It’s Christmas. Come on. Keep up!

Following this blog,you know it is all about Christmas, giving and making friends.  Right?  Ok.  Keep up with me now.  Cora and I were driving to HEB after an all day shopping spree. It is a miracle how God stretched a couple hundred bucks into an all day shop!

Anyway, we came up on a lady on 1604 blocking a lane of traffic because she was stranded without gas.  For 10 minutes people were honking and swerving around, but not helping.  I spotted the opportunity to make another friend. 

I pushed her off the road which was easy.  It was downhill.  Went to Autozone and “bah humbug” what a ripoff charging $12 for an empty emergency gas can.  Bought it anyway and counted it as the cost of blessing someone. 

It turns out that I gassed the car up and it still didn’t start, but I did my part.  By the time I got the gas in, she had made contact with her mom and figured out how to call the car dealership for a tow.   No body got hurt and I scored another point on the “Merry Christmas” poll.

Collecting Aluminum Scrap

Today, I dropped by the gas station to fill up.  Can you believe it?  $1.52 / gal. of gas.  Cora’s Jetta was totally empty and I got change back from my $20 when I filled it up.  Wahoo!

I was heading away from the pump when I spotted a lady about my age digging through the trash and picking out aluminum cans.  It saddened me a bit to see her unkept hair, wrinkled and somewhat dirty clothes.

As quick as I could, I turned around and pulled up beside the trash can she was working.  I asked if she was collecting cans.  She rather protectively responded, yes.  I reached out my window and handed her a $5 and a polite Merry Christmas. 

I don’t think I have ever seen a bigger smile.  She said nothing else.  Just stood there beaming ear to ear.   That was enough to know, it would have been ok if Jesus had come back today.  Also, if you have been following, I made a new friend!

Merry Christmas!

I love odd people

“They went, and while still on their way, became clean. One of them, when he realized that he was healed, turned around and came back, shouting his gratitude, glorifying God. He kneeled at Jesus’ feet, so grateful. He couldn’t thank him enough—and he was a Samaritan.”  That’s a bit odd.

I love odd people.  I suppose it is because I am a bit odd myself.  I feel at home with odd people.  My dad was an odd person.  I loved my dad.  What is it about odd people that make my day?

I think maybe it is because they love life.  They appreciate what God has done for them and are confident enough in their identity to just be themself.  While most of the world looks at them and giggles behind their back, they have a smile and beauty that maybe only they appreciate.  They love God.

When I was a research scientist, I had a friend who wore different color socks.  He had more interesting things going on in his head than worrying about the color of his socks.  I had a mathmatician friend that took his toothbrush for a walk on a string.  I had another scientist friend who was comfortable peeling his toenails in the middle of a party.  These people were all brilliantly odd and didn’t fit in.  They were modern day Samaritans.

Samaritans don’t fit in, but do great things.  Wouldn’t you like the confidence to be a modern day Samaritan?