Parking Lot Sake

     On a blistering Tuesday afternoon a man stood out in the parking lot as we were all leaving the office for taco specials down at Macha’s. He held a large white umbrella over a wooden table that came up to his chest.
     I went over with Bryce to see what the small sign hung over the box said. We got close enough to smell a strongly fermented aroma at the same moment the sign spelled down its length “Free Sake.”
     The man smiled as I accidentally met his eyes. He was shorter than even I was.
     He let go of the umbrella and it wiggled the table it was fixed onto. “Would you like some? Yes, please, it is good and free.”
     Normally I was the cautious one, but Bryce said, “Hey, is this legal?”

Powers Disclosed

Clamoring for heroes to save us
or wishing we had weapons against fear,
we forget that we are superhuman
with the power of a kind word,
a hug or kiss, encouragement in all its forms,
our weaknesses echoing, flares in the dark;
we are a variegated pattern of love
made in the image of a God who cares,
who lets us experience the joy and greatness
involved in bringing salvation
to a world in need of light.