ON EARTH AS IT IS IN THE
UPSIDE-DOWN KINGDOM OF HEAVEN

SO A LITTLE ABOUT OUR FAMILY- WE MOVED HERE IN NOVEMBER 2022 FROM OUR LIFE-LONG HOME OF LONG ISLAND, NY. WE SOLD OUR HOME FOR A PROFIT AND TOOK THE LEAP INTO THE UNKNOWN, TRUSTING OUR GOOD FATHER TO MAKE OUR PATH STRAIGHT AND TO LEAD US ALONG RIGHTEOUS ROADS FOR HIS NAME'S SAKE. THE CALL WAS TO JOIN THE COMMUNITY OF SAINTS HERE IN TEXAS WHERE WE FELT WE COULD GET ROOTED AND FLOURISH AS DISCIPLES OF KING JESUS, SO WE OBEYED WITHOUT HAVING ALL THE ANSWERS. CHILDLIKE FAITH, RIGHT?

TWO MONTHS AFTER ARRIVING AND WHILE FRANKIE WAS STILL LOOKING FOR WORK IN JANUARY 2023, I LOST MY LONG-TIME EMPLOYMENT AFTER MAKING AN OVERZEALOUS COMMENT ABOUT KING JESUS IN AN HR SURVEY, AND UNFORTUNATELY, AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT ALLOWS FOR FIRING EMPLOYEES FOR ANY REASON OR NONE AT ALL. IT WAS A HEAVY BLOW THAT OFFERED NO VINDICATION OR RECOMPENSE. AND YET- STILL TRUSTING THE LORD AND GRATEFUL FOR THE RESOURCES WE HAD FROM SELLING OUR HOME, WE CONTINUED APPLYING FOR DAY JOBS AND TURNED OUR ATTENTION TO CHUBBY NOON'S KITCHEN. WE BUILT THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE, FINALIZED THE BRANDING AND PACKAGING, STREAMLINED AND STANDARDIZED THE PROCESSING, AND PROCURED LICENSURE, PERMITTING, AND CERTIFICATIONS TO SATISFY LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. WE REGISTERED WITH THE REQUIRED GOVERNING BODIES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS AND BECAME LEGALLY ESTABLISHED AS A LEGITIMATE OPERATION IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

MONTHS CONTINUED TO PASS- FRANKIE WAS BROUGHT ONTO STAFF AT OUR HOME CHURCH IN JULY 2023, WHICH HELPED TO COVER MOST OF THE HOUSE RENT, BUT LACK OF A DUAL INCOME CONTINUED TO DRAIN THE SAVINGS THAT HAD SUSTAINED US THUS FAR. THE JOB MARKET IS ONE OF THE ROUGHEST IN DECADES AND MY JOB SEARCH CONTINUES. 

WHEN THE GENEROSITY PRAYER WAS INTRODUCED AT OUR CHURCH, IT WAS TRULY LIFE-CHANGING FOR US. IT WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE WORK THE LORD WAS DOING IN OUR HEARTS- "HELP US TO INCREASE IN GENEROSITY UNTIL IT CAN BE SAID THAT THERE IS NO NEEDY PERSON AMONG US" TOOK HOLD. WHAT DOES "NO NEEDY PERSON AMONG US" EVEN LOOK LIKE IN TODAY'S ECONOMY? WHAT WOULD IT LOOK LIKE IF WE-AS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE BODY OF CHRIST- STARTED MEETING THE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF THE BROTHERS & SISTERS AROUND US, THE EXAMPLE OF THE EARLY CHURCH AT THE FOREFRONT OF OUR EFFORTS? EVEN AMID OUR UNCERTAINTY, WE KNEW WE WERE STILL ABLE TO MEET OTHERS' NEEDS- "SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED."

​

CHUBBY NOON'S KITCHEN HAS ALLOWED US TO TAKE THE LITTLE RESOURCES (CREDIT CARDS COUNT AS RESOURCES, RIGHT? ASKING FOR A FRIEND...) WE DO HAVE AND POUR OUR TIME, TALENT, AND ABILITY INTO THEM TO CREATE MEALS THAT BLESS OTHERS IN AN IMPACTFUL, SPIRITUAL WAY. THIS IS OUR ATTEMPT TO LIVE OUT THE PARABLE OF THE FAITHFUL SERVANTS AND TAKE THE FEW TALENTS WE'RE ENTRUSTED WITH WHILE THE MASTER IS AWAY AND MULTIPLY THEM INTO ABUNDANT BLESSINGS FOR HIS PEOPLE AND GLORY FOR HIS NAME. WE STRIVE TO MAKE EVERY BITE A SOUL-SOOTHING EXPERIENCE THAT STIRS AFFECTION AND JOY IN THE HEART TO THE GLORY OF KING JESUS- AFTER ALL, WE EXIST BY HIM, THROUGH HIM, AND FOR HIM. 

I REMEMBER DURING THE INTERVIEW FOR MY LAST EMPLOYER 8 YEARS AGO I WAS ASKED: "IF MONEY WERE NO OBJECT, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO DO?" I SAID "CHUBBY NOON'S KITCHEN, FOR SURE." AT THE TIME, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT IT WOULD END UP BECOMING, I JUST KNEW THAT IF I DIDN'T NEED TO CONSIDER MONEY, I WOULD GLADLY COOK AND BAKE AND GIVE IT ALL AWAY TO THE GLORY OF KING JESUS AND NEVER RETIRE. ALL OF LIFE FOR ALL OF LIFE, RIGHT?

​