I got the coolest jacket the other day, for the small clothing bank we have at the cafe. It was black leather with red trim and had a really neat AND1 basketball logo on the back with yellow and orange flames shooting out of the hoop. Truely a coat of many colors. I had somebody in mind immediately to give it to.

There is this young man who has been coming to the cafe since I have been there. I think he is 12 or 13. At first he hardly spoke and very rarely did he ask for anything to eat or drink. He just kind of sat there for awhile and then left. After a few weeks, we began to joke around and eventually became "cafe buds." So when I got this coat I thought of him.

I gave him the coat and said, "If it doesn't fit, you don't have to take it."

And he said, "I know it fits."

I said, "You want to go look in the mirror to see if it looks good?"

He said, "I know it looks good."

I had to laugh out loud as he slung the jacket over his shoulder and struted into the cafe. He was smiling from ear to ear and so was I.

This little episode made me think of the story of Joseph and the coat his father, who loved him very much, had made for him. Joseph had alot of bad things happen to him but through it all he remained close to God. He made "good of the evil done to him" (Gen. 50:20) and God richly blessed his life.

Just as Joseph's father loved his son, so too our heavenly Father loves us and through that love we love others. I pray that if and when bad things happen to this young man he remembers his coat of many colors, given to him with love, and he too make good of the evil. May God bless his life.

I Love This Place,

See you Tuesday's 3-6

Paula Browand