, simultaneously to keep up with them!

He also taught me how to SAVE MONEY! (My abusive Step Father would later UNDO this important value, but… That story is not for THIS album! lol) My Grandfather got me a Piggy Bank, and he told me… “As long as you SAVE and don’t SPEND the money in this bank… I will put change into it EVERY NIGHT when I come home. I kept my promise… and he kept his! Even if deep in sleep, every night… every single one… I would hear the familiar jingle of my Pa Pa’s pocket change, falling into the jar and dancing around before settling on top of all the other change.

The only sad part of these experiences, is that later, when my mom took me back, which she always did eventually… It changed my Grandfather. He raised me during that time, like his own son! He pushed me in a Genuine Red-Rider Wagon and played ball with me, fished, took me to Jacksonville Suns Baseball Games! But when I had to leave… He closed up, and… stayed to himself more, became less friendly to EVERYONE. I think it really broke his heart, and… losing my grandfather… and I mean BEFORE he died… Certainly broke mine.

Sunset

I read the New Testament for quite a while, and quite LITERALLY cried as I turned every single page! I just felt God pouring His heart out to me, as I read the words that have changed my life, so many times! It was a beautiful day! But now night was coming, and it was getting colder, so… I decided to just Drive, and maybe stop somewhere and get a bite or maybe a quick beer and meet some new people. It can be lonely living in a mini-van by yourself. LOL — For some reason Karaoke was strongly on my mind. Which is odd, because when I DJ, I often do Karaoke based parties, and I even have a weekly gig, one night a week running Karaoke right now, so… I get Karaokied-Out a lot! Ha ha!

Well Lord, I thought… Should we go sing somewhere tonight?

I dried my eyes, got in the vehicle, and just started driving, trying to think of places that might have Karaoke on Fridays.

And THAT leads us to the Amazing Plan God had for me and a few others that Night!

New Friends

WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR ABOUT THESE GUYS!

I decided I should go somewhere else than the Beaches, where I crashed the night before… So I headed down 95 South exit from Downtown. I started to go down Beach Blvd, but… Something told me to go down Atlantic Blvd instead. I didn’t know any places on Atlantic Blvd with Karaoke, thought I am sure there are plenty, but… I couldn’t resist the force making me travel down Atlantic Blvd! As I drove down Atlantic, I didn’t get very far… I saw a place called “The Mudville Grille” and it was lit up with colored lighting, and it seemed to be open. It felt right to pull into the parking lot and see if they had Karaoke!

I had never been to Mudville Grille, so I was looking forward to having a little fun in a new place!

So, I’m walking toward the Door at Mudville Grille, but my attention keeps focusing on the much smaller bar NEXT DOOR to Mudville! It was so tiny though, and I had determined to go to Mudville already, so I tried to dismiss the thought… after all… It was MUDVILLE that had ORIGINALLY made me pull into that parking lot! So, I put it out of my mind and went for the door handle of Mudville, but… It’s a good sized place and I went to the wrong door apparently… It was LOCKED! I saw two other entrances to the place, and started to go toward one, when… I saw the sign in front of St, Nicholas (I think that was the name) it was the little bar I had been avoiding… But the first door I went to was locked at Mudville, and I saw that little sign in front of St. Nicholas… KARAOKE TONIGHT! Ha ha! Well, well… Guess this tiny joint MUST be the place after all!

I went in, and the entire place was smaller than some apartments I have lived in! LOL — Really? This is the place I’m supposed to be? There was only a handful of people there… less than 20 probably, but… someone was singing Karaoke. It’s funny, because I had been thinking of that song Rhiannon, by Fleetwood Mac all week! No… I was NOT going to sing a girl’s song! even Stevie Nicks! Ha ha!

So, I survey the scene… but I haven’t ordered anything yet… The bartender offers me a drink, but I told her “hold on hun… just a second.” I didn’t even look at her… just held my finger up, telling her “one second” and kept looking around this tiny place! I’VE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!!! HA HA!! WHAT AM I DOING IN THIS TINY JOINT? IT’S SO SMALL! NO ONE HERE!
Hmm…

By this time, the Bartender came back over, and said not one word, but flashed me about the MOST BEAUTIFUL SMILE I had seen all day that day! I couldn’t resist her sweetness!

“Ok, you got me!” I told her! I took my drink, and resigned myself to the situation! I wanted to sit at the bar, but there was only ONE SEAT available at it! And the woman who occupied the seat NEXT to that one… had her purse in the chair, and I didn’t want to bother her, so… I just stood the whole time! LOL

New Friend

But my attention kept going to the guy NEXT TO HER, clearly a friend of hers, as they were engaged in an animated conversation together. I did notice that her phone kept going off… lots of TEXTS it seemed! I kept thinking I should TALK to the guy next to her for some reason, but… I just got there, and wasn’t sure of the inspiration… so I waited. I didn’t have to wait long. The gentleman called me over and asked my name! I told him, and he said “Well, it’s good to meet you Craig! This is a really nice little place here! Give it a chance! Everyone is great and you noby gets into fights or anything. By this time… someone left the seat next to HIM! So… I asked if it was OK, to sit down there. They said “Of course”

As we are all 3 getting to know each other a little, making jokes, etc… Her phone just KEEPS GOING OFF!! She shakes her head, and looks exceedingly frustrated, and says: “I’m going to be a grandmother! I told my daughter: “CONDOMS, CONDOMS, CONDOMS!!! I preached that to her a MILLION times, and what does she do? Unbelievable! I work so hard to put BOTH my daughters through college, and… Now this! And doing it ALONE TOO!! I NEVER THOUGHT I would be ALONE at this age in my life, left by my husband… abandoned.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.” I said. “What happened?”

She looked somberly at me, clearly debating whether to GO THERE and unveil everything or not! In almost the same instant though, I saw her face as she toughened up and resigned herelf to telling me WHAT HAPPENED!

Turns out… He had KILLED HIMSELF! Committed suicide! He had been paralyzed pretty severely and was a prisoner in his own body. Compared to the life he HAD lived… It was too much for him. He killed himself, and left her alone with her daughters!

“And now, if THAT wasn’t enough already… my daughter is PREGNANT!” she said.

“WHERE DID I GO WRONG???”

I STOOD UP right then, and pointed at her, and said: “Listen to me VERY CAREFULLY! It is not because you WENT WRONG… You did nothing wrong! It is actually the OPPOSITE!! YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT!! EXACTLY RIGHT for this situation, and EXACTLY RIGHT to be the ROCK your daughterds would need, to get THEM through life after something like this! You have SLAVED to put them through school, which will… CHANGE THEIR LIVES… not just for a while, but… FOREVER!! What your sacrifice has done, is SET THEIR LIVES UP FOREVER!! YOU BOUGHT THEM something… A FUTURE!!”

I moved a little closer… Still pointing at her to DRIVE THE POINT HOME, and I said… “AND GOD PLACED YOU THERE, because HE KNEW that you would handle it, NO MATTER WHAT, for your Daughter’s sake!!!”

Then I said… “And if you only remember ONE THING from this conversation tonight, REMEMBER THIS: GOD LOVES YOU SOOOO MUCH, that He brought a COMPLETE STRANGER down Atlantic Blvd and into this TINY DIVE, just to TELL YOU THAT, and ENCOURAGE YOU!! To tell you that you are not doing OK… you are doing AWESOME!!! And God watches you EVERY DAY as you work your fingers to the bone…and HE POURS HIS HEART OUT to keep you going! HE WATCHES YOU EVERY SECOND OF EVERY DAY!!”

She started crying, and looked so gratefully at me, and as she did, the Karaoke singer was singing… NO! Not Rhiannon!! LOL — He was singing “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain. A song that I sing myself often at Karaoke! But as this grateful woman looked into my eyes, and the singer sang the lines of the song… I told her: “Listen to these words… RIGHT HERE: And as if on cue, the singer sang the line “I’ll be… the Greatest Fan of your Life!”

I took her hand, and after the singer sang that line, I told her: “God wants YOU to know, that He is the GREATEST FAN OF *YOUR* LIFE!! He is a FAN… Of… YOU!!! HE LOVES YOU!! HE THINKS YOU ARE DOING GREAT TOO!!”

Well, we were ALL tearing up then, and she walked around to get to me, and gave me one of the best hugs I think I have ever had!

I thought earlier: “Well, I guess I won’t have anything really spiritual to share with my Facebook Friends today, oh well.”

I could not have been MORE WRONG!! 

I ask you: HOW GOOD IS GOD?!!

Rhiannon

Oh yeah!!! I almost forgot (no I didn’t! ha ha!)

I had to have a PIC with the girl who had that WONDERFUL SMILE that KEPT ME in that God forsaken place that night! Ha ha! That SMILE helped make sure I did God’s will that night!

So… HERE IS THE PIC of her and I.

I wanted to know her name too… So I could put a name with the face, whenever i looked at the PIC!!

What was her name?

RHIANNON!! No joke!

GOD IS AMAZING!!! 

THAT IS WHY YOU NEED TO “INCLUDE HIM” IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, EVERY TIME!!! He will ALWAYS put you WHERE YOU “NEED” TO BE, When you do!

I LOVE YOU, MY FRIENDS!

END OF DAY 002

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Jacksonville Beach, FL

READ WHAT THIS WEBSITE IS ABOUT:

http://craigmaxim.wordpress.com/what-is-homelessdj-com/

——–BEGINNING OF PHOTO-JOURNAL———-
WELL, I AM OFFICIALLY “HOMELESS”  :-(

And I decided that if I was going to have to sleep in a VEHICLE, I may as well do it in my favorite place:  THE BEACH!  :-)

And… It is a beautiful night out here! No doubt about that. I have to go to sleep after I post these next pics though! My homeless buddies (yes, I have homeless buddies already!) kept me busy for a few hours. LOL

Craig Maxim - Jax Beach, FL

Moon behind me, from the Beach. Dark out, so… with flash you wouldn’t see the moon. LOL

I don’t know for how long, but… THIS IS MY HOME for a while!  I made the Title 3 digits just in case!

e.g.   Homeless Day 001

I’m hoping it won’t go past 999 Days!!   Wow!  (fingers crossed)

Power Inverter

I stopped by Walmart before looking for a Parking lot to sleep in, to see if I could find an adapter so I could charge (or at least use) my computer or charge my phone, etc… This one was reasonable, and has two outlets and seems to be working good! YAY!! I can use the computer even though I am homeless!

Craig Maxim

No mean comments! I’m actually losing weight right now, thank you! Ha ha! — Oh… the Hat? Well my friends, the last time I wore this hat, was my VERY LAST LIVE GIG with my old band! The one I formed myself, hired everyone in it, and we were BLOWING UP!! Record company came out to scout us… We were playing HUGE Biker rallies… Sturgis had just tried to book us for 8 nights straight… We were half-way through our FIRST ALBUM, and… MY BAND mutinied… They tried to FORCE me to sign a contract, giving them half-ownership of ANY SONG OF MINE that they “PLAYED” on in gigs! Most of these songs were written 12 Years BEFORE I MET THESE PEOPLE… and TWO OTHER of my bands had played them BEFORE this one… Yet I was supposed to give them OWNERSHIP OF MY SONGS???

I told them… “I didn’t give my other bands ownership of THE SONGS I WROTE BY MYSELF… So… why do you think I would GIVE THEM AWAY TO YOU??? We could break up tomorrow… And for the REST OF MY LIFE… YOU GUYS would own my songs too? I would need YOUR permission to sell them, record them, etc… MY OWN SONGS??? I don’t think so! — We broke up, and they have since struggled to keep players in their band. I didn’t challenge them for the band name… that “I” made up… I left it to them. I figured it wouldn’t mean much without my music and me playing and singing that music… and it seems I was right. They have gone through several lead drummers, singers and guitarists since then.

SOME OF MY ORIGINAL SONGS: http://www.reverbnation.com/craigmaxim

Clothes Rack

I found an old broomstick, and tied it between the coat hanger drop-downs. Now I have a makeshift closet, to find my stuff easier! LOL

James - Homeless Person

Well… My first night HOMELESS became quite a night (still is… finishing these pic comments to tell this story, but then sleep!) And it’s funny, that my PERSONAL music career, sort of BEGAN with homeless people, when I was only 12 years old!!

My mother was a professional singer, and she took me out of school to be a roadie in her band… later, when they learned I could sing… they put me in her shows too. We travelled up and down the East Coast for 6 years (they did it longer) but I left when I was 18, because I had a “step-father” … my mother’s boyfriend actually… who BEAT ME on a pretty regular basis… drawing blood and breaking things occassionally… like my BRACES once, because he hit me in my mouth at 12, so hard, that it broke my braces in several places, and there was WIRES sticking through my cheeks. The wire was thick though, and they couldn’t get it out of my cheeks, so they took me to the Dentist to have my braces removed to fix it. They didn’t get me braces again though, and I had f*cked up teeth for the rest of my life afterwards as a result. Anyway…

When I traveled the road with my mom’s band… I would go out to our trailer, where there was an Upright Piano… and I would play with it, sounding out chords and melodies, etc… I started writing songs almost right away! So here I am… 12 years old… maybe 13 by then… and I am playing the Piano in the back of the trailer! I barely had room to scooch the stool under the piano, and I could play it, and not fall off the back of the enclosed trailer as long as I didn’t lean backwards! Ha ha!

One day I was playing… writing songs and communing with God (music was kind of how I talked to God when I was a kid!) and… when I finished the song I was playing… suddenly…

I HEARD CLAPPING… A LOT of CLAPPING!!! WTH???

I hadn’t seen anyone when I went out to the trailer to play piano that day… where was this… Then I saw them! I could see “EYES” and some “SMILES” through a FENCE that separated us… There were VINES all over the fence, so I didn’t see them at first!

“THEM” was… a group of homeless people, who were sitting in the back of a convenience store building, cause they would go through the trash to find food. So, I was only 12 or 13, but… My heart went out to them, and I went over to talk with them!

Why are you eating out of the garbage? “We don’t have anywhere to live right now.” And I asked one of them: “Don’t you have any family?” He said that he had a daughter, and I encouraged him to go up north and find her… That she probably missed him, and maybe he wouldn’t have to be homeless, if he did. He said he would, but… you know how that goes. I doubt that he did.

BUT… I’m writing a book here, LOL … LET ME EXPLAIN THIS PIC!!

MEETING JAMES:

THIS IS “JAMES” (In fact, he just drove by on his bike again, and said THANK YOU! AGAIN! lol) why? I bought him a Chicken Sandwich! It wasn’t much money. Only $1.07 but… This guy is homeless and he was clearly strung out. He was trying to get people to give him BILLS for his QUARTERS. He had a lot of quarters but the stores didn’t want to take that many quarters. So he was looking to exchange them, but… He was hitting up people in the McDnald’s DRIVE THRU to do this!! And they were people leaving the clubs, so they were intoxicated too, most of them! All I heard was him screaming “F*ck you!! F*ck you too!!!” and he did this to SEVERAL CARS when, I suppose they had choice words for him. Finally he rode his bike by me… I was in my van, but in a parking space!

So when he saw me, and made eye-contact… I asked him: “What’s wrong bro? Why are you being mean to people?”

He drove the bike over, and went right up to my window… almost putting his head inside it… that close… and I’m thinking… Just Great, try and calm people down, and I’m gonna have to get in a fight for doing it! But he explained what he was doing, and that he had only wanted to buy a chicken sandwich with the money, but they get mad at him when he gives them CHANGE instead of BILLS!

I told him I would BUY him a chicken sandwich. He started to give me his money and I said… “No no… This is on me… Hold onto your own money.” I told him… “What I WOULD like you to do though… Is drive your bike, ride back around that drive thru, and APOLOGIZE to the people you yelled at!” His face dropped a little, and I added: “Don’t you think you should? They didn’t ask for you to come up to their vehicles late at night, only to get into a yelling match with you!” He said: “You’re right. I’ll do it… but can you ask them to add some pickles to that chicken sandwich?” I laughed, and said: “No problem brother!”

True to his word… He went back around the drive-thru and apologized to EVERY SINGLE CAR! He told them he was wrong, and he was sorry for what he had said.

Yay!! Peace was made, and at the bargain price of $1.07 WooHoo!!

But… not so fast! Just when I thought the good deed was done, and everything was groovy…

Party Kids at McDonalds

So… I’m talking to these dudes, cause they had seen the whole thing… with the screaming and the drive-thru! They were like: “Do you know that guy?” I was like: “Nope.. Well… I do now. His name is James!” And they were like: “You just bought him a sandwich after all that?” I said: “It was a small price to keep the peace!” I laughed, and they said that was pretty cool.

Meanwhile JAMES… has changed his tune 180 degrees! He is now telling people… Including this group of dudes above, that… “Love… It’s all about love people!” and he keeps telling people to have a good night, and that LOVE is the most important thing! LOL

From “F*ck you!!” to “It’s all about LOVE people!” Wow! ha ha!

Maybe I rubbed off on him a little I thought!

Then I realized…

SPOKE TOO SOON! This night is NOT gonna end smoothly right now it seems. Not yet anyway!

I looked up and saw: A NEW DUDE come on the scene! I looked up just in time to see JAMES and his bike, hit the ground! The other dude… the New Dude had just PUSHED HIM DOWN, and his bike with him! Oh boy! Dammit! Here we go again! LOL

I get out of the Van to break them up, before it gets worse!

Trouble? Or a Blessing in Disguise?

SO: I look up again, and… Some dude… SOME NEW DUDE… has just PUSHED JAMES DOWN to the ground and his bike with him! The dude was drunk, and James was tweaking a little, clearly, so… I guess James was too much in this other dude’s grill, when he told him it was all about LOVE, and asked him if he had a few singles for 8 quarters!

So… I see James go down, and get out of my van to intercede, and separate these guys. I get the separated and tell James to drive on away, but… this new dude is yelling at him still. So I tell him: “That dude is just high right now bro… let it go. He doesn’t mean any harm… he only wanted some change… let it go!”

The new dude is like: “why do you care?” and I’m like… “Cause that dude doesn’t even know what he’s doing right now completely I bet! But some redneck is gonna come by and James is gonna say the wrong thing, and that is the LAST TIME that James will say the wrong thing! Someone could pop his ass with a handgun, and he’d never see it coming! I don’t want him to get hurt… or YOU to get hurt… or anyone else, to go to PRISON! you know?”

So he is like: “What if a redneck came and put a cap in YOUR ass, for helping that dude? what If I did that myself? You don’t even know me, I could be a…”

I cut him off, and said: “I believe in God brother. I don’t want to see ANYONE get hurt, but… I’m ready to go whenever! This life hasn’t been my friend at all.”

BY THEN: This Dude’s FRIENDS had pulled up in their truck! Guess I got James to leave in good time! LOL

So now, they are talking to me, and… They basically are cool about everything, and in fact… Wow!!

In fact… The first dude (blue shirt) said: “Look man… you had to give that guy James YOUR SANDWICH! Here… take out food!”

I’m like: “No man, I bought him that to shut him up and… maybe save his life! ha ha! Don’t worry bro, I’m not really hungry!”

His friends were like: “Hey bro… what about a beer? Would you take one of those? They’re ice cold!”

I laughed and said: “THAT, I will take! I appreciate it very much guys!”

But dammit, if my new buddy (blue shirt) didn’t INSIST even still, that I take their bag of food too! So, I took it and thanked him for everything! They gave me a beer to take back with me… and they slipped ANOTHER beer, in the bag of food from McDonalds! LOL

So… I did a $1.07 good deed for someone….

AND WHAT DID GOD GIVE ME IN RETURN???

BEER and MCDONALDS! Ha ha!

WTH???? OHHHH MYYYY GAAAAAWD!! LOL

Let’s count… 5 Sandwiches! FIVE OF THEM!! and… let’s not forget the TWO BEERS! (still haven’t drunk one yet though! lol) Been typing all this out instead! Ha ha!

But… IS GOD GOOD OR WHAT???

Pretty much a 7-Times Return on ONE GOOD DEED! God rules!

But… I REALLY was not very hungry! I hated to waste that many sandwiches!!!

WELL, GOD HAD OTHER PLANS!!!

Turns out I could put them to good use RIGHT AWAY!!

HOW?

WELL…. 

Tony - Homeless Person

THIS IS TONY!!!

So… Tony walks over to my van, after everyone else has left, and as he walks over, I suspect he is going to ask me for one of the sandwiches. LOL

So, before he even gets all the way over, I offer him a few sandwiches, and he is grateful and accepts. Before leaving though…

He turns around and says: “I saw what you did for everyone… And I was wondering… I know it is unlikely.. but… Does a man like you (with your heart) smoke cigarettes? I’ve been wanting one all night, and… I’m just sorry to even ask…”

I told him: “Sorry Tony! God told me to QUIT SMOKING just YESTERDAY, and… what can you do? When GOD tells you to do something… You should do it, you know?”

He smiled and said “Yep! That’s what you SHOULD do, but… Well… God has been working on me… I know He has… I’ve been homeless most of my life, but… I do belong to a church, and God has been trying to move me in a better direction, and I’m inching my way there, but… it’s hard! I got addicted to drugs when I was in foster care. And I have struggled with it ever since. I don’t do it like I did though… It used to be ALL DAY EVERY DAY! But… now, I have gone as long as two weeks without it!”

I asked him if he wanted to pray with me about it. And he said he did. So… I took his hand, and… we prayed for a bit together, and when we were done… he thanked me, and said “God bless you sir. Thank you so much!” and he took his sandwiches and went to sit and eat them.

MEANWHILE: As I am HOPING that this is the LAST EPISODE for the night, and HOPING that I can settle into the driver’s sleep and get a few hours sleep… NO SUCH LUCK!!

A Chick now walks by, and is getting into it with the manager!! Screaming at each other back and forth! WTH??? REALLY??? What is it with everyone tonight? It’s not even the weekend yet! LOL

So I go over and help separate them too! TONY comes over and helps too, and knows the crazed lady and says: “Lisa… this is no good. Come on now… walk away and let these people alone!”

She kept on though. And the store called the cops on her!

Meanwhile, I was talking to the manager, and she was telling me that she goes to church. And I’m like: “As loud as you were screaming at that lady… I bet you’re in the choir, huh?”

She smiled ans said she was! – I told her… I used to be in a choir… In fact… One church asked me to be their music director when they had an opening, and I agreed to help them out for awhile, so… I was music director of the church for awhile. refused to take a salary though! LOL

So, I say goodnight to the Manager of McDonalds, and …

BOY AM I READY FOR BED!!! But…

YOU GUESSED IT!! The Night was NOT OVER YET!!

Chris - Homeless Person

MEET CHRIS! LOL

Chris heard me talking to the manager, and he walks over to my van and says: “I heard you say that you were a music director at church at one time.”

I said: “Yes, that’s true. Quite a while ago though!” lol

He says: “Still… would you pray with me… I could use it.”

I asked what his needs were, and he said “Work! A job or… if not that, then a way to get home to Dublin, GA.”

So we prayed together. It’s like HOMELESS PEOPLE CHURCH suddenly, in the McDonalds parking lot! LOL

After we prayed, I offered him a sandwich too (I had 3 more still! LOL) but he said he had eaten earlier, but… If I had a cigarette… He would love to have one. I told him that I was fresh out, since YESTERDAY! God had made me quit, so… told him I didn’t have anymore since then. He thanked me and started to leave… but…

I wanted to do SOMETHING for him! I asked him how far Dublin, GA was. He wasn’t sure, but… he showed me his driver’s license and sure enough… He was from Dublin! LOL

I put the address in the GPS to see how far it was… Over 200 miles! Wow! If I drove there tonight… That would be over 3 hours probably. 6 hour round trip. GEEZ!! Hmm…

I figured I had enough money for GAS there and back, so… I offered to drive him there, but it would have to be NOW!

He said his stuff was in Jax! It would take a few hours before his friend woke up and he could get it. I was suspicious!

I asked him whether he used drugs. He denied it, but teared up some. I told him that I was not using the drug use as a litmus test, in other words… I told him that I would DO THE SAME FOR HIM… whether he was ON DRUGS or NOT ON DRUGS! It wouldn’t change my heart to help him.

He finally admitted that he WAS on drugs. So I asked him… “You don’t really want to go back to Dublin right now then, do you?”

He said: “Well, I was hoping for some cigarette money. I just needed a cigarette, to smoke and help keep me awake. We can’t sleep on the beach at night… It’s illegal. We have to sleep during the DAY and stay UP at night, or they will arrest us.”

Wow. Hmm….

I told him: “I am NOT going to give you money. because you and I both know, you will use it for drugs. But I WILL get you some smokes. Tony over there needs one too. I’ll get you a pack to split together. He teared up a little, and said: “God bless you… thank you!”

So, I went off to get them smokes. Tony had wanted Menthol though, and Chris didn’t smoke Menthol. Tony said not to worry about him. He said “You’ve been so generous… I’ll be happy to smoke ANY KIND! Just get regular for him, and I can smoke some of those too!”

So, I went off but… I had to get them their own packs! Menthol would make Tony’s night, a good night. LOL

Chris and Tony

So, they each had their own brands! LOL

Kind of funny though!

Here God makes “ME” quit yesterday, and now… I buy two OTHER GUYS cigarettes that… I CAN’T SMOKE!! LMAO!!

God is funny! LOL

So… as you can see… TONY and CHRIS are talking in the Pic above!! I realized that Tony didn’t know Chris! But he SHOULD have, because Tony is at that McDees ALL THE TIME (I found out from our conversation) and he has been living that way, for MANY YEARS now! SAME PLACE! And Tony knows… EVERYBODY!! Some of the businesses even give him odd jobs once in a while… Passing flyers out when bands come through, etc…

When I realized that Tony didn’t know Chris… I figured Chris had not been in Jax very long yet! I asked him, and he affirmed that. He had been in Jax for only a couple days.

I asked Tony if he would tell Chris about the Free Breakfasts he had told me about… sponsored by a local church on Sunday Mornings. It was only ONE DAY A WEEK but… At least Chris would know where to eat on Sunday Mornings!

That is what they are discussing in this pic!

So… when I said goodnight to them, Tony says…

I have to stay up ALL NIGHT, until tomorrow morning, when I can sleep in the park without trouble. If you want… You can park in that parking space over there… and… you have Tinted windows so… The cops won’t bother you. And I stay right here at McDonalds ALL NIGHT… I’ll keep watch for you, if you want. I promise that I will keep watch ALL NIGHT for you, if you need me to. You have been very nice.!”

I told Tony: “Well, let me say goodnight to my friends online and post my news about this interesting night tonight, and… I may just take you up on that Tony!”

So… Here we are… MY FIRST HOMELESS NIGHT!! (morning now) and I am gonna let Tony guard me tonight, lol, and see if I can’t get a few hours sleep in this van!

I love you all, and remember… GOD IS GOOD! And… HE IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE… Look how He was working… just in the lives of a few homeless people tonight? Well… and the others who crossed our paths tonight!

Well, let me sleep a bit… TONY!!! Where’s Tony? Oh…

THERE HE IS!! Goodnight beautiful people!

OVER AND OUT!! (God is good! Remember that!)

BEING HOMELESS IS A LOT OF WORK THOUGH! Ha ha!

Love you guys!

Jacksonville Beach, FL - Sunrise

Started to sleep but… I realized the sun was coming up, and… It was soooo pretty… just had to take a pic or two!

Jacksonville Beach, FL - Sunrise

Beautiful Morning!

Jacksonville Beach

Well, it SEEMED a beautiful morning, but… As I got closer to the Water…

Homeless on Beach

The smaller object next to the Beach Stroller is a Homeless woman. She is about to go to sleep. The police arrest them if they sleep at night, so… they have to wait until morning to go to sleep… on the sand, in their clothes. They wear ALL their clothes, so… no one steals them! The woman walking her dog, is a home owner on the Beach… She probably passes a few homeless people every morning. Thankfully, at least… she lets them be. Sad though. And a striking picture of disparity.

Homeless Sleeping on Beach

Another Homeless Man...  It was a warm night, but… They still wear all their clothes, so that no one takes the few things they have!

PRAY for these people, and… COUNT YOUR OWN BLESSINGS!!

END OF DAY 001

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