Sunday, February 1, 2009

Well kids, I'm here!

I pulled up to 321 Beekman Ave in a cab coming from La Guardia Airport about 3 weeks ago, and even then I knew I was home. I’ve spent my time painting and decorating my room, doing way too much homework, and getting to know the neighborhood. I’ve played with the kids next door a ton, but almost every time they’re over one of them will say, “Wait, you live here?”
And I say, “Yes, silly.”
“For how long? A week? Or forever?”
“Forever.”
They have watch a cycle of people come through since Jillian and Sara struggled to find permanent roommates. It is nice to know I’ll be here for a while, at least a couple of years—which seems like forever to the kids. They are SO MUCH fun but also a lot to handle. Even when we have 3 of the roommates home they keep us super busy. All 7 of them need lots of love and attention, which I am glad to give, even if they do tire me out.
Here’s a cute little story: The youngest of the group, age 5, was staring at me kind of funny when she came over one day. I asked her what she was looking at and she said “nothing.” She kept looking so I covered her eyes and tickled her. Later the two of us were playing Candyland, and I looked up from shuffling the deck to see her staring quizzically again.
“Why do you have polka dots on your face?”
Jillian, who was making some mac and cheese, and I shared a confused look and then burst out laughing.
“These are called freckles, sweetie.”

Really, all I have to say is that I am so blessed to be here. It is wonderful to be in a community of strong, beautiful women who are passionate about living the way Jesus did. We pray together every morning and it is a wonderful way to start the day. I am constantly amazed by the awesome spirits of these women. And I am growing closer to each of them as we get to know each other in new ways. I hadn’t met DeWanda before moving in, and spending time with her has been a blast. Sara and I knew each other last year but obviously living together adds a new dimension to our relationship. This is the second time I’ve lived with Jillian and it is great to see how Christ has grown us over the last two years.
One thing I’ve been convicted about since coming back is in regards to spending more time in prayer with Jesus. James 5:16 says that “the prayers of a righteous person are powerful and effective.” God chose to give us the power to change history through our prayers. What we pray for comes before the throne of God and he listens and considers the words of our hearts. The Lord of the Universe cares about what we have to say. This is comforting and challenging, for if prayer is powerful and effective, we should examine our prayer lives. How much time to we spend praying about ourselves and our friends? Certainly these things should not be ignored, but I was challenged to remember more than just my intimate circle when I am talking to Jesus, but also to pray globally.
Returning to New York brought all the joys I thought it would, from reconnecting with old friends to revisiting my favorite haunts like Think, Joe’s, Esperanto, and Tea Spot. It has also been fun to run into friends from Florence in a different context.
Yeah, I think that’s it. I am so excited to see God continue to flow through our lives, our neighborhood, our city, our country, our world. Amen!

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