I guess it was around 5:30 pm, 11-05-03 when I got done with my business at CompUSA. I knew that our Church, Calvary Chapel West Covina was having a project called Baskets of Love. As Christians, as is stated in Hebrews 13:16; Do not forget to do good and share with such sacrifices. God is well pleased. There are so many that have no joy in their lives and for us as Brothers in Christ, I felt it an honor to be able to have something to be able to contribute. If I can fill one mouth, bring one moment of joy to someone that is lost and has nothing, I have fulfilled that calling within my soul.

I am a member of both AFTRA and SAG, so I respect those hard working union members. I also, as a business owner have been on the other side of the fence, but I digress. I vowed never to shop at Vons, Pavilions, or Ralphs until labor and management came to some agreement on what was deemed fair for both sides.

I made the decision to go to my local Pavilions in Arcadia, as it was the market I had done business with for the past two years and my recently departed father-in-law had shopped there for many years. Since I was on a Mission of Mercy, as a Brother in Christ, I would show those striking employees, of whom I had known for all those years that I am trying to help those who cannot help themselves. As a sidebar; I have not gone through those doors since the strike and have gotten my food stuffs from Trader Joes.

I grabbed a cart and smiled at some of the employees that I had known. There was a very young Asian lady, who was a stock clerk that blocked my way. I took out my information sheet, which was printed by our Church. I told her that I was only buying Thanksgiving food for the hungry. She stayed in my face and told me; Why dont you get in your car and go to Ralphs? I told her that I was on my way to church for Wednesday night service and to bring in the canned items. She continued to block my way. I told her to move or I would push through her. She moved. By the way, this lady is named Audrey and I always tried to be nice to her, as she was a little on the heavy set side and just didnt feel like she had too many friends for all the wrong reasons. It seems that Audrey was not a lady that was to be trifled with.  I made my way into the store.

I purchased my canned goods. I got six cans of green beans, peas, carrots, yams, instant mashed potato buds, cranberries and stuffing. I also went into the pet food aisle and picked up three small bags of doggie treats for Sugar. Who is Sugar? Sugar is a wonderful little 8 year old Yorkie, who happens to be owned by a Christian Brother and Sister of mine, Joe and Geniva Brown. Sugar loves Buck and will come to my apartment door two or three times for a treat. Joe is 78 and Geniva is 76 years old and are very dear friends. I was in line, only to find a 19 year old young man who was doing my check out. He said that it looked like I had a pretty large family. I told him of my purpose for our Thanks Giving Baskets of Love. He said; God bless you sir. A lady, two people back in the check out line looked at my items and said that the doggie treats didnt look like they were for the homeless. I looked at her and asked her if she had a problem with me. She simply glared. She said that those strikers needed to get the benefits they were asking for.  I said that I was a Christian, a Brother in Christ and that I would pray for her. She said; Okay, why dont you pray for me right now? She was being angry and sarcastic. I said I would. I turned around to her, placed my hands on her shoulders and prayed for the Grace of God and the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ be with her during this special holiday season. She was shocked. I kept looking right into her eyes and said; Miss, there is a Womens Rest Room right over there. When you use it, look at yourself in the mirror and ask why you broke through the picket line. I then turned to face the cashier, who I noticed had tears in his eyes. He said that he was 19 and his mother had left him and six children when he was 13 because of a drug addiction and she has never been found, this being six years later. He said God bless you for what you are doing. I paid my bill, gave him on of my business cards and told him if he ever wanted to come to church with me, I would be more than happy to pick him up and introduce him to some wonderful people.

As I exited the store, a rather large Hispanic male approached me. He said that I had broken the picket line. He said it with a snarl. I did not know this man. I asked if he was from this Pavilion. He said he was with the union and was the strike Captain. I told him about Thanks Giving Baskets of Love for our Church and he continued to snarl. I then said; By the way, you have a young, little on the heavy side Asian stock clerk that really got in my face. If you guys ever want to get this over with and get something out of this corporation, it cant be handled with anger. Anger only turns your supports against you. He said that there was not and young, 19 year old, heavy Asian store clerk here. I moved within four inches from his face and said; I will do two things right now. I will grab your shoulder and we will find this lady, or you will follow me. It is your choice. You had better make it now. Well, he decided against being led, so we walked to the opposite end of the store. There was a group of five local Pavilions employees, of which one was the 19 year old, heavy set Asian girl. The strike Captain was very quiet at that point. I walked right into the young ladies face and said; How dare you. You have known me for more than 2 years. You know that I told you why I chose to cross the picket line. You also know that I told you that I do all of my shopping at Trader Joes, as I agree with your cause. I am doing this in the name of Our Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ. I am doing this to bring a moment of thankfulness to those less blessed than we are. How dare you place yourself above a joyous and blessed Thanksgiving. Young lady, if I were not a Christian, I would be saying other things to you, but what I will do is pray for you and all of you that are not now working and standing in this cold weather. I made you a promise, of which you can take to the bank. I will never, never, never, never enter this store again. You are the reason for that decision. God bless you evening. I turned, unloaded the basket, being watched by some 30 pickets, put the empty basket where it belonged and turned to look at all the strikers and said I will pray for each and every one of you in the name of Our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Tonight, at service, we had a visiting Pastor, as Pastor Joe is on a mission to Chile. This man is Pastor Larry. We studied the Book of Luke 15 and the story of how much God want to come to us. He spoke of the three stories that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ told the people gathered around him. Then all the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. In the second verse, The Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, This Man receives sinners and eats with them. In verse four, through verse 32, Our Lord spoke three parables to them. It told of how so many see God as so far away, so unreachable that they simply give up trying. What they dont understand is that God is seeking them. What they dont understand is that God desperately wants them to be a part of his flock. God wants them. It is of this that Luke 15 is all about.

I received much from the message of the evening. I told the visiting Pastor of the circumstance at the market. I told him that I though he was going to speak about Our Lord Jesus Christ knocking over he tables of the tax collectors. Tax collectors were the lowest of the low in those Biblical times. The Pharisees, which numbered less than 10,000 in the Holy Land, were looked up to as the most reverent. It is this dichotomy that brought Jesus to tell the three stories. Oh how we learn. Oh, the joy of the Lord Jesus Christ in my Heart is something that means eternity for me and I pray for those lost souls at Pavilions.