Little World

Do you ever sometimes feel like you are sinking under the weight of life? The weight can be good weight (i.e. spending lots of time with family, friends, and doing the things that you love – the “want tos”), or bad weight (i.e. working way too much, or getting stuck in the rut of “have tos” instead of “want tos"). But in the end, it is still weight, and it pushes down on you. It impacts your physical body, your mind and your spirit.

It seems that lately, a lot of people in my life, including myself, are carrying a lot of weight.
In fact, my weight tends to fluctuate on a daily basis. Regardless of the kind of weight that we are carrying, sometimes we just pack too much into our schedules and don’t spend enough time at home alone, with ourselves and with Jesus. Or with our cuddly fat cats!

I do a daily devotional each morning called Jesus Calling that has really changed my life. I cannot thank enough, the dear friend who got me turned on to this devotional. It really just rocks my world. I would buy one for every person that I know if they would promise to read it and appreciate it. And on one particular day, it did just that – it rocked my little world:

“Though you live in this temporal world, your innermost being is rooted and grounded in eternity. When you start to feel stressed, detach yourself from the disturbances around you. Instead of desperately striving to maintain order and control in your little world, relax and remember that circumstances cannot touch My peace” – Jesus Calling, August 26

People!! We live in a little world!! We really, really do!! Jesus says so. It really hit me on that particular Thursday morning. Our lives, the things that we control and feel that we have power over, are so small; so insignificant, when compared to God’s kingdom. We think that we have it all in line here, and we need to remember that what He has in store for us is so much better than we can imagine, and so much better than what we could ever do for ourselves. He promises us peace in Him, if only we can step back, relax, and receive it.

I did a little Google research on some populations in this world, see below:

Houston, Texas – 2.2 million
The State of Texas – 25 million
The USA – 307 million
The World – 6.7 billion

I will not argue that there are a lot of people in the world. It’s a big world from the perspective of land mass and people. That certainly is not up for debate. But why are we so consumed by petty things as we live out our daily lives here on earth? We get sucked into our comfort zones with our family, friends, co-workers, church family, even within our own state and certainly our own countries. And I believe that this so often causes us to be consumed with all of the wrong things. Why is it so hard for us sometimes to see the bigger picture? Because there certainly is a bigger picture out there! We just need a different perspective. And we need to remember that ultimately, we are not really in control.

Look at the populations above – Houston is the 4th largest city in the country, but that means there are three more cities with larger populations. Texas is one state, within one country with 49 other such states, within this world with hundreds of other such countries, here on earth, which is one of several planets. And it’s a great big world by any standard. If you have not been out in it lately, I encourage you to grab your passport and go. Open your eyes to what the world has to offer and you will be a changed person – forever. I promise.

But no matter how big this world seems, there IS something bigger. In the midst of us worrying and being consumed by things in our little world, God is busy preparing a place for His children, for the believers, in His kingdom. Nothing is bigger or greater than that.

I don’t say any of this as an excuse to quit caring about things of this life. And I don’t think that God intends us to do that either. There are many important elements to what we are doing here today on earth, including living out God’s purpose for our individual lives. But in the midst of living here in our little world, we need to more often remember the Kingdom that is yet to come. And try not to get consumed with the things in life that are weighing us down.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?

You put us in charge of your handcrafted world.

- Psalm 8:3-4, 6 (MSG)

Globetrotting: India, Part II

If I could sum up India in two words, they would be something like chaos and curry. Or traffic and trees. Or perhaps even rickshaws and rain. I hope you get the idea.

I’ll begin by saying that I have nothing against India. The people were pleasant, the food was divine (could live on that garlic naan), and I didn’t have a single bad experience there. But it seems to be a society that just barely functions. Delhi has over 14.5 million people. I feel like I saw at least half of them out on the streets on any given day – walking, waiting for the bus, sleeping, working, riding bikes etc.

So how did my expectations compare with reality?

Business class air travel: Far exceeded my expectations. Two words: sky bed. That means that I got to lie flat. Totally flat. With a proper pillow and blanket too. And I got my five-course meal served on real dishes, my free wine, my individually created ice cream sundae, and more movies than I knew what to do with. Continental BusinessFirst gets an A+ in my book! This makes all of the traveling bearable.

Indian food: Again, far exceeded my expectations. We did not have a bad meal over there. Even our Western-style breakfasts at the hotel were delicious. One thing is for sure, they know how to cook in India. I had everything from butter chicken, to lamb curry, to tandoori chicken and prawns, to paneer tikka (marinated cheese cubes), daal (lentils w/cream), saag (spinach w/cream), plenty of garlic naan – and the list goes on. We ate such large and late lunches that I only ate dinner one night the whole time I was there. That was probably for the best. I would be the size of a house if I had eaten three meals a day.

Monsoon season: It was well and truly monsoon season. Apparently it has not rained this much in India in over 20 years. It was miserably soggy and steamy. It really put a damper on my mood for a large chunk of the week. When the sun finally came out, it was amazing how the city just sprung to life! And I was happy as a pea in a pod. Too bad it was the day that we were leaving….

Poverty: While the poverty was bad, it was not nearly as bad as I expected. I’m not sugar coating the situation, but from what I now hear, the poverty is much worse in Mumbai. I saw plenty of poor people, and people who were living out of tents. But they weren’t the type of people that you looked at and just cringed. They were happy. They were living their lives the best they knew how and adapting to their situation. People who lived near the river had to relocate due to all of the water, and they were living in tents along the side of the road. These tents housed their pots & pans, cots, clothes, all personal belongings, and their goats and kids. They are waiting for the water to recede so that they can move back home. They self-sustain because that’s the only option that they have.

God moments: I must say that I can’t remember a specific moment during my trip that just stuck out as a God moment with respect to India. And that disappoints me a little. But I also know that He was with me on that trip, teaching me things and making me realize things that I hadn’t realized before. And part of that was because I powered my way through the book Redeeming Love in just a few short days. So I guess I did have God moments, they just didn’t have to do with India. You know what? I’ll take it.

A rich culture: So I didn’t get to see the Taj Mahal. I’ll live. And the first day that we went out sightseeing, it was gloomy and wet. Not the best opportunity to see a city and experience its culture. But as the week progressed, I grew to love those people more and more. Their hospitality and their genuine kindness were so appreciated. We had a driver the entire time that we were there, and we became pretty close with him. I know his name and his age, his wife’s name, the names and ages of his three kids, where he grew up, what pets he has, what he does on his days off, etc. We were so lucky to have him and we legitimately bonded with him. We took him to lunch with us and learned so much from him. And the staff at the hotel, and the staff at the company that we were visiting – they were all so helpful and friendly. We had the same waiter at breakfast every morning. He knew our orders after the first day, and our names, and sat us at the same table each morning. He gave us some free food to send us off on our last day since we were leaving. So that’s what I left with thinking about their culture. Not monuments and tourist attractions, but the people and their ability to make me feel welcome and share a little of themselves with me.

Color: the color that sticks out the most to be is green. Delhi was a lot lusher than I expected. Sure there was a lot of pavement and dirt, but it was amongst trees, trees, and more trees. All the more for the resident howler monkeys to play in! We did take a drive through Old Delhi one day, through a local market, and it was a lot of what I pictured India to be like. We didn’t get out of the car, but I could tell the difference between the tourist market and the local market. Lots of color and fabric everywhere.

Bikes and cows: In India, cows are Gods. At least to the Hindu people. They are worshipped and taken care of. I think I would want to be a cow if I lived over there. Not that I want to be a God, but it would be nice to be secure knowing that I would live to see the next day. I saw cows tied up to things in the middle of the road and standing next to the tent homes that people were living in. And then there were the bikes. Normal bikes, pedi cab bikes with flatbeds attached, scooters, motorcycles, you name it, they had it. And the poor people have been riding around for over two months in monsoon season. They don’t sweat it, they just put on their ponchos and go. Or they get soaking wet. It’s their life. Many of them don’t have a choice. And I quickly realized that it was normal for an entire family of four to be on one bicycle: dad pedaling, mom sitting side saddle in the back, and two kids squashed in between. Can you imagine what would happen if someone did that in America?

So would I voluntarily go back to India anytime soon? Probably not. But I have nothing against India. As I mentioned before, they seem like a society that barely functions. And I often wondered when I was over there how exactly they do manage to operate day-to-day. I don’t understand it, and I probably never will.

Often times while I’m traveling overseas, I look back at America and wonder where we went wrong. I wonder why we have to be so critical of each other, why we have this sense of entitlement over so many things that we are NOT entitled to, and how religion and the church has become such a point of contention. But on this trip, my perspective changed a little. In India they worship cows. COWS. In India, they may be laid back and carefree, but that’s because it probably does them no good to stand up and fight. Maybe because nobody will listen. And in India, it seems that they have very little sense of entitlement, except for what they have worked for and own fair and square.

So, I will take my experience in India and tuck it away in the special globetrotting section of my brain, and look back at it on occasion as a point where I realized that America may not be all that bad after all. And neither is India.

Globetrotting: India, Part I

About this time last year, one of my very first posts was about my world travels. I wrote about some of my favorite places, and why they were my favorites. Traveling the world is a passion of mine, and one of my fears is that I will die without really experiencing all that I would like to. There are just too many places in the world that I want to see, and not enough time. And I worry about some day becoming desensitized to the excitement of experiencing a new culture. I hope that never happens to me, no matter how far or how often my globetrotting takes me away.

Luckily, my new job provides me with the opportunity to travel the world. Yes, I do have to work during these trips, but I still am hoping to get a glimpse of these various countries and their cultures, and actually have time to see some sights on the weekends. And then when and if I really want to dig deep, I can always go back on a personal trip.

That being said, I leave in a couple of days for my first destination: India. I thought that it would be a good idea to blog about some of my expectations before my trip, and then after my trip, I can blog about what it was really like over there and how my expectations measured up. I’ve never been to India. I’ve only heard stories about what it's like. But I want to see for myself.

So I am going to list some things that I am excited about and some things that I expect to see and experience. Then we’ll see how life, and international travel, really is when I get back!

Business class air travel: flat bed, yummy food on real plates with real silverware, the ice cream sundae cart, free wine, the “goodie bag”, feeling special. I won’t deny it. I’m very much looking forward to this. I love settling into my extra wide seat with comfy clothes on, a full belly, and a movie or a book, or both. On a 15 hour flight, I think I'll have time for a little of everything :-)

Indian food: I am always up for trying local food when I travel in a foreign country. It’s always so much more authentic than the westernized versions that we get over here in America. And I L-O-V-E curry. Yes, I realize that after a while curry will likely ooze out of the pores in my skin, but I'm hoping it’ll take longer than a week for that to happen :-)

Monsoon season: it is rainy season in India right now. I looked up the weather forecast on the internet and it shows rain showers every single day. Nice. So, I will tote my umbrella, a rain coat and a poncho with me to New Delhi. A girl has to be prepared! And don’t think this will stop me from getting out and about. I’ll just look like a drowned rat in all of my photos. And I won't have many, if any, photos in the sunshine. And this will NOT help my desire for a tan, or my Vitamin D deficiency.

Poverty: I am expecting to see the worst and most severe poverty that I have ever seen in my life. This is what people have told me is waiting for me over there. And while I think I’ve prepared myself for what my eyes will see, I don’t think I really have ANY idea of what reality is like over there; like poverty so prevalent that you literally cannot get away from it, no matter where you go. So stay tuned for this sad reality.

God moments: I am indescribably excited about the moments when I am over there and truly experience God. Something about being in a foreign city, in the midst of a foreign culture – God just seems to work in those moments and show His face. I cannot wait for that.

A rich culture: although we are not able to see the Taj Mahal during this trip (next trip, hopefully!), I am looking forward to seeing some of the sights within New Delhi. I’ve done a bit of research and it looks like there are some pretty amazing things to see (in the rain of course!). So I’m hoping that I can teach my blog readers a little about what New Delhi has to offer when I get back.

Color: so many of the pictures of India that I’ve seen are full of color. I don’t know if it’s really going to be like that, or just in the markets, but in my head I can see spices, and fabrics, and beads. I can’t wait to take it all in.

Bikes and cows: is it weird that I picture in my head bikes and cows when I think of India? I'm sure it's a result of television and movies, but if I don't see any, I think I'll be blown away, and maybe even slightly disappointed.

So off I go in a couple of days, with my DSLR in tow, so that I don’t have a single moment where I say “I wish I had brought the good camera”. And don’t think that I have not packed portable Clorox wipes and Wet Ones too. And that I didn’t go get a flu shot and malaria pills. I am ready to tackle India head on, and I cannot wait to get back and share my experiences with all of you loyal blog readers! :-)

The Block

It's official. I have "the Block"- writer's block, that is. I have no less than three blogs started right now. But I just cannot seem to finish them. I'm not feelin' it. I get these brilliant ideas, jot down notes as I think of things to include in my blog, even start writing the blog, but then the door slams in my face. BAM! And I don't want to just babble incessantly.

And it's very frustrating for me because I love writing blogs and the words typically just flow.

So, this short post (which I realize is SO uncharacteristic of me) is simply to let all of you cyber-blog readers out there know that I have not crawled under a rock, I have not dropped off the face of the earth, I'm simply experiencing a serious case of writer's block. So bear with me, as I try to bear with myself, and get some of these blogs finished :-)

And then get ready, because you will likely get bombarded with more blog posts then you can handle!

Much love xox

I Just Know

There are times in my life when I just know that I have it all figured out. Really, I do. I am full of confidence. I bounce around the various aspects of my life with ease, happily settling into each little nook and corner, not favoring one over the other. Just enjoying them all. And I feel…..happy and blessed. That’s how it’s been for me lately. I’ve been happy and have felt very blessed.

There has been a lot of change going on in my life over the past couple of months. A new church, a new job, meeting lots of new people, and just a different focus in life overall. I have loved every minute of it. I like change – I need change. And through it all, I’ve been very careful about thanking the person in charge of all of this. And acknowledging that it is He who has bestowed all of these blessings on me, and has given me the heart and mind to recognize them.

I’ve also noticed that He really does listen. I have proof. Well, not "proof", like something tangible that I can show you – not something that scientists would ever consider to be proof. But I just know. When an idea just pops into my head after I’ve been praying about something? Well, that’s Him. That’s God. And it’s not just a random thought. It is the perfect answer to whatever question I had posed to Him or doubt that was running through my mind. And although I may not always like the answer, I know it’s His answer, and I just have to roll with it.

Case in point: I have been really working on spending more time with Jesus lately. Just me and Him. Talking to Him, reading all about Him in the Bible, and reflecting on every aspect of His character. This is something that I have been praying about a lot lately. And even before that, I really wanted to get to a point where He was my perfect portion. A point where I realized that He was enough for me right now. It’s a hard spot to get to when we live in this fallen world and there are other distractions for our time and our energy. I was getting there; I’d like to think that I still am getting there.

And then other things come up, and I begin thinking about some of these distractions, and all of a sudden they become the subject of my prayer. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. They may be good distractions. But there’s a conflict now isn’t there? Have I put Jesus in a situation where He cannot answer both prayers? Perhaps I have. And it wouldn’t be fair to me to hold Him accountable for that, would it? I can’t get upset because both things aren’t happening. I have to listen to Him, and realize that maybe I can’t have both of them. At least maybe not right now. And this is exactly what He has told me. So maybe I walk away from one, or He takes one away from me. Either way, I rest in the confidence that I have in Him to guide me down His path.

So, there are times in life when I just know that I have it all figured out. And then He gives me His answer, instead of my own, and I realize that I’m not even close to figuring any of it out. And that’s kind of a relief. Why? Because I can be confident that I am living in His world and He has control over everything. I may be a control freak, but I try really hard to be happy in relinquishing control to Him.

Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. – Psalm 25: 4-5 (NIV)

Coming Into Focus

I’d like to think that I’m quite good at giving people advice about their own lives. I offer a different perspective on their situations, and I can only assume that it’s because I’m not in the middle of them, they most likely don’t impact me, and it’s easier for me to speak the truth to somebody about their life than it is to actually speak the truth to myself about mine. Are you the same?

I was at a concert not too long ago and in between songs the lead singer starting talking about our life as a canvas. And how sometimes we are way too close to the canvas, and when we are that close, things are blurry and the picture isn’t clear. He said that we need to remember to step back every now and then to get a view of the big picture that is our life, not just the particular view that we are looking at with a big zoom lens. And when we do that, the picture – our life – starts becoming clearer; it starts coming into focus.

I have recently begun indulging in a long-time interest of mine – amateur photography. I bought a digital SLR camera a couple of years ago, but never really invested the time or energy into learning about it until a few months ago. One of my new favorite things to do is to go to the zoo and take pictures of the animals at various times of the day. It’s amazing how different their personalities are depending on what time of day you catch them. My favorite time of day is early morning, when they are active, playful, and entering the world again with curious eyes.

I’ve noticed that with my big zoom lens, I can capture some great moments. I can really zoom in on their personalities, but I can also control what I see, or what someone looking at my pictures will ultimately see. I contrast this with a standard lens that captures more of the view. It provides the panoramic background and setting for the photo, rather than focusing on one particular piece of the photographic puzzle. It’s like stepping back for a more complete view.

For example, I can snap a great photo of Baylor the baby elephant, zoomed in to see his adorable face and the little hairs on the top of his head. It’ll be a great photo that reflects him and perhaps even his playfulness that day. But, if I zoom out, I am then able to capture the fact that he is standing there under the protection of his mom Shanti and aunt Methai, and next to his “brother” Tucker. It tells a different story, a bigger story, a more complete story; one that is not seen when I’m zoomed in. It tells of a family, their cohesiveness, their love and protection for one another; and it’s an entirely different perspective.

Isn’t this the same for our life as a canvas? I think sometimes we are too zoomed in; standing too close to the picture of our lives. Being that close means that we are not able to focus and things that are happening in our life may not be clear. We are consuming ourselves with the small, minute details, and not paying attention to, or appreciating, the big picture. Sometimes we don’t know what this big picture looks like, so it’s hard to step back, to zoom out, and really see it for what is really is. We may miss out on something because we are too close.

God has written each one of our lives. He has written our story, or in this case, painted our picture. Sure we can make choices that deviate from that story (we do it all the time, actually), but ultimately He knows us and our lives. He is zoomed out and sees each life, each canvas, for what it really is. He has everything in focus while we are trying to control what everyone else sees and we struggle to focus on anything but the here and now.

I think that maybe we need to put just a little more faith in God. I know it seems like a no-brainer, but I really think that consciously giving up control of our lens, zooming out of our own lives to try and get a little of God’s perspective, would be healthy for us. We may see our lives differently and pieces of our own puzzle may start to make sense. Things may start coming into focus. You know, like when you’re right up next to a painting and can’t focus on anything, but when you step back, you can see everything clearly?

So how do we do this in our own lives?

I don’t know. Applying this is the tricky part, but at least thinking about it is a good start. I rest in the fact that God uses everything in my life for my own good. It may be a tough lesson learned, or a sad experience to go through, but each experience helps to mold me into the person that God created me to be. So instead of zooming in on the canvas of our lives, perhaps we should zoom in on God instead. He already knows the big picture. He’s already focused.

They're My Neighbors

This past week, I participated in my church’s annual mission “trip” in our own city. The Houston Project enables us to love on the people of Houston and hopefully introduce them to Jesus Christ and give Him the chance to shine through us during our time spent with each of them. I have not been with this church for very long, but when I heard about the Houston Project, I just assumed that everyone signed up, and therefore, I did so without hesitation! There were over 1,500 people signed up altogether, spread out between thirteen sites in Houston and the surrounding suburbs.

I quickly began to understand what I was getting myself into. I’m an accountant. I was going to be a VBS teacher for 8-9 year olds. Huh?!? Was God playing a practical joke on me? Don’t these kids need somebody more qualified than me?

Most everyone, including our Pastor, kept saying that while the people of Houston will be very blessed by our involvement in their communities, the people who will end up being blessed the most are those who serve. I was signed up to be a faithful servant. I couldn’t have been more excited, or nervous. How was I going to know what to say? How was I going to bring up Jesus Christ to these wee ones? How was I going to hold their attention when their minds are in a thousand other places? What if they ignored me?

Let me set the scene for you:

Houston’s Third Ward: one of the poorest urban areas in the country. It’s 95 degrees outside. The children range from age 3 up to age 11. There are plenty of mosquitoes around. We feed them and play with them outside, then round them up to go inside. We sing and dance with them, then do Bible stories and a craft. One day they make t-shirts; the next, picture frames; and yet another, a salvation bracelet. Then we treat them to some snow cones for a little break, perhaps a balloon animal or two, and then we take them back inside for “good behavior” prizes and the wrap up session. This happens like clockwork for four nights. And hopefully in the middle of all of this, we are sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and they are listening.

It’s backdrop is an envy of all real estate developers in the area. It is the downtown skyline of Houston. It’s right there, within reach. People would pay a super-duper-ultra premium to live in this location. I turn around while playing with the kids, and it’s practically staring me in the face. The heartbeat of the 4th largest city in the country is right there, and yet that heart is not beating for these people of the Third Ward.

Some more statistics:

4.0 miles – the distance from my office in downtown Houston to Houston’s Third Ward. A short distance from seven figure salaries to absolute poverty.

5.4 miles – the distance from my house to Houston’s Third Ward. Not far from what now seems like a little bubble that I live in. I was previously ignorant to what was going on so near to me.

A vast majority of the population in the Third Ward is African-American. It is a small pocket of Houston that is bordered by two universities and a major highway. Thousands of people drive right by it every single day and don’t even know that it’s there. They don’t even blink an eye. Thousands of people, just like me, who have never even set foot in the Third Ward, not to mention would be able point it out on a map of Houston.

The houses are run down, everyone hangs out outside, and as you drive down the streets, you have to go extra slow to not hit kids playing or adults gathered together on a street corner. When it gets dark, it’s not a safe place to be for a thirty-something white gal who knows she does not inherently belong there. But when the sun was up, this is what I saw:

I saw faces of innocence, hope, and despair.

I saw children who clung to me as a figure that represents life, love, happiness, security, and protection.

I saw absolute bliss at the thought of a snow cone or balloon animal of their own.

I saw children who wanted to be obedient. They wanted discipline and structure.

I saw an eagerness to learn something new and to interact with new people.

I received neverending requests for piggy back rides, or simply to be held.

I saw them as real people. Human beings created by the same God who created me. They’re my neighbors. They live 5.4 miles from me. They’re practically in my backyard. God loves them just as much as He loves me. I am called to love them; they are His children. There are really no excuses to ignore them; I can’t use the excuse that ignorance is bliss any longer. I’ve met them. I know they’re there. They’re my neighbors.

So what next?

They need teachers, mentors, and friends. They need to be taught and shown that Jesus Christ is the way, and the truth, and the life. They need to be loved on; not just for a day, or a week, or a month, or once a year, but for a lifetime. They never once asked what my background was and what I did for a living; they don’t care. To them, I was someone to cling to, talk to, listen to them, hug them, high five them, teach them, dance and sing with them, show off to, and love on them. That’s really their only desire. All the credentials in the world mean nothing to them.

I ask one of my sweet girls Jasmine: “How was your day? What did you do all day?” She responds: “Nothing. My mom talked on the phone all day and was screaming”. Sweet girl. You’re my neighbor. Come with me and I’ll love on you.

I ask another young boy, Tyreese, why he is misbehaving that particular day. I never get a straight answer, but I have a feeling that the fifteen minutes that I spent alone talking with him were really what he was after. I tell him that God loves him no matter what. That God is happy when we are good, and sad when we are bad, but that He loves us ALWAYS. And then I ask him if he wants to make God sad. “No ma’am”. Precious, impressionable boy. Come give me a hug. I’ll love on you. You’re my neighbor.

Then there are the two sisters, Miracle and Erin. They show up late every night, missing out on the Bible stories and the crafts. But they seem to always get there in time for snow cones and walk away with huge amounts of takeaway containers with leftover food. The first night it irritates me. They are getting food, but not spending any time with the group or participating in any activities. The second night, it irritates me more. Then the third night, I soften up. I realize that they are just trying to provide for their family. They have no choice over what time they get there. They are doing what they can to make everyone happy. I tell them that we are having pizza the last night, and that if they want some, they better come on time because it will be all gone. And guess what? They came on time, got hot pizza, and stayed to enjoy the rest of the evening. They got to be kids. I will not judge them. I’m not in their situation. And they’re my neighbors.

They are protective of each other. Big and little brothers and sisters, friends, neighbors. They have each other’s back. I pray that I don’t become desensitized to them, EVER. I need to expose myself to them over and over again so that I don’t forget their sweet little faces. I’m not asking for a pity party, or for someone to come in and save the day, but why aren’t we better at loving them? Showing a little bit of ourselves to them? Introducing them to the hope that is found in Jesus? And maybe preparing them, just a little, for the great big world out there that has so much to offer them.

Too many of us live in ignorance. We don’t do what we are supposed to. We make excuses for why we can’t help out others: we’re too busy, our work schedules don’t allow, we need “me” time, we have errands to run. Oh really? Is that what we’re going to tell God? Is that our excuse?

From the lyrics of Casting Crowns:
But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the bodyWhy aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?

We are His arms, His hands, His mouth, His feet. The Bible clearly tells us that believers are members of the Body of Christ. We are all important members of His Body and serve a purpose. All of the members of the Body of Christ work together to glorify Him. You are Christ’s body- that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything – 1 Corinthians 12:27 (MSG).

So after this week with the little ones, an exhausting week spent in Houston’s Third Ward, I have a passion for them. I want so badly to do something for them. To be someone for them. I want to find out what part of the body of Christ I am, and how I am to reach out to them, and then go after them.

We leave on the last night (and the kids don’t realize this is our last night), and I tell each of them how much fun I had with them that week. I dread the question, “Will I see you tomorrow Lisa?”, and it came, more often than I had hoped. And I was honest with them. But I also told them that I would be back someday. And I will. After all, they’re my neighbors.