Brown Eyed Girl...
Made a new friend yesterday. As usual, I don't know his name. I never mind not knowing people's names...I have a really good memory, except when it comes to names, so I feel better never knowing in the first place than having been told and forgetting it. Here's how the situation happened:
I was kinda crabby yesterday. Feeling numb. Just blah to say the least. Had a meeting downtown (I hate going downtown) and traffic was being stupid on the way back to Uptown. Of course I was almost out of gas and trying to get to a gas station. So I exit Hwy. 7. Realizing I need to be in a better mood I do the silly girl thing and go to my text message inbox to read a text I'd received earlier that day. It was from someone who is quite close to my heart and I knew it would change my disposition at least a little bit. So, I read it as I pull in to Marathon (Now I would normally go to Holiday b/c their gas is better for the environment, but Marathon was 4 cents cheaper--Sorry Mother Nature). At the pump kitty corner to me was a Jewish man--probably a rabbi since he was all done up--he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. Then, he wouldn't stop looking at me. For a moment I wondered if maybe he was a creepy man...Then I thought -- NAH -- and looked back and smiled at him again as I began to pump my gas.
Then he came halfway over to me. I don't think I'll forget what he said..."Are you having a good day?" I thought about it for a second--even though I was crabby, I really hadn't had a bad day. "Yes, I am...Every day is a good day," I replied. He smiled even bigger..."What happened today that you are so happy?" Wow. My reply, "I got a message from a friend..." He didn't quite catch what I meant, so I explained it. Then he said, "Ah, I could see it in your eyes. You were so happy in your eyes." He went inside to pay for his gas.
He came back out and I walked halfway to him this time. I said, "Are you having a good day?" "Yes I am, everyday is a good day," the man replied. "It was really great to chat with you...I hope the rest of your day is great," I tell the man. "Thank you, you too," he says.
A small interaction that changed an entire day. I think about all the hate there is in our world. All the conflict there is about religion, politics, money, etc. Then, I thank God that I had the opportunity to meet a Jewish man who brightened my day. I thank God for the man smoking a cigarette outside of Famous Daves lastnight who looked like Santa, except I've never seen Santa smoke...He even had a red sweatshirt on. I thank God that I was raised Lutheran, but I went to a Baptist College and attend a Presbyterian Church. I thank God for people like my dad who can stand up and say, "Any church is better than no church," despite the fact that he was raised very strict Lutheran and my grandmother hates the fact that I don't attend a Lutheran church.
I think God smiles on the fact that I don't fear meeting others who are different than me. In fact I love doing just that...Embracing the differences that are here among us...I think He probably looks down on me at those moments and says, "You're My brown eyed girl."
Dear God help us to see one another as nothing more than Your beloved children. Help us to appreciate the differences in one another and to love one another first and foremost. It is then and only then that we will be able to love as You have loved. Amen.
I was kinda crabby yesterday. Feeling numb. Just blah to say the least. Had a meeting downtown (I hate going downtown) and traffic was being stupid on the way back to Uptown. Of course I was almost out of gas and trying to get to a gas station. So I exit Hwy. 7. Realizing I need to be in a better mood I do the silly girl thing and go to my text message inbox to read a text I'd received earlier that day. It was from someone who is quite close to my heart and I knew it would change my disposition at least a little bit. So, I read it as I pull in to Marathon (Now I would normally go to Holiday b/c their gas is better for the environment, but Marathon was 4 cents cheaper--Sorry Mother Nature). At the pump kitty corner to me was a Jewish man--probably a rabbi since he was all done up--he looked at me and smiled. I smiled back. Then, he wouldn't stop looking at me. For a moment I wondered if maybe he was a creepy man...Then I thought -- NAH -- and looked back and smiled at him again as I began to pump my gas.
Then he came halfway over to me. I don't think I'll forget what he said..."Are you having a good day?" I thought about it for a second--even though I was crabby, I really hadn't had a bad day. "Yes, I am...Every day is a good day," I replied. He smiled even bigger..."What happened today that you are so happy?" Wow. My reply, "I got a message from a friend..." He didn't quite catch what I meant, so I explained it. Then he said, "Ah, I could see it in your eyes. You were so happy in your eyes." He went inside to pay for his gas.
He came back out and I walked halfway to him this time. I said, "Are you having a good day?" "Yes I am, everyday is a good day," the man replied. "It was really great to chat with you...I hope the rest of your day is great," I tell the man. "Thank you, you too," he says.
A small interaction that changed an entire day. I think about all the hate there is in our world. All the conflict there is about religion, politics, money, etc. Then, I thank God that I had the opportunity to meet a Jewish man who brightened my day. I thank God for the man smoking a cigarette outside of Famous Daves lastnight who looked like Santa, except I've never seen Santa smoke...He even had a red sweatshirt on. I thank God that I was raised Lutheran, but I went to a Baptist College and attend a Presbyterian Church. I thank God for people like my dad who can stand up and say, "Any church is better than no church," despite the fact that he was raised very strict Lutheran and my grandmother hates the fact that I don't attend a Lutheran church.
I think God smiles on the fact that I don't fear meeting others who are different than me. In fact I love doing just that...Embracing the differences that are here among us...I think He probably looks down on me at those moments and says, "You're My brown eyed girl."
Dear God help us to see one another as nothing more than Your beloved children. Help us to appreciate the differences in one another and to love one another first and foremost. It is then and only then that we will be able to love as You have loved. Amen.
posted by Bethany at 5/17/2005 09:37:00 AM
1 Comments:
Bethany,
I just want to mention that I was blessed by the comment you left on my blog! Very blessed - thank you for that!
It is my prayer that God will use you to do amazing things for His kingdom! even if it is as simple as using your blogging skills to speak into someone's life!
Be blessed!
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