Change the World

A Weekend Getaway

| Laura Lee Bonde

Guess who spent the weekend with us?

Lee.

Last week, God put it on my heart to invite Lee over to relax, to feel normal, to be involved in family life…to just “be,” so on Saturday, after Nathan and Kyle’s flag football game, I drove to Balboa Park to pick him up. I was to meet him at our usual spot, where we hang out during lunch times, and when I drove up, he was sitting there waiting, already showered.

It was very important for Lee to shower BEFORE he met the kids. He said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” Continue reading →

Lunch for Three?

| Laura Lee Bonde

Yesterday, on my walk to meet Lee, I thought about life, about if one person can really make a difference in this world, if reaching one person was enough. Lately, God’s been speaking to me about how it was important to leave the ninety-nine to find the one. Even the other night, when Scott took us out to dinner, he parked in space ninety-nine. I was listening. God is always talking to us, we just need to remember to listen.

As I walked up to where Lee was sitting, a young man from the other direction approached, too. As he grew nearer, he said, “It’s time for our visit.” He had a violin, which totally excited me. His name was Anthony. Lee moved to the ground, I sat in the chair, and Anthony sat on the other side and pulled out his violin. When he found out who I was, he was very excited. He said I was well talked about and said he was hoping to meet me someday. Then, he began to play. Continue reading →

Picnic with Peeps

| Laura Lee Bonde

Yesterday morning, right before I left for work, I packed food for a picnic: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, strawberries, chips, and some sweets. I packed enough for Mike but haven’t seen him the last couple days and knew if he wasn’t there, Lee would end up having dinner to take with him, and it ended up working out that way.

In the afternoon, as I approached Lee, I saw that he was reading his book about Bill Clinton. He wanted to rise to give me his seat but struggled to get up, so I encouraged him to stay in the chair, and I sat on a blanket at his feet. Continue reading →

When Money Runs Out

| Laura Lee Bonde

Yesterday, God had more than one encounter lined up for me, but the one I’ll share with you now is the one with Lee. When I walked up to him, he was asleep, slumped in his chair. I’m so glad he has a chair to be slumped in, but at the same time, my heart wants him to have a bed. I gently woke him, and he rose to give me his seat..such a gentleman. While he situated himself on the ground, I sat down, and we began to talk. Continue reading →

“Love is Alive”

| Laura Lee Bonde

faithful
willing
teaching

mocked
ignored
abandoned

faithful
willing
teaching

betrayed
beaten
abused

faithful
willing
teaching

nailed
hung
pierced

Faithful
Willing
Teaching

Loved through life
Loved through death

Rose for us
to become Love

“Everyone Counts”

| Laura Lee Bonde

When faith is lost
and hope is gone
and no one comes around
what happens

Is that when people
fall into despair
seclude from others
and get lost in their mind

Is that when death
creeps in and
strangles the life
out of the heart

Is that when sadness
overwhelms every thought
and depression becomes
a weight that sinks the soul

Is that when tears
flood the inside
drowning the future
of becoming real

Is that when laughter
becomes buried
and smiles become
a thought never expressed

Never be afraid to be a friend
Never be afraid to give a smile
Never be afraid to say a prayer
It may restore hope
It may restore faith
It may restore life, a life worth living

Good Friday Cries

| Laura Lee Bonde

I am so glad I didn’t wear makeup yesterday. I was crying on and off all day…all of them good. What a happy bottle God has with my tears in them! Listen to how God is working: on Thursday night, I met a man who offered to do the marketing for my flag business for FREE, and yesterday, a woman called to order flags who is a publisher. I believe my devotional book will be available sooner rather than later. Anyway, enough of that. Let’s go to Balboa Park. Continue reading →

My New Dance

| Laura Lee Bonde

Probably since in the womb, when music would play, my body would move. I have always loved to dance, but when I became a Christian, I had heard that dancing was bad. Well, in most of my life, it had been, so when worship music would come on, my body would move to the rhythm, but I would control it because of the feelings that would overcome me.

When my body would move to the sound of worship, I would feel dirty…filthy…like I wanted attention, money, sex, so I would do my best to stop the movement but didn’t know how to stop the negative feelings associated with it and never spoke a word about it to anyone. Continue reading →