Jesus keeps showing up at our back door unannounced in the form of a 4'9" Mayan woman with no front teeth. He's going by the name Isabel and has a deviously-cute baby named Norma slung over his back. You wouldn't believe how loud he knocks and how persistent he can be with his knocking. The man will simply not go away! In fact, he just left a few minutes ago. Let me be perfectly honest with you...Jesus is really starting to tick me off!
His visits always frustrate me and leave me feeling taken advantage of. He started coming around in October. At first he only wanted money and seemed upset with me when I would instead hand him eggs, bread and milk. But now that's it's Christmas time and all he's been hanging around town more, so we seem to see him everywhere we go. He wants me to buy his baby groceries and take him to the health clinic. That cleverly-disguised Jew sure does have a way of getting under my skin...he asks for more than I want to give, he makes me feel guilty about the money I have, and pulls me away from important things I need to do just so I'll notice him everytime he comes around. Errrrgggg!
Even though I talk about Jesus a lot as a pastor, for some reason there is something in me that is simply rebelling against him barging into my life like this. His mere presence in Isabel is forcing me to re-examine my relationship with the poor I see day-to-day and what my responsibility is to them as someone with money, resources and education. Not to mention the lesson he's trying to teach me about the mysterious joy of being taken advantage of. I'm probably just mad because Jesus is making me put my money where my mouth is. Maybe I'll learn one day, but until then I'd better get to bed because tomorrow I'm taking that annoying carpenter from Bethlehem to the pharmacy early in the morning to get him some meds...
Peace,
Jay
Monday, December 22, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
An Open Letter to All Roosters
Dear Roosters,
I hate you.
Sincerely,
Jay (that gringo in Guatemala you have chosen to torture with your incessant, 24/7 crowing)
p.s. Watch your back. If I see one of you wandering the streets alone...it's on!
I hate you.
Sincerely,
Jay (that gringo in Guatemala you have chosen to torture with your incessant, 24/7 crowing)
p.s. Watch your back. If I see one of you wandering the streets alone...it's on!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Reflections at 2 Months...
Things I Miss:
-Route 44 Cherry-Limeades from Sonic (FYI Happy Hour drinks are ½ price 2-4 p.m. daily!)
-Drivers who stop at stop signs
-Hugs and holidays with my family in Texas
-The Jersey shore
-Flushing toilet paper
-Town Lake in Austin
-Ice
-Having dinner at some great local restaurant with close friends
-Preaching on Sunday mornings (mostly)
-Creamy Jalapeno sauce at Chuy’s ~ I could bathe in that stuff (and would if I had the chance)
-Snowy days in New Jersey
-My partners in ministry
-Our dog Molly
-Playing with my cute nieces
-The feeling of college football Saturdays
-You
Things I Don’t Miss:
-The insane consumerism around Christmas
-Being inundated with advertising and media
-Being part of the majority (it’s good to experience being the "different" one for a change)
-Having a car
-Feeling driven to be productive 24/7
-The concrete jungle
-The sense of entitlement I felt in the States
-Bathing everyday (overrated)
Things I’m Learning:
-It’s a lot more fun to drive when everyone else on the road is crazy too!
-It may be easier to see God when you’re in unfamiliar environments.
-It really feels good to say “hola” and smile at people I walk by everyday.
-Where your treasure is your heart will be also (I think some famous Jew said that once).
-The United Methodist Church may be “dying” by some standards in the States, but it sure is full of life down here!
-A small Toyota pick-up actually can hold upwards of 20 people in the rear bed.
-Unfamiliar situations or people are rarely as scary as we make them out to be.
-No matter where I live from here on out I will own a hammock.
-Even though motorcycles clearly are the best and most economical means of transportation, if your spouse doesn’t want you to drive one it just ain’t gonna happen!
-If you smile and nod a lot when listening to someone speak Spanish they'll think you understand them.
-A machete really does make the perfect gift for a 6-year-old boy.
-Mayans must be among the hardest working, yet most family-oriented people I have ever met.
-I should take more time to slow down and enjoy life (even while working)
-If you can't pronounce the name of a particular type of food it's no more likely to make you sick.
-If you look directly into the big, brown eyes of a Mayan child you will feel more hopeful about life. (Remember that verse, “in the twinkling of an eye you will be changed?" Well, it seems to make more sense now.)
-It’s really easy and cost-effective to reuse zip-lock bags, plastic bottles, paper towels, and many other things I used to throw away after only one use (note: reusing toilet paper = bad idea).
-It’s a big world out there, and it is clearly not all about me!
Happy Festivus!
Paz,
Jay
-Route 44 Cherry-Limeades from Sonic (FYI Happy Hour drinks are ½ price 2-4 p.m. daily!)
-Drivers who stop at stop signs
-Hugs and holidays with my family in Texas
-The Jersey shore
-Flushing toilet paper
-Town Lake in Austin
-Ice
-Having dinner at some great local restaurant with close friends
-Preaching on Sunday mornings (mostly)
-Creamy Jalapeno sauce at Chuy’s ~ I could bathe in that stuff (and would if I had the chance)
-Snowy days in New Jersey
-My partners in ministry
-Our dog Molly
-Playing with my cute nieces
-The feeling of college football Saturdays
-You
Things I Don’t Miss:
-The insane consumerism around Christmas
-Being inundated with advertising and media
-Being part of the majority (it’s good to experience being the "different" one for a change)
-Having a car
-Feeling driven to be productive 24/7
-The concrete jungle
-The sense of entitlement I felt in the States
-Bathing everyday (overrated)
Things I’m Learning:
-It’s a lot more fun to drive when everyone else on the road is crazy too!
-It may be easier to see God when you’re in unfamiliar environments.
-It really feels good to say “hola” and smile at people I walk by everyday.
-Where your treasure is your heart will be also (I think some famous Jew said that once).
-The United Methodist Church may be “dying” by some standards in the States, but it sure is full of life down here!
-A small Toyota pick-up actually can hold upwards of 20 people in the rear bed.
-Unfamiliar situations or people are rarely as scary as we make them out to be.
-No matter where I live from here on out I will own a hammock.
-Even though motorcycles clearly are the best and most economical means of transportation, if your spouse doesn’t want you to drive one it just ain’t gonna happen!
-If you smile and nod a lot when listening to someone speak Spanish they'll think you understand them.
-A machete really does make the perfect gift for a 6-year-old boy.
-Mayans must be among the hardest working, yet most family-oriented people I have ever met.
-I should take more time to slow down and enjoy life (even while working)
-If you can't pronounce the name of a particular type of food it's no more likely to make you sick.
-If you look directly into the big, brown eyes of a Mayan child you will feel more hopeful about life. (Remember that verse, “in the twinkling of an eye you will be changed?" Well, it seems to make more sense now.)
-It’s really easy and cost-effective to reuse zip-lock bags, plastic bottles, paper towels, and many other things I used to throw away after only one use (note: reusing toilet paper = bad idea).
-It’s a big world out there, and it is clearly not all about me!
Happy Festivus!
Paz,
Jay
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