You Speaka Spanish?

Every day, I try to improve my knowledge of Spanish......just a word or two. Today, I spent the morning hours attempting to enroll new students at our school. Most of the prospective students were native Spanish speakers. I was able to use words like enscripcion, telophono, direcion, and primero. (enroll, telephone, address, and first)
Believe me, as the morning went on, I was getting pretty proud of myself. Soon, I thought, I'll be fluent in Spanish. No more, habla Espagnol poquito, senora!
Then, it dawned on me that my Spanish knowledge consisted of about 40 nouns, half of which I couldn't spell correctly. My fluency is about that of a two-year old. In order to label myself fluent, I'm going to have to put together, at the very least, a sentence or two. And learn how to spell, on top of that. Fluency requires pronouns, verbs, correct tenses of verbs, adverbs, and adjectives, etc.
Oh, my I have a long way to go.

Oh, Lord. Save us from the sense of false pride that often tends to be our downfall. Keep us aware that by putting our trust in you and your goodness, we will always be served in our times of need.
Open our eyes so that we can see the wonder of your infinite knowledge and make us aware of the inadequacy of our tiny minds. We ask for your guidance.

Gone in a few seconds.......

I have a one-block friend. She boards the Metro at 10th and Grand, and I disembark the Metro, one block later, at 11th and Grand. Nearly every week-day, we share just one block of travel time.
I've already been riding for 10 minutes, when she boards the #30 bus. Then, I think, she continues her commute along the southerly path of the #30. After that one block along Grand Avenue, I get off the #30, and walk a block West to make a connection with the northbound #142, at 11th and Walnut.
Every afternoon, I look forward to seeing her and I know the bus driver does, too. My friend makes it a point to greet the driver every day with a smile and what seems to be a heartfelt inquiry about the state of his day. That extra bit of personal interaction shows me that my one-block friend is really special.
I'll bet she just makes our driver's day. I know she makes mine.
Then, she sits down and greets me. It's obvious that she is tired. I don't know what she does at her job, but it must be hard work. I always return her greeting and generally we exchange short comments about the weather or how our work days went.
There isn't much time, in one block, to say much.
I don't know her name, but I know that I miss her when she doesn't board at her usual stop.
Maybe, one day soon, I'll just travel along with her in the wrong direction of my commute, just to get to know her a little better. Friendly people are a very special blessing, these days.


Gracious Lord: I want to be a better person. Sometimes it isn't easy to look outside our own worries and problems in order to be a friend and confidant of others. Teach me to be a better friend to all with whom I come in contact. Take away my whining nature and allow me to concentrate on the positive.....at all times.
Come into my life and show me how to see YOU in everyone I meet.
I am so blessed.

"I once was lost......"

I lost my cell phone. Usually I keep my phone in a red (my signature color) pocket thing around my neck. It's where I also keep my bus pass and a couple of business cards. Being a tad deaf, it's the perfect place (near my heart and good ear) to hear the thing when it rings or shakes or whatever it does.
Well, in a effort to spruce up a bit, I put away the pocket thing and exchanged in for a pretty new necklace. The look was quite stunning.
The phone went in my right front pocket. And, then it was gone.
On the advice of several folks, I tried calling my own number. It went right to voice mail which meant the phone was turned off or the battery was dead. Great. Now what??? Where was that thing???? I needed it.
Four days later, it was time to do the laundry and there was my phone, in the hamper. No, it didn't go through the wash. It was recovered just in time.

God: Thank you for loving us no matter what kind of stupid things we do. We know that you accept us for the crazy creatures that we are. Keep me mindful that the best type of communication is prayer from me to YOU.

Wait a second....

It's very dark when I travel to work. Yesterday, I encountered a young African-American man, on a black skateboard, dressed totally in black, traveling toward me, on my right. Needless to say, my heart stopped when I saw him and thankfully, I passed by without hitting him.
That experience made me think about how often we encounter situations that would be life changing.
What if I had hit that young man? Oh my, how lives would have been changed. Think about it. Life is so precious and our plans and aspirations can change in an instant.

Dear God: Has anyone talked to you lately about how challenging life here on earth is? I am in awe of the choices and encounters that we all have, minute by minute.
Thank you for our exciting existance. It's just not possible to be bored here on earth, your glorious creation.
Help me to be ever mindful of my blessings.

Auld Lang Syne?

Good times past. That's what those words mean. It's Old English or something like that. And, we sing that song in remembrance of the passing year. Oh, and there's a question mark at the end of the line..."Should auld acquaintance be forgot?" The song implies that you shouldn't forget what has past, but we should look forward to the future.
2011 has been a year of mixed blessings, but then what year isn't? We all had our share of good times and not so good times. People died and babies were born. The winter was long and cold and the summer was hot. Daily life went on. We were happy, and we were sad.
Someone asked me recently about the "meaning of life." I suppose everyone has a different idea about why we exist, but I am pretty sure that my purpose in life is to always do my best. I think that's what God wants us to do. Yes, do our best and love God and all of our fellow earthly dwellers (humans and non-humans) maybe with the exception of snakes and spiders.
That's my philosophy and my theology.
Blessings for a great 2012.

God, we thank you for our lives.

"Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree"

I am tempted to do a short dissertation on the prevailing idea that Christians only want to"give to the needy", at Christmastime. But, I won't. Someday, Christians everywhere will realize that God's message of Good Will to Men, is a 12 month lifestyle, and not just a 12/25 thing.
Instead, I want to share another Jolly Holiday observation. I want to tell you all about a small town, near my home. This quaint little town has very unusual holiday decorations.
Along both sides of the one-street. six block long shopping area, participating businesses have all decorated, for public display, very large 7-8 foot evergreen trees. The trees are placed outside the shops. These trees, with their colorful and sometimes whimsical themes, are all chained to the street lamp poles.
Now, I know that the merchants are concerned that someone will steal their festive trees, but the whole effect brings to mind terms like "Hostage Holiday", "Chained Christmas" and "enSlaved Santa". No matter what the caliber of decoration, the trees all appear to be straining to break free from their bondage. The effect is totally bizarre. But, no matter. The city has been doing it for years. It's a tradition.
The idea of having to lock and chain your decorations to prevent theft, goes against the very theme of the season. If someone wants a tree so much that they feel compelled to steal it.......then let them take it. Don't we believe that it is always better to give than receive?

Baby Jesus: How you must laugh at our attempts to celebrate your birthday. This year Christmas even falls on Sunday. The Lord's Day, for Christ's sake, and your churches are scaling down the number of regular Sunday Services! Oh, Lord, help us to remember that You are the real reason for the season.
Have a great birthday, Jesus.

She-ro

Today's sermon was from the book of Daniel. The pastor spoke of the heroes in the fiery furnace. Hot stuff for a cold December morning. However, my mind was doing a bit of wandering, particularly around the word hero. Because, I am convinced that I met a real "hero" last Sunday.
Last Sunday morning, was a particularly big day at church. A family had four of their children baptized. The four siblings, three boys and a girl, had been adopted into this family, only two weeks before. And, that evening, the whole family went Christmas Caroling with a large group of church folks.
The new Christians were the youngest among us, but they were a sensation at every place we sang. Armed with bells, they provided the backup to some really rousing renditions of "Jingle Bells".

I'm in awe of a mom that would take on four small children and make them part of her existing tribe. She's a real hero.


Everlasting Father: Open our hearts and minds to the possibilities of service all around us. Show us ways to better the lives of all of your children. We thank you for our many blessings.