Ugh..........

That is how I would describe my day. Nothing had gone “right” and there was a huge disappointment I experienced earlier where I felt like a total failure. I was pretty sad and couldn't wait to get home. So needless to say I was kind of grumpy as I am leaving a packed- like-sardines subway. I exit and move towards the stairs heading into the blistering cold when these two people in front of me suddenly stop. In my mind I’m thinking “what is wrong with you people? Don’t you know the rules(aka….the rules I’ve invented)?” I literally almost tried to shove my way around them when I hesitated and I took a closer look. It was a young preteen girl and her grandmother. The girl had asked her grandma for money, which she then in turn gave to the homeless woman at the top of the stairs- the one who I was so willing to rush by in my urgent “need” to get home and decompress. Talk about feeling like a jerk! I tried to tell them that it was inspiring to see them give to someone in need, but they were French and the only French that was running through my mind was the lyrics to Frere Jacques. So I didn’t get into the conversation I’d hoped with them, but rather an interesting conversation with God and my own selfish heart. Then about an hour later, I head to small group. What are we studying this evening? Oh the passage of the Good Samaritan. It hit me again- wow I am the Levite who often passes on the other side of the street, who is so caught up in my own little world that I forget to love my neighbor as myself. I started to look at this passage from another angle. Every other time I’ve read it, I always assumed the Levite and priest were thinking “I’m so much better than this guy. I have my act together. I would never associate of someone of this status….” But what if they were actually thinking “oh gosh- someone should really help this guy. Too bad I’m in such a hurry. I’m going to hope and pray someone stops.” I sadly have to admit I can often identify with the latter- the “good intentions gal.” While I do think this passage can point towards homeless people, I wonder if it could go much further and extend to anyone who is in deep need- physical, emotional, or spiritual. Am I praying to be aware and in tune to the needs of those around me, or am I caught up in a bubble consumed with self? Anyways, just some thoughts today that I thought I’d share.

Blizzards, Black Holes, and Six Degrees

"New York won't be that bad. I'll be fine," said the naive, pre-NYC winterized version of myself back in July. Then last week happened when my beloved L train broke down and I had to walk 20 minutes back to my apartment. It was 6 degrees outside. Unfamiliar thoughts flooded my mind. Have I ever been in single digit temperature before? Could I have frostbite?.....because I seriously can't feel my toes. Desiring to be a quick learner, here are some of the observations I have made thus far.

1. Walk, don't drive. Yeah........a credit card to help the windshield isn't really going to cut it here.

2. Proper gear is essential. I think the puffy coat is right up there with the screwdriver as one of the world's best inventions. I've even tested my cute wool coat to see how it compares. It doesn't come close! So even if I look like this.......

at least I'll be warm and toasty wearing my belted sleeping bag. It is after all gortex!

3. Icy Black Holes are lurking everywhere. You see an innocent puddle and think "oh it only looks about one inch deep." Beware. This is exactly what it wants you to believe right before you foolishly step into it and your entire boot disappears into the arctic abyss as you wonder, "is this liquid nitrogen?"

4. Eyes open and on the ground. What does snow do? Melt. Yes, Bon Jovi, it is indeed slippery when wet. Not looking I attempted to exit the subway car yesterday and stepped into a puddle. I ended up literally doing a split.... but don't worry I grabbed the pole and swung around while holding my position. Oh yes, equally scandalous and humiliating. But I held my head high, not meeting a single person in the eye as I composed myself and managed to say "whoopsy." Oh yes, that is the word which came to mind and I uttered. Awesome.

Spring come hither. I am ready for your warmth.

Chicken Soup.......A decade later

So...it's embarrassing to admit, but I totally had this conversation when I was a senior in high school with my youth minister's wife. "Yeah, I don't really enjoy reading the Bible. It's too confusing and boring. What I really get into is this book called Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul. It's filled with all these heartwarming stories. I just love that." Now I'm not trying to knock the good ole CS book, and the fact that it has evolved into a whole series targeting "the grandmother's soul, the horse-lover's soul, and even the nascar lover's soul" (not kidding), but there was indeed some immaturity on my part thinking that there was even a comparison to God's Word.

I was talking about this story with a friend yesterday and the extremely cheesy title made me start thinking about the concept behind it: Comfort food for the soul. Putting my cool factor aside, it made me ponder, what are the passages in scripture that I would more or less refer to as my comfort food? The ones that I may have read a thousand times but yet they often bring out something new........ the ones that I never tire of reading........the ones that I distinctly hear God speaking to me? One of mine is Romans 8. The chapter is filled with so much that's it's kind of humorous to summarize in a sentence, but if I had to pick one thing that gets my attention most- it's the powerful imagery of God's love and commitment. I need that and I never tire of hearing it.

Sometimes there's this crazy notion that we have to discover something new in order to be interesting or to be considered deep or even to be worth sharing. Fresh insights are wonderful, but aren't we often drawn to the things that are tattered and worn and become richer over time?