-two posts in 1 day. im on a roll.
so you've been learning a lot on this trip (the past few days especially) about
family
strangers
myself
relationships
people in general.
from the glamourous shoppers in Rodeo Drive to their gardeners in Beverly Hills, to the homeless in Tijuana, to even more of your sister's weird quirks just when you thought you knew them all (err hitting yourself on the head to see if what i said meets what you think i'd say??).
viv don't forget the hour trolley ride to Tijuana, where the random 20 year old (seemingly gangsta) caucasian guy got up so you could have his seat. or casually overhearing the conversation between the couple and the young man sitting beside you. at first you thought they knew one another by the sounds of their conversation, but 35 minutes later the couple got off at their designated station and wished the guy goodbye, with an "it was nice meeting you, bro." remember that you thought at first these were all sketchy people, you WERE in a pretty run down part of the city at the time.
but the guy beside you, in the baggy baggy polo with the flipped up collar, the rings on his fingers and the skateboard between his legs. under his baseball cap with the flat brim, he tells his story to the couple.
he's 20 and in the navy; in cali for the first time training,
he has an 18 year old sister who got married just so she could leave home.
that he was adopted and he has other siblings with whom he hasnt contacted in years,
that he liked to "have fun, but knew when responsibilities come first"
he cares about his sister a lot. he loves her deeply, but she wants nothing to do with him.
...
that he has a personal, deep fulfilling, joyous relationship with the Lord God Almighty.
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and the couple, the bald black man and the caucasian lady.
he appeared to be around 25, she 30. but later you find out that he's 46 and she 48.
again, not exactly clean cut,
but you hear their conversation viv, and you are absolutely just blown away at their words.
the way they listened to the guy's story
the way they gave him advice
the words that they spoke
... "don't stop going to church man"
.... "in order to be a leader you have to first be a follower; never stop learning man, always leave room in your mind for more"
....."you have a sister, what they call siblings man. but does she know that you love her? you gotta let her know man, you gotta let her know. family. you're all that she's got, your mom's preaching righteousness, probably why she left home right? ... you're all she's got man. let her know you love her."
(no matter how creepy this makes me sound. we were on seats facing one another & i really had no choice but to be the silent listener in their conversation)
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remember how His word kept replaying in your mind this past little while.
4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. matthew 7:4-5
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remember what your mom said awhile back
remember these sights
remember humility
remember humility.
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God i know you've been placing these people and these incidents in my life for a reason. and i now recognize it all. Father forgive me for I have been so over my head. in pride, acting in haste in judging and correcting others. who am i to have said or think or done any of the things that i did. even the silent thoughts, they are not ones of righteousness, of love, of humility. You alone are perfect, let me not forget that. help me remember. help me love. teach me.(:
