{"id":29450,"date":"2026-01-04T10:20:32","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:20:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/?p=29450"},"modified":"2026-01-04T10:20:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T16:20:32","slug":"sunday-update-244","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.paulryburn.com\/blog\/2026\/01\/04\/sunday-update-244\/","title":{"rendered":"Sunday update"},"content":{"rendered":"

Y’all! I hit the JACKPOT at Room in the Inn<\/a> last night.<\/p>\n

It was a last-minute decision. I’d planned to spend last night at the Union Mission. But then I thought, why not at least try to avoid the $6 Mission cover charge and its evening chapel service? So I walked up to RITI headquarters at First Pres on Poplar and threw my name into the lottery for a free night’s lodging at one of the participating partner churches.<\/p>\n

My name got called for Emmanuel United Methodist in Germantown. I boarded a bus with 13 others and we hit the road out there. Church volunteers served us a delicious dinner of hamburger steak with onion gravy, roasted potatoes and carrots, green beans, cupcakes, and ice cream.<\/p>\n

After dinner I glanced over at the church’s clothes closet and realized I had a need. I’m grateful for the fabric tennis shoes a Mission pastor gave me back in October, but they’ve been a poor fit for my feet. I’d nearly walk out of them on inclines and uneven surfaces. They’d come close to making me fall several times.<\/p>\n

So I asked the lady at the clothes closet desk, “Do you have any size 10s, preferably ones that don’t have laces?”<\/p>\n

She handed me a brand-new pair of gray Skechers slip-ons, firmly built and as much padding as anything in Nike’s Air Max line. I tried them on. Perfect fit!<\/p>\n

After the bus dropped us off this morning, I walked around Downtown for an hour in my new shoes. I was so much more steady and confident on my feet!<\/p>\n

THANK YOU Emmanuel UMC and RITI!<\/p>\n

WREG stopped by Sabor Caribe<\/a> last night to get Venezuelans’ reactions to the Trumpster-ordered U.S. military capture of their president.<\/p>\n

Blood donors are needed in Memphis<\/a>, particularly type O.<\/p>\n

Today is National Spaghetti Day<\/a>.<\/p>\n

LeBron and the Lakers host the Grizzlies again tonight at 8:30. TV: FanDuel Sports<\/p>\n

The Magic of Motown<\/a> comes to the Cannon Center Saturday evening.<\/p>\n

Back tomorrow with more news.<\/p>\n

I gratefully accept tips:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>
\n<\/span>Venmo:\u00a0@Paul-Ryburn<\/a>\u00a0(8113 if it asks for digits)
\nCash App: $PaulRyburn1
\nZelle: paul@paulryburn.com
\nApple Pay: paul.ryburn@gmail.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"