"Happily Uncomfortable"

I hope it disturbs me
If the only friends I have
Are Christians
Are the people I see on Sunday.

I hope it is unsettling within
If the only people I talk to
And the only people I know
And the only people I spend time with
Are the people who live just like me.

Who already have the same answers I do.
Who don't need what I have because they already have it too.

I hope it makes me uncomfortable
If I can knowingly go a week without
Connecting with someone I don't know.
Without making an effort to make a friend.
Without looking for an avenue to go for coffee, to create a friendship that opens up the path for me to be able to tell them

Where that happiness, joy, peace, and steadiness comes from and how I want to spread it.

Right now,
I am uncomfortable
And I am glad I am.

Because I am not here on this earth
To spend time with only Christians.

I was not saved to just be saved.
I have a role to play.

And I hope I always remain uncomfortable
No matter what stage of life I am in
Or where I rank in my community

I will never exempt myself
From the call that every single one of us as Christians receive.

Because if I do everything else
Except purposely reaching others
Then I have done nothing.

And if I find myself living daily life
In a way that is not conducive to connecting with others,
Then I hope I see that.
I hope I change my daily routine
In order to place myself within the paths of others.

I hope I stay uncomfortable
Even when I do make connections.
Because it will keep me
Trying and trying and trying.  

Thanks God for all of these:

I'm thankful. 

For sight. The ability to see the sunsets and sunrises (And the ability to sleep peacefully in between these two occurrences every time they happen). Sight to see the multi-dimensions of life. The colours of everyone and everything. 

For touch. The ability to physically feel textures. To feel pain. For it means my nerves are working properly. To feel her growing brilliant head beneath my patting palm when I pat it as she twirls in a puffy dress. 

For taste. The ability to swallow food. Because not everyone can physically swallow or have any food available to swallow. 

For sound. The ability to hear every note. Every car go by. Every voice that speaks to me. 

For clarity of mind. The ability to think. The power to learn knowledge. 

For my tongue. To speak. To create unity and connection with words. 

For the English language. To communicate with most of the world.

For the experiences both the past and future, both good and bad. Because it means I'm alive. 

For a home. With a couch and hot tea to fill my cups. 

For soap to cleanse my skin. Because not everyone has the benefit of accessing cleansers to bring them to health bodily. 

For dirty dishes and dirty laundry. Because it means we have jobs to wear our clothes to. And food to dirty our plates. 

For a muddy rug and entry way. Because it means dirty shoes that went places today. And it means my husband had work that day. 

For lungs that work. And feet that carry me. 

For a recovered heart that has the ability to love and to understand. 

For mountains to climb whenever I need them. 

For water. To drink. To cleanse. 

For time. 

For my two nieces who drew love out of me that I didn't know was inside. 

For eyes to watch every first crawl. Ears to hear every first word she says. 

For him. Who married me. And who is as gentle and kind as the day we began together. 

For my single one blood sibling. For her friendship. And her attentiveness to my life. 

For friends who care. And fall with me and take my arm to get me and them up too. 

For my husband's father and mother. And all my brothers. Who are there whenever I call. 

For fireplaces and cookies. 

And toothpaste to brush off the sugar at the end of the day. 

For a community of believers. 

For a very good book that determines everything I do in my life.

And for the ability to read it for myself. 

For light bulbs, candles, and heat. 

For paper and pen. 

For advanced technology.

For the new people I will meet. 

For the death of the One who gave me life. 

For the growing relationship I have with Him.

I'm thankful. 

Lastly but the greatest of all,

For the God who not only gave me all of things above but the ability to be thankful for each one of them. 

Happy Thanksgiving.

Be thankful today. 

 (And maybe make a really long list too. You'll start to realize just how good life really is and how much you really have.)