Facebook Publication Date: 10/6/2021 10:10

Early Fall is here.

The leaves are turning and falling, even here in San Diego. Even on hot days, like this one, there is a crispness in the air as the sun sets. It’s sweater weather after dark now.

It’s harvest time.

Fall is when we stock our larders, fall is when we stew and pickle and can.

Fall is turning a bushel of apples into pies and sauce and even dried wreaths.

Fall is when we spread out the beans, and with Hesed precision, separate the good navy and pinto and black eyed and lima and butter beans from the dross: the sticks and pebbles and sand. And then wash and wash and wash. And then soak.

And then put them up on the stove to simmer and simmer and simmer for hours upon hours, all to have a bowl ready to share for our fellow walkers.

There is a favorite bean recipe of mine; Brazilian beans. Simmer and simmer; stir and stir. Chop in the vegetables. Season the stock.

Serve with Orange Slices. And Orchard Aroma.

Breathe in.

As we all take stock of the progress we have made in the last year (or not), of the lives we have touched, however indirectly, as we consider how we have spent our time and talents; as we look down and see how muddy and holy are our overalls (or are they still pristine?);

As we rub the calluses on our hands; the calluses that make our hands hard, but our hearts soft, as we wipe our foreheads and leave a streak of compost behind, we allow ourselves to think of harvest, and bounty, and sharing.

We allow ourselves to remember those we will never see, but who will be nurtured by our collective orchard.

We remember our oranges in this grove are succored not only for ourselves, but for others.

We stand in the heavy laden Orchard.

Together.

This is the early October Invitation to Financial Engagement.

And this brings us to the by-now familiar boilerplate, which I hope one day will be unnecessary, because the Invitation to Financial Engagement itself will be unnecessary:

Very simply, I would like to continue to serve you with my utmost. I thank you in advance for allowing me to do so.

I also thank those of you who have financially engaged without the prompt of the invitation, and for those of you who are aware of the shortfall that has been endured post Holly. If you would like to earmark engagement specifically to address that shortfall, you can designate and we will see it, and again, your thanks for your faith in me, in us, and your commitment to our Western Star, even in the midst of adversity.

To Sustainers, Sustainers in Training, those who have registered for the Lace on Race Cafe, and those who aspire to be part of Chef’s Table, thank you in advance for your fulfilling your monthly commitment. It is you all who allow us to serve and influence and mentor and teach and abide. Every month, especially in these recent challenging months, my heart swells because of your continued faithfulness.

For those of you who engage a la carte at the Takeout Window, I hope you have seen and appreciated the value in the fare we offer you and directly invite (and gently and lovingly challenge) you to partner with us.

If you would like to know more about becoming a Sustainer or a Sustainer in Training, or if you would like to be seated in the Bistro, links are below. I look forward to walking with and abiding with you in ever deeper ways.

What we do is different from what you will see anywhere else. What we offer to you is different; and what we ask for and from you is different. We are grateful for you. You will find our walking with you will never waver.

Sometimes it’s hard to say variations of the same thing at least twice a month: but the truth is here every day: what we do here is important and needed; your financial engagement is what allows it to happen, and this: we have only scratched the surface of what could be and what reach we could have.

Thank you to those who are now and or are considering walking with me in this way.

And a candid thank you, and an invitation, to those who are considering re-engagement who have not since February. I hope you have seen our faithfulness to you individually and to the community as a whole. Our faithfulness and resolve will continue; on that you can rest. I look forward to your renewed commitment with anticipation and with deep gratitude and appreciation.

With deep and unshakable Hesed,
Your Lace

PayPal: paypal.me/LaceonRace
Sustainer Form: https://bit.ly/SustainerForm
Sustainer in Training Form: https://bit.ly/SustainerInTrainingForm2021

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