Joseph

Today, I met Joseph. I'm sorry to say that I know very little about him, except for his name and that "everything sucks" right now. Yet, those two bits of information did something big - they forced me to consider another person's humanity and to pray for him. That wouldn't have happened if I'd been in a car.

Joseph was standing next to a freeway off ramp with a wet cardboard sign that read, "Build Christmas Karma. Help Me." If I had been driving by, I would have given him an apologetic smile and left it at that. I probably would have felt badly about not helping him, but would have been able to rationalize my decision. Today was a little different. I was walking home. I was sharing the same rain as Joseph, the same splashes from cars, the same traffic noise. Barriers were missing and we shared a physical spot in the world, even if our situations differed.

At first, I crossed the street behind him and looked back at his face after I was on the other side. My mind played the tape it keeps on hand for rationalizing in situations such as this: "He might be pretending to be down and out to get easy money.... I shouldn't reinforce begging....There are better ways to get on your feet....I can't help every single homeless person I meet...."

More quickly than usual, the tape stopped and truth took over: "God doesn't differentiate His giving - He gives to whoever asks or is in need. This guy qualifies. I just got some money at an ATM and for whatever reason, I actually got $20 more than I needed. God is more than able to take care of me if giving to this guy makes me broke or he's taking advantage or something."

I crossed the street again and stepped through some stopped cars to get to him. We had a short conversation, I gave him the money, and asked how I could pray for him. Honestly, the best part was looking him in the eyes. Recognizing another creation of God and his immense value as such.

I'm left wondering what other ways we can remove barriers in life? How can we get in places of sharing spots in life with people in need - be it an emotional spot or physical? I'm grateful to those who set a precedent for me in ministering to the world. I feel like we need to testify and remind each other that it's worth reaching out and it's worth obeying God's little nudges. Because those people holding their signs next to the road have names. Because God is trustworthy and good.

Winter Instincts, Pack Your Bags

Yesterday, Iowa City saw its first lacy dusting of snow. More like icy dandruff than an accumulation, it still served to awaken my winter instincts. My body may live in Iowa, but everything I know about winter still lives in Seattle. This was evident at recess when I stood on duty next to the Kindergarten teacher. The tiny flakes whipped around our faces and I danced in place. “So, what does it take to cancel school?” I asked, thinking that what was currently falling would suffice to send kids home in Washington. “It has to really dump and make it hard for the plows to get things clear in time for school to start. It’s not so bad here. I keep snow pants at work and twenty minutes before recess, I put boot warmers inside my boots. It’s great,” she replied, “The kids bring sleds.”

After work, I drove down the street to get my hair cut. I have head knowledge of how to drive in the snow, but little firsthand experience. My inner Seattle girl knows the best way to drive in the snow is not to drive at all. After you’ve braved the roads to stock up on groceries, head home and stay there until things melt. Turn on the TV and keep tabs on “Winter Onslaught 2010”, or whatever the local news station has named the current weather system. On the way to the salon, I coached myself, “Easy on the brakes. Leave lots of room. Nothing sudden. The railroad tracks could be slippery. You can do this.” The people around me drove as if it were any other non-snow day. That makes sense, because, as I mentioned before, there were no real accumulations to be had.

The only accumulation I really had to deal with was the buildup in my memory of winters where every flake was cause for alarm. This winter will no doubt involve many stretching experiences and quite possibly the purchase of some good snow pants, but I welcome these. It’s time for my instincts to move to Iowa too.