The Bengal Barn Revisited

Well, here it is!  Remember back in the middle of

November when I posted 1-2-3 First Down?

This is the infamous Bengal Barn where it all takes place...

This past Sunday we went there to watch the Battle of Ohio.  Mr J, his son and I are the only Browns fans there.  There is one Steelers fan that is married to a Bengal fan.  In the corner is a big screen topped by a smaller TV.  There are other smaller screens lined up on both sides, plus one by the food area.  You never have to miss a play.  You can even see one screen from the bathroom!

The facilities are somewhat primitive... Notice the urinal on the right?  The TP holder matches the arms on the throne.  Bengal stripes are everywhere!  Check out the bar stools...

The half time baby shower was going on, so the main corner cleared out.  Notice the front row seating?  Yep, airline seats.  There's another set behind the bar.  I'm surprised they haven't yet been reupholstered in Cincinnati colors.

Aside from the creature comforts, it's a lot like a tailgate party!  There's always lots of hot food, salads, snacks and desserts.  (My step-son is the tall guy in the only Browns jersey, as if his height didn't make him stand out enough.) 

Here is a great view of the main TV area...

Hope you're enlarging some of these to check out all the Bengal paraphernalia on display.  See the Bengals onesie hanging to the right of the white cabinets in this next shot?

 

My DIL's mom has had it hanging there, waiting until the day DIL had a baby to put it on.  Since she's due in January, she gets to take it as soon as the season is over.  However, once Brady outgrows it, it goes back on the wall!

Here's a good shot of pregnant DIL and the airliner seats....

As I mentioned earlier, there was a baby shower during half time... a Bengal baby shower!  Despite how much it hurt, the group also respected Daddy's team.  Here are some throws they made for Daddy and Mommy's cuddle time with Brady...

Daddy's throw is folded up here.  They made it 7' long for him!

I wonder how Mommy and Daddy are going to decide what Brady wears...

Of course, babies need lots of blankies...

They apparently didn't want to buy any more Cleveland Browns material and went with a generic fabric in the Cleveland colors.  They also made little hats in these patterns.

I have to admit...  it was the most fun I've ever had at a baby shower!  But hey, shove the gifts back in the bags... the third quarter is starting!   Uhhhh.... 1 - 2 - 3 FIRST DOWN!

(Note:  Mommy has definitely ruled out Quinn as a middle name!)

Homeless for the Holidays

Winter is coming on and the holiday season is upon us.  With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many of us are feeling gratitude for our many blessings.  It is a time when we sometimes turn our thoughts to those who are less fortunate.  When the first snow of the season finally hits the ground, I am saddened.  I love snow, but I can't help but think of those who are without shelter.  While I sit comfortably in my warm room looking out at nature's blanket, others are huddled closely together, trying to conserve their body heat.

Soon our families will be gathered together for a feast of thanksgiving.  We will stuff ourselves until we're hurting.  We will divvy up the leftovers for nibbling over the weekend.  But there are many who have no invitation to the family dinner.  For them, it's just another day of trying to survive.

Thankfully, there are people that not only care, but do something about it.  Cindi and Mark of Target: Dayton are two of those people.  They not only share the gospel with the homeless of Dayton, but they meet their needs.  They serve meals to those that attend the services.  They gave out over 400 pairs of winter gloves in October alone.  God has blessed them with enough donations to buy this chuch:

You can see the nice buses they are blessed to have.  They provide transportation from homeless shelters, low-income housing, the RTA bus hub, and the public library.  Last month, over 4000 people road their shuttle buses to Target Dayton Ministries.

This is one of the choir members.

She also helps out around the place.  She was all excited because I told her she could come visit our farm.  She wants a home in the country someday...

They prepare over 4000 meals a month, so they need a kitchen adequate to handle the load.

They also need a large place to serve the meals.  Last month, they served 1500 people a hot breakfast, and over 2500 people were served a hot dinner.

 

Cindi is very organized.  The tables are numbered to help the volunteer servers.  It is amazing to watch how efficiently their system works.  I've never seen a professional caterer do as well a job at getting a large number of people served pronto!

So why am I telling you about them again?  Well, if you live in the Dayton Ohio area, they could sure use your help and/or your donations.  If you live somewhere else, there's likely a similar place near you that needs volunteers, money, supplies... 

Whatever your situation, there is something you can do to make the world a better place.  Maybe you have decent clothes in your closet that you no longer wear.  Maybe you have a few hours a week to spare.  Maybe you have a van or car and could take someone to an appointment.  Maybe you're good at reading or Mathematics.  Cindi told me about a guy that gets to keep damaged boxes of syrup.  Evidently a lot of boxes get damaged, because Cindi doesn't have to buy syrup anymore!

Please think about what you have or what your talents are, and how God can use you to help someone else.  There is no better feeling than knowing that because of you, someone else had a better day...

There is a link to Target: Dayton! in my sidebar.  If you would like to make a donation to their cause, you will find an address on their home page.

May God bless you and yours this season, and may you never be without a home.