November 6, 2008

Weeks seem to chug along and I can't believe how fast time flies by. When I see or experience things that seem interesting, I think I will remember it to add to this blog. Of course, by the time I write, I have forgotten most of the things. This will probably be a rambling post, but choose for yourself whether you want to keep reading...

One day last week I was feeling really sick, but needed to go to the Space for a staff meeting. It's not always easy to get all the staff together at the same time and with so much going on at Parable right now, missing the meeting was not an option. Getting from place to place in the city is sometimes not much fun even when you feel good. I made it in to the office and sat down. The guys decided I didn't look well and suggested I go home. Well, that didn't set well with me, since I had spent so much energy getting my nauseous self there! Mike and I stepped over to our favorite health food diner to grab something healthy and hot for my tummy. Then we had our meeting. We accomplished much in the meeting. However, since I didn't feel well, I ended up being weepy (I'm such a girl sometimes). Of course, the guys don't freak out over female tears. We are in NYC after all where people just get tough. Besides they know that I'm really not fragile. So we completed our meeting and they decided I should take some time off to get better. I agreed to continue taking it easy and concentrating on getting well.

I was getting phone calls from my sister that day letting me know that my Mom was in the hospital for what turned out to be just an overnight stay. She was calling, my phone kept dropping the calls, it was rainy and cold, I felt like crap... As I was going to meet my bus, I pulled out my little umbrella that I carry in my bag. The wind here gets strong and makes umbrellas useless some times. This was the case at that moment. I'm fighting the wind and my umbrella, which turns inside out and 2 of the spines break. So I fix it best I can and keep walking to the bus. Half of me is fairly dry from part of the umbrella that still looks like an umbrella. The other side of me is getting wet as that half of the umbrella is not only broken, but is slapping me up side the head as I'm walking. Needless to say, the umbrella got tossed into the next trashcan. But at that moment I really felt the enemy trying to do everything possible to make me miserable. It was one of those times when you just want to laugh because it is so ridiculous. No matter how wet, sick or irritated I was at that time, I decided to praise God for letting me being His no matter what was thrown my way. I think I will remember that silly umbrella beating my head when ever I have a frustrating moment and I hope it makes me laugh as it did much later. Just felt like sharing that story...

I'm now feeling well enough to begin walking to the Space again and to get out more. I really missed walking the streets of this city. I walk past hundreds of people every day that I do not know and will probably never meet. It starts feeling like people are just like the buildings - many around and you just walk past them. It makes me more appreciative of the people that I do meet and start seeing on a continuing basis. Kenneth (my guard friend at Lincoln Center) asked where I've been. He missed seeing me in the mornings. We've been teasing about going to the beach now that the weather is colder. He's from Jamaica and likes warm weather. If I walk by his post and he's not near the sidewalk, he'll yell 'hello' and I look around till I find him. The other day I walked by and another guard was at his post. I heard a 'hello' as I passed a parked car and it was Kenneth inside taking a break and eating a snack. He made sure I heard him so that he could greet me. That made me smile.

I know most of the maintenance and support staff in our building at the Space. I really appreciate the jobs they do. It's nice to learn their names and greet each other and find out where they are from and different things about them. I love hearing everyone's stories. And I'm thankful for the opportunity to share my story with them. The story of how God brought me to NYC.

I'm feeling a little better and starting down the long road of getting healthy once and for all. No more taking health and strength for granted. No more abusing this body, which is a gift to me from God to use while on this earth. I'm going after physical, spiritual and emotional health. The whole package. And I know I can't do it without God. I'm not strong enough to be that disciplined. But this is another way that I can trust Him and honor Him and give Him the glory for what He accomplishes in my life. So please, keep me in your prayers!

Concentrating on eating healthy, organic, unprocessed foods makes me think about how much I want my relationships to be healthy, honest, trusting and uncomplicated by worldly perspectives. I want all parts of my life to be healthy and just the way that God intends it to be.

I promise to try harder to share more stories about my walk with Christ in NYC.