"Children are the only test of character that you cannot get rid of when you are tired or stressed and go do your own thing. You can take a break from a 'ministry' but not from a whole slew of little kids. You are up to bat all the time. You never see the dugout, much less the locker room. But it is way down in the nitty-gritty, knee deep in the nuts and bolts of everyday life, that God makes spiritual giants. Laundry and phonics and recipes are the stuff of greatness.
"
- Jill Barrett
Monday, April 23, 2012
So this made my Monday. A follower on Twitter hipped me to this clip from a recent Graham Norton show where Norton interviews actor Mark Ruffalo, one of my all-time faves. The clip begins with Norton referencing Ruffalo's legendary niceness and then brings up an old blog post of mine. They then reenact the script of the conversation I wish Mark and I had had, lo, those seven years ago.
The Jody mentioned is Becky's sister. Amazing that Mark remembered her name! But Jody is a memorable person.
If you're interested in my original post, which also includes a re-creation of how I remember the conversation actually going, you can go here.
That was before gospel wakefulness corrected my fear of man, by the way. ;-)
But I've had the signed boarding pass he gave Jody to give me on my office bulletin board for the last 7 years.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Yesterday at work I went to lunch with some friends from work. The conversation turned toward spiritual matters (one colleague is a Christian, the other a Hindu).
It was one of those conversations . . . one in which I could have steered things way, way more toward the necessity and exclusivity of Jesus and farther away from the ecumenical "all religions are at their core the same" direction the talk went. Long story on that. But I got tongue-tied, and I could not figure out a way to get the right word in.
I didn't add anything of value to the conversation. This is ridiculous. What on earth is wrong with me?
I would appreciate prayer in this area, plus would love to hear about more positive experiences if you have some to share. I admit that I struggle a lot with personal evangelism.
Thanks.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Last night I said hurtful words to someone I love. What's worse, it was in the midst of a conversation about theological matters.
Words and even body language, all modes of human communication, can be like bullets.
I wish I had a time machine, but I don't. The good thing is that we have spoken, and forgiveness has been asked for and received. Thank God.
I still feel awful though, and I can't undo it. May grace overwhelm everything.
