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Mother’s Day at Kairos...I am Married Now... Trusting in the Plan...
Posted on Monday May 06, 2013
What's up guys,
I am so excited to report to you that I am married now!! The last few weeks have been a blur, and I missed writing to you last week, but I thought it was okay since I was on my honeymoon with my beautiful Bride. J Our Wedding was the most meaningful “Kairos” moment of my life, with the exception of being introduced to Jesus, and the day went above and beyond all that we could ask or imagine. We were very grateful and humbled by all your prayers, comments, and encouragement, and to be surrounded by all of friends and family on our big day. I was actually very nervous standing in front of all those people, but as soon as the doors popped open and I saw my beautiful Miss coming to me I was ready to rock and roll. We had a video made, which was good for me because I have had trouble remembering all the little details, and we will be sharing it on our Facebook Pages as soon as it is complete. The biggest thing for both of us was all the love poured into our big day by so many people who gave so much of themselves to make it a blessing to all of us. My Staff Katered the Rehearsal Dinner and it was a huge success. The food was off the chain, and Chef Bob and his crew did an outstanding job at our reception. I’ve never received so many glorious comments about the food. I would also like to give a shout out to Steve Longenecker, My Pastor, Mentor, Friend, and so much more for giving us a beautiful ceremony that many people said was the most special one they have ever attended. We spent the first part of last week in Seaside, Florida and the last part of the week in North Alabama at a place called Gorham’s Bluff. We thoroughly enjoyed our week and I loved having a whole week to enjoy spending time loving on my Wife. It was incredible. I’m sure I’ll have more details to come!
Next week is Mothers Day! I want to let you know that Kairos will be hosting our Annual Mothers Day Lunch, which is always a huge success! This is really the only Sunday that I enjoy opening the Kafe to honor all the Momma’s out there! The Seating starts at 12:20 and goes on until 2:30. We would prefer that you make reservations, but if you forget just come on anyways! I am working on the menu tonight and I will get it out to you in a separate e-mail tomorrow. Forgive me for being late. I have been busy getting myself married to the most beautiful woman on the planet, and loving on her J All your favorite delicious goodness will be on the menu though! And I am so excited to be cooking in my kitchen at Kairos Kafe! I hope to see you this week, and as long as they last we have some leftover wedding favors for you guys in the Kafe. We gave out the salt & pepper shakers that were taken from Kairos Kafe Gardendale as gifts. If it hadn’t been for that experience Haley and I would have never met each other, so we thought that was a neat favor. There are many left though that I want you guys to have, so come and see me this week!
This week, in lieu of my thoughts I want to share with you guys a previous blog entry. It was written on the eve of my 40thBirthday, and Haley and I read it together the day after our wedding. We thought it was amazing. And I think you will appreciate it. As you read though be reminded that I am still 40 years old, but at the time I didn’t have my sights on marriage, but somehow Jesus made all these good things happen... Suddenly! Be encouraged by His Plan, and God Bless you as you follow Him this week!
“Monday, July 2, 2012 Mixed Emotions…Come-Aparts… Jeremiah29:11
I really feel compelled to write today. I’m not even sure why and I guess I really don’t have to have a reason. It amazes me that when something is bugging me or eating at me how writing is like therapy for my soul. I know many of you read my newsletter each week and I appreciate all the feedback. Today however, I don’t really want to write about delicious food and all the reasons I love being a Chef…Today is the eve of my 40th Birthday… It’s weird because in my mind I had a plan or an idea about what life would be like when this monumental occasion came to pass… I would already be married… with a bunch of little Joneses running around … married to the woman of my dreams…running a thriving restaurant … participating in some kind of awesome ministry...etc.
Isn’t it interesting though that life doesn’t always turn out the way we planned it… this past week I saw a Facebook post with a picture of the Time Machine from the 80’s Classic “Back to the Future”. The date that Marty McFly entered in was this past week in 2012… funny though, if you watch the movie and see all the predictions for 2012 none of them were very accurate. It echoed my own thoughts and feelings about how life should be when I turned 40…
Very Inaccurate.
This past week has been pretty hellish for me. I always dreamed of running a restaurant, and although I love Kairos and all the positive things happening over the past five years it has also been the hardest thing I have ever tackled in my life. I have witnessed many miracles along the way of “building relationships around food” but the obstacles have been incredible. There have been many times that I would have given up and thrown in the towel if it had not been for all the people who invested their time and money in this dream of mine. It has been a very humbling and rewarding experience, but somehow, in my mind, I wonder if it will ever get an easier.
For some reason finances make me wacky. I trust Jesus in just about every other area of my life, but for some reason with money and finances I must honestly say that I do not. For instance, I know that God will protect me. I have no qualms about this. I am able to walk through any Maximum Security Prison without fear and encourage those guys. Even when it seems threatening I am able to laugh it off because I know that Jesus sent me there for a reason, and I know He won’t let any harm come to me. Maybe I know that because I lived there once and he proved himself to me in that area of life. So I know that he has my back. A few years ago I was hit by a drunk driver who was traveling at over 100 mph. I walked away from one of the most horrible things I had ever witnessed with not even a scratch… If I am sick, or have anything going wrong in my body I have no problem talking to Jesus about it and time and again He either heals the problem or shows me what to do. Everytime.
I have had people tell me “James you should write your Testimony…” Testimony?? Which one? If I tried to write down each and every time that Jesus has worked a miracle in my life I could write from now until my 80th birthday and never run out of words…
But then there are all these other areas of my life where I don’t trust him… Finances…Relationships…Business… Don’t get me wrong I WANT to, but time and again I find myself frozen…unable to act… defeated.
I had one of those weeks this week where everything that could go wrong seemed to go wrong. Starting our second location was supposed to be a glorious time… everything would be wonderful… a dream restaurant… instead it seemed as if everything was turned upside down and the dream turned into a nightmare… finances not adding up…Staff not working out… customer expectations for the Gardendale Location not being met…etc. When I came in on Saturday the temperature in the Dining Room read 88 degrees… all this from an brand new unit that we spent thousands of dollars to install…it was under warranty, but still, they couldn’t get out in time for us to open Saturday night…then on Sunday (which was supposed to be the first day of a much needed Vacation) I had customers who needed food…so of course I put my plans off for one day to take care of their needs… But when I went in to cook their food the oven wouldn’t heat up… what else can happen??? Oh my, I have learned not to say that, but somehow I did anyways…
After getting the oven fiasco figured out I bent down in a cooler to take out some gallons of Kairos Southern Sweet Tea and all at once I pulled a muscle or something in my back and felt the shots of some very excruciating pain coursing through my body and bringing me to my knees… What now? I couldn’t call anybody to help…I’m the only one there and all my Staff are off on Vacation…it was crazy…my mind was teetering… and then through all of that I hear the simple words “Praise me.” What?? Dear Lord Jesus I love you but that is the last thing I want to do when things are falling apart!! When I don’t know what to do. When I don’t have anywhere to turn. The last thing I want to do is praise you… but there he was saying it again…
What to do? I gritted my teeth, and through the pain in my body I began to praise Him, and to thank Him for all the wonderful gifts He has placed in my life. For Kairos, even though things were a mess, for my Staff, even though we have a lot of challenges and areas that need change, for my family, even though most times they drive me crazy…
And right there, in the middle of all that, Jesus showed up and I was able to feel His Presence in a way that I have never felt before… it was incredible. And I think I learned something about facing trials and struggles… the reason it is so hard for me is because when I am frustrated or disappointed I run from Him instead of running to Him… in the end no matter what is going on He wants me to be broken before Him, and when I am broken His Presence can fill my life in ways that I cannot even begin to imagine…
So all that brings me back to today, to the eve of my 40th birthday… my life is not perfect. As a matter of fact it is very messy… I could smile and pretend like I’ve got it all together but if I did that I would be lying… I am not married, even though one of my greatest desires is to have a family. My heart has been ripped out and broken so many times it’s a wonder that I even still believe that is possible for me… but somehow I do… not because of me, but because of Him. Jeremiah 29:11 states that He has a plan for my life that is good and that His plans will be worked out in the life of James K Jones. It may not all go according to my plans, but somehow this week I had it nailed down for me that if I give up my own fantasies of what life should be like then will be able to walk in His Plan, which is always far superior to my own plans.
Thank you Jesus for your Amazing Grace. Teach me to be addicted to your Grace. Thank you for making something out of the mess that is my life. I love you and I will follow you until the day that this life is over.”
James K Jones
My beautiful Wife and I are starting a blog to share everything we are learning together in this new journey. It will be written from a His and Her perspective! Our first entry will be in by the end of the week! Let us know what you think! http://jamesandhaleyjones.blogspot.com/ Kairos Express Lunch...Delicious Goodness...James and Haley's Wedding DAY...
Posted on Sunday April 21, 2013
What's up guys,
I have 5 days left until my big day! We are both very excited and filled with joyful anticipation at becoming One. The Beginning is near. Kairos Kafe will be closed Friday April 26th so that my Staff can enjoy the wedding festivities with Haley and I. We will open up bright and early Monday the 29th, and I will be on my honeymoon for that week so my awesome team will be handling all your delicious goodness needs at Kairos Kafe. I will not be sending out a newsletter next week but I have asked Denise to post pictures on the Kairos Kafe Facebook Page for all of you to enjoy. I am sure I will have thousands of stories to share with you once we get back to Birmingham. Haley and I thank all of you for your kind words and gifts that are very meaningful to us, and we covet your prayers as we undergo this last week of details and our big day on Saturday, April 27th!
The Kairos Kafe Express Lunch is working out beautifully. We were a little curious to see how it would transition this week, and we were pleasantly surprised at the smoothness to the new system and the feedback from you guys. For the first time since we opened in 2006 Kairos seemed like a lunch place. Fast, Fun, and filled with Delicious Goodness. My many thanks go out to my staff, and our Board, and to all of you for helping to make Kairos Kafe an awesome experience. I look forward to many years of building relationships around food with you!
In lieu of sharing my thoughts with you this week I want to share our Wedding Program. The fact that this day is even taking place is a testimony to the power and impact that Jesus can make when He is allowed to transform a Heart and a Life. As a young child I remember telling myself that I would never, ever get married. For me the idea of marriage was one of pain and deep hurt. I actually never witnessed a Jesus-Centered Marriage until I was in my 30’s. I am both humbled and in awe at the place I stand right now today, with the most beautiful girl in the world, ready to embark on a new life journey together, and yet I am free from any fears and any doubts. Only Jesus can make something like that happen. God Bless you guys as you seek Him in everything you do and in everything that you think you cannot do!
James Keith Jones AND Haley Ann Hobart APRIL 27, 2013 FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DEFUNIAK SPRINGS, FLORIDA
Our Parents: the late Lorin Grant Hobart II Luann Jones Hobart James Keith Jones, Sr. Norma Jean Pierce
The Wedding Party
Matron of Honor Abigail H. McQuin (sister of the bride)
Best Man Jeremy Sauder (friend of the groom)
Bridesmaids Meredith Russell Valerie Hobart Katie Travieso
Groomsmen Branden McIntosh Tim Busbee Sean McQuin
Ushers Zachary Schorr Austin Belk
Banner Holders Kelsey Anne Hobart Jones Eric McQuin Emerson Grace McQuin
Flower Girl Mollie Hendrix McQuin
Leading Ladies: Charity Butler Nora Travieso Karen Lepard Monica Fenton Terri Merrick Crystal Belk Missy Gandy Denise Nolen Bernice Osborne Nina Bertilsdotter Camilla Martinsson Melody Fifer Elizabeth Norseng Jennifer Abbås
Officiant Pastor Steven Longenecker
Musicians Derek Longenecker Eric Longenecker Jonah Grice Shana Daniel Soloist Charlotte Guffin String Trio Mary Kay Thompson Esther Tiedemann Amanda Matthews
Coordinator Terri Merrick
The Ceremony
Seating of the Leading Ladies Seating of the Mothers Worship Processional Chiming of the Hour Entrance of the Bride Welcome & Purpose of Marriage Unity Cross Personal Statement of Commitment Traditional Vows Exchange of Rings Prayer Pronouncement of Marriage Recessional
After the Ceremony Please join us to celebrate immediately following at DeFuniak Springs Country Club 171 Country Club Lane DeFuniak Springs, Florida
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Honoring Our Heritage On July 20, 1974, Grant & Luann Hobart were joined together in Holy Matrimony in this very church. We pray that our marriage will reflect the love (and sense of humor) that they have been blessed with during their marriage. James has chosen to wear a red tie in honor of Grant Hobart and his bold choice of attire at Haley’s parents’ wedding in 1974, as well as in honor of his Alabama heritage. He murmurs “Roll, Tide, Roll” in his sleep and is sure it will be the first words uttered from the mouth of their babies! Haley is wearing the same shoes that her mother wore on her wedding day.
Thank You! We want to thank you for coming to celebrate this monumental day in our lives as we start our journey together. It would simply not be the same without the people we love most here to witness us becoming one. We hope the 'Kairos' {special & appointed} moments, you experience with us will be a reminder that there is a plan & purpose for each and every one of you - a plan full of hope and a future.
With Love & Gratitude, James & Haley OUR NEW HOME ADDRESS James & Haley Jones 1032 Alma Avenue Gardendale, AL, 35071
James K Jones
Hours of operation:
Monday thru Friday 11:00 am till 2:00 pm
Katering/Special Events Available 24/7
Kairos New Express Lunch...Delicious Goodness Favorites...The Best Gift I Can Give...
Posted on Sunday April 14, 2013  | | Granny's Rolls with Spunky Hollow Cream |
What's up guys,
I hope your week is starting out well! Kairos has a fun buzz going around because of the upcoming changes to our daily operations, and also because in 13 days Miss Haley Ann Hobart will be Mrs. James K Jones! The name change is very cool for both of us on many levels... For her because her Momma’s Maiden Name was Jones (No Relation!) Jand because we are getting married in DeFuniak Springs Florida at the same spot that her parents got married at. In that place a “Jones” became a “Hobart” and now a “Hobart” is becoming a “Jones”! Neat Stuff! For me, my Grand-Daddy was named James Jones and everyone referred to my Granny as Mrs. Jones. The other day Haley and I received a piece of mail addressed to Mr. & Mrs. James Jones and my Aunt Denise pointed out to me how my Grandparents mail was always addressed that way. Blew me away. I told the Miss that the only Mrs. Jones I ever knew was my Granny, so that title is a very special one and very dear to my heart. I know Granny would be thrilled at knowing Haley is the one inheriting that!
Speaking of my Granny, the new Express Lunch we have designed for Kairos is really inspired by her and my memories growing up. She was and is the foremost influence behind Kairos Kafe and me. This is the Legacy that she established in me, in our family, and in all who had the pleasure of knowing her. Her passion was cooking for her family and friends and she always put out spreads full of delicious goodness. Everybody always said “Mrs. Jones you need to open a restaurant!” She would smile at that. Now she has inspired one. But I’m ready to take things to a different level so that we can resemble that experience a little better. We have changed the hours to 11:00 – 2:00 Monday through Friday and are offering an Express Lunch that is fast, fun, and of course full of delicious goodness. I’ve tried to come up with a way to price it that is economical and budget friendly. -The Large is 9.99 -The Small is 7.99 and a Side is 1.99. If you’re looking for a heavy Lunch then I would go for the large plate. I would suggest the small if you are a light eater, but I also know that some folks eat really light for lunch, so we came up with the side dish side that you can fill up with whatever you desire. You could get two of those and actually eat lunch for 3.98 if that’s your desire. I thought that was a pretty cool idea. The Express Lunch though will not be all you can eat even though you have the fun of making your own plate. I’ve tried to find a way to work this out so that Kairos offers the highest quality lunch at a fair price for you and for us. I hope you will give me input as we begin this week, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts, comments, and suggestions. The Menu will daily include all your favorites: J.J.'s Grilled Chicken Tenderloins, Stutzman's Southern Fried Chicken Tenderloins, all of our made from scratch Sauces, Nelson's Marvelous Meatballs or Hurley's Hamburger Steak, a Kasserole or Baked Pasta of the Day, Signature Dish of the Day, Lenora's Company Potatoes, Grice's Green Beans, Branden's Fried Green Tomatoes, Graber's Southern Fried Broccoli, Slabaugh's Sauteed Spinach, Mee-Maw's Veggie of the Day, Glynis Gail's Broccoli Salad, Bonham's Potato Salad, Becky's Fresh Fruit, Granny's Salad of the Day, Norma’s Mixed Green Salad will be in salad bar form so that you can make it like you want, and a Fresh Kobbler of the Day! And of course Lenora and Mary will be serving you up Granny’s Famous Rolls with Spunky Hollow Cream and Kairos Southern Sweet Tea! I am also accepting requests for the daily options that change out! If you have a Kasserole, a Veggie, a Cold Salad, a Signature Dish, or a Kobbler you want to see on a certain day just let us know and I will do my very best to make that happen for you! We started doing that with you guys last week and it has been working out beautifully! I look forward to serving your needs and building relationships around food with you guys! Now, I will actually be able to walk out into the Dining Room and see you! Come see us this week. Tell a friend about our new system, and I look forward to your feedback!
This past weekend was a busy time for me. I have so much to do in preparation for the Wedding (who knew there were so many details!) and I am also transforming my home from a Bachelor Pad into a house suitable for my Missus and I to begin our home. My mind sometimes gets overwhelmed when I have too many details so I have been staying very close to Jesus and asking Him to guide me each step of the way. The results have been incredible. I am in awe of the way that He leads me when I am willing to give up control and allow Him to do what He wants to do! I have decided that this stress free way of living is how I want to live the rest of my life. Good Stuff! As I was pondering some of these things while cutting the grass I got a very clear sense of something He has been trying to show me for years. It’s pretty simple: The Best Gift that I can give to anyone, including Jesus, is to be myself. Now I know that there are things about me that Jesus may or may not want to change. If any of you know me or any part of my journey then you know I am all about change. Nothing excites me more than seeing my life someone’s life transformed from the inside out by Jesus. It is the most beautiful thing to behold. But I think that for a large part, at least for me, we tend to try and figure out what other people’s expectations are and go with that. Maybe it’s not conscious. Maybe it’s a subtle thing, but Jesus communicated to me how much He loves me just as I am, and for who I am, and I believe He wanted me to share that with you guys this week. We all have stuff. We all have issues. But He loves us just as we are and will meet us wherever we are. And if there is something that needs changing He will handle that. It’s not my job to try and change you and it’s not your job to try and change me. There is great freedom in that, in being who you are even if it doesn’t fit the preconceived mold. God Bless you. Thank You for supporting Kairos! And have a wonderful week!
Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. John 13:3-5 (NLT) James K Jones
P.S. We are changing the weekly Coupons back to simply printing them out and bringing them in the Kafe! The other way was confusing to some people.
Hours of operation:
Monday thru Friday 11:00 am till 2:00 pm
Katering/Special Events Available 24/7
This Week's Coupon!
Posted on Sunday April 14, 2013
The Re-Launch... Great Food... Write The Vision...
Posted on Sunday April 07, 2013  | Hobie's Snicker Cupcakes
What's up guys,
I hope that your week is starting out with joyful anticipation! I am joyfully anticipating a wedding in 19 days to the woman of my dreams and the greatest gift that Jesus has ever given to me! The beginning is near! There are also some new beginnings coming up at Kairos as we prepare to re-launch our delicious goodness to you guys in new and exciting ways. I'm also working on an awesome Menu for Mothers Day at Kairos Kafe and also thinking about putting together a “pop in the oven” menu for those of you who like to eat at home. Either way I look forward to Kairos being a part of your special event as we celebrate our Mommas!
Last week I made a cake for my future brother-in-law's birthday. I wanted to do something special so I asked his lovely bride what some of his favorite things were. The list was getting long so I requested that she nail down one thing. Snickers Won. So I went about the fun time of figuring out how to create Hobie a "Snickers Cake". The results were awesome. One layer of chocolate cake followed by another layer of yellow butter cake. In between I put layers of scratch made chocolate icing and homemade caramel. Oh and the batter for both cake layers had chopped up snickers inside. The whole cake was covered in the chocolate and caramel. And decorated with sliced up Snicker Bars. The evening of his birthday we were all eating in a very snazzy restaurant, seven of us present and talking up a storm. Then the cake came. Hobie liked it and went about the task of cutting us each a slice. The funniest thing happened next. We all started eating our cake (which was off the chain with delicious goodness) and I noted that none of us were talking. None of us were even looking at each other. It was like we all had this special relationship going on with this cake. It was really that good. I'm not saying all that to toot my own horn. I'm saying it because cooking is one of those things that I do in life that is not only my greatest passion, it also brings me intense joy when something I made makes people excited and happy like that. "Love People. Cook them good food." That is a tag line for one of my favorite spice stores. But more importantly it is something that my Granny did almost everyday of her adult life and it’s also something that she instilled in me. Building Relationships Around Food is our mission. I'm ready to take that to another level. Re-lationships with all of you, but with an emphasis on Real. I don't just want to stand back in the kitchen and cook for you. I also want to connect with you in the Dining Room, off site when we Kater your events, and of course here through this weekly newsletter that has become a very meaningful part of my life. Last week I had a customer say, "If you would make your Lemon Kobbler I'll be back tomorrow!" I told her I would love to make the Lemon Kobbler for her. Building Relationships. Last week as I walked into Wal-Mart I spotted one of my regular customers and his family. He said he sure did want some of my Chicken Tetrazzini. I asked him which day he would be in. He said Friday. I promised to have it on the buffet. Friday morning at 10:58 guess who comes strolling in? My Chicken Tetrazzini Guy! When I told him I made it special for him he lit up like the Fourth of July! These are the things I want to do at Kairos. Do what I Love. Cook. Make up new recipes. Make you guys feel special by doing things especially for you. And in the process building great relationships with great people around great food. This passion and this perspective has caused my staff and I to ponder how we can make this the "Kairos" experience on many new levels.
We are currently in the process of transitioning and rethinking your experience both with Katering and in the Kafe. We want to provide you with the most authentic experience that we can provide while staying genuine to all of the things you already love about Kairos Kafe and Kairos Katering. Currently the initial atmosphere in the Kafe seems to be one with a slight air of confusion. To Buffet or not to Buffet? Southern Fried Chicken off the menu or Cheesy Chicken Ziti off the buffet? Chicken Florentine off the menu but I really want some of that braised cabbage and creamed corn... All this leads me to the point of knowing that at Kairos we have to do one thing and do it well. I Love options. But if I have too many options I get confused. I don't want this to be anyone's experience with Kairos. We are in the process of streamlining our operations, but I need your help. A "re-launch" is in the works but I want your input. I want you guys to be a part of the process. I'm excited about the changes we are making, and even though we are introducing a new look with a new system it will still hold the same philosophy and the same great food. My desire is for the Kafe to be like all of us going to my Granny's house every Sunday. The cool thing though is we can do it five days a week! I'm stoked. I want to hear from you. Via email or Facebook or talk to me when you are in the Kafe or some of my staff! And I want you guys to get excited with me about the good things to come! I can’t wait to see you this week!
Vision. It is one of my favorite words. The most meaningful quote in my life goes like this: “Vision without Action is merely a Fantasy... Action without Vision is simply the passing of time... Vision accompanied by Action can change the World!” I’m not sure whom the quote came from and I have modified it over the years but it is the absolute truth to me. I first learned about “writing a Vision” from some guys that came in to teach us when I was in prison. I got really excited by their teaching, and I set about writing Visions and making up confessions to exhaustion, but somehow it never really quite worked out the way they said it would. Then one day as I was reading the passage of scripture that they taught from something jumped out at me. “I will [in my thinking] stand ... and station myself ... and will watch to see what He will say within me... Write The Vision...” (Habakkuk) This doesn’t say just write something down and confess it. It says find out what God has to tell you and then write the Vision. Wait on Jesus; be in vital communion and relationship with Him, and when He tells me what to write, then Write The Vision. Only then will the Vision come to pass. I learned that if The Vision did not come from God then He wasn’t obligated to bring it to pass. This little lesson changed my whole life. I asked God to give me a Vision, and I wrote it down and it came to pass! I actually wrote one about 3 weeks before I got out of Prison. That was 14 years ago and it is still impacting my life today. I knew that I was going up for parole, and I believed that I was going to make it. One weekend before that I got by myself and prayed and listened to what God wanted me to write as a Vision for my life. I spent pretty much the whole two days alone with Him, writing. At the end, I had a Vision for my future. It was not magic, it was simply a Son listening to his Father and writing down what He said. When I got finished I had some goals for the future that may have looked silly to someone else, but I knew they were for me. It utterly amazed me the first six months I was in Birmingham because if you read it afterwards you would have thought I didn’t write it beforehand. It was pretty awesome. In that cell in 1999 I wrote down for the first time that I would start a business that would also be part ministry. Today, I am sitting at my computer writing to the customers of Kairos Kafe! The reason I am sharing this is because I had many portions in that Notebook. One was for my wife. I had long since given up on that part though as I dated one young woman that I tried to make fit that Vision and was engaged to another young woman who tried to force herself to fit into that Vision. The past few months have been an exciting whirlwind of meeting my Miss and getting engaged. It was only after we were engaged that I thought about my Vision and took it out to read it to her. Guess what? It was her. To a T. It really flipped me out and excited me. I began to go about the task of declaring that the Vision was complete and it’s time for a new one! Haley and I even discussed writing one on our honeymoon. Last week Jesus challenged me to go through and read the whole thing again. I was amazed at something I missed. Have you ever just known that something wasn’t quite right or that there was something missing? I’ve been sensing that for months with Kairos. To my amazement when I reread my Vision there was no restaurant in there. Only a Catering Business. That may not mean much to you but I understood it clearly. Katering was always what I was supposed to do and I believe I do it well. It was the missing piece. Don’t get alarmed though. We are not closing the Kafe, but we are going to refocus our efforts and for me The Kafe will be handled like a daily Katering Job. So, be on the lookout for some great changes coming up. And let me hear from you!
You may be asking, “What is a God-Given Vision?” It is what God dreams for me to do. It is the potential that He has placed in me, but it is also a blueprint for the Goals that He has for me. A Vision that comes from God is something that could span your whole lifetime and take years to come to pass. But it will come to pass as we cooperate with Him, and in the meantime we have something to focus on that will give us hope: The Vision.
“I will stand my watch And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected.
Then the Lord answered me and said:
Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” Habakkuk 2:1-3 (NKJV)
“Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Proverbs 29:18
God Bless You and have a wonderful week!
James K Jones
P.S. We are changing the weekly Coupons back to simply printing them out and bringing them in the Kafe! The other way was confusing to some people.
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This Week's Coupon
Posted on Sunday April 07, 2013
This Week's Specials
Posted on Sunday April 07, 2013
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