Travelling Girl

This morning I carry out a bunch of bags having done some Christmas shopping while in Toronto, being embarrassed somewhat as this man held the elevator for me. I confessed that it wasn’t all my stuff but many Christmas gifts.

This business man responds quietly, “It’s ok.”
Quiet pause. Then with head down he continues, “I don’t get a Christmas this year.”
Sympathetically I respond, “Oh no, why?” Pulling his eyes to look in mine.
He does and seeing sincerity shares, “I have to work.” Then adds “Plus I’m single”.
Now my discernment going off, this is not a pick up line. Really. His heart is aching, I can feel it and I sense this is his first Christmas perhaps, being separated or divorced.

The elevator opens, and all I can find myself to say before I have to catch the shuttle is “It’s ok because Christmas is everyday.” And I smile genuinely.

With that I quickened my step and look joyfully at the counter reception as I practically sang, “Good morning!” to them in passing. Again just fresh out of my quiet time with God, which always refreshes my Spirit and floods my soul with joy. The staff couldn’t help but almost laugh as they smile, ear to ear declaring, “GOOD morning to you!!”

The sad man still kind of lingered waiting for his appointment. Again not pressing me, but stirring as if I was a counselor. I could tell.  At one point he came outside where I was waiting, stood for a whole second and then went back in. I realized when I got on the bus that I should’ve reached to him again, as that was a big step for him and he wanted to share more, but also was polite and didn’t want to feel like he was trying to pick me up. I simply prayed for that man that he would have a simple breath of hope from our encounter.

Then I sit on the shuttle working on my blackberry when God prompts me to shut it off and reach to this young guy next to me on the shuttle. I so wonder how Jesus would act with people he encountered, and yet if I just listen to Him in me, He takes over and shows me how He would act. But I need to be willing to listen to Him and then act in obedience.

So it’s just us on this shuttle and a kind older man driving. I ask him if he’s headed home? He then goes on to open his heart of discouragement but in a gentle way. Telling me he came from Quebec City to go to Brazil for 5 weeks of intensive athletic training but didn’t have the proper documentation, went downtown TO as told to but they can’t get it for a month, so he’s headed back home. The bus driver listening in, tells him there is one spot he can go to but would need to pay $$$, he shrugs his shoulders and says, "It’s ok.”

I look at him again, drawing his eyes, and well you know me… encourage him that there is a reason he is not to go. And he said, “Funny you say that, I have wondered that.” Then we went on for the next 15 minutes by the end talking of his good friend who’s competing in the Olympics. By the end he was smiling and I bid him goodbye.
As the old man helps me with my luggage, He looks at me in an affirming encouraging way, knowing exactly what I had just done to lift his spirit as he was trying to do initially. Then he smiled at me in a way that honestly, I felt as if it was a smile of God. Hard to explain, but what it did to my spirit. Man… I could’ve flown myself home at this point without a plane! LOL!

As I’m going to check in, they don’t have me. Stresses me for a moment, as I always travel very close to the allotted departure time. Those of you that know me are laughing! She tries several times and goes to get a supervisor. Then I pray, and ask God. I move to the next line, ask again. She types me in and finds me.

Next I go through security can’t find my passport anywhere. Look everywhere in my purse. Stressed again. I move aside, setting everything down and pray. Then pick up my purse, it’s right there. Now this usually doesn’t happen to me like this, but I gotta tell you it’s blowing me away this morning.

Then as we’re going through security I have a moment thinking how I’d love to sit beside the guy looking in the carry on bags, and if I could really look at them Iwould have a lot of fun telling you a lot of what I can discern about that person, from simply seeing what is in their carry on. I’m serious. You can tell so much from the little things.

Now I’m sitting here on the plane and reading my bible listening to worship and once again find I have 50 different thoughts from scripture I want to share but have already wrote much more than usual.

Reading Heb 11, such an inspiring chapter. But as I sit here with my bible open I’ve got a young guy next to me dressed in his rapping gear, listening to his rap music so loud I can hear it all. He’s shocked that I’m reading my bible. He keeps trying to look out of the corner of his eye, rather blown away that my bible looks actually used.  I find him a little convicted but I will not be ashamed. I have the truth… I’m sick of the darkness snuffing out the light. I LOVE my God, and won’t be ashamed of Him.

Then as I’m reading it’s once again it’s God speaking to me from His word, Heb 11: 16, 17 these great heroes of faith (something I want to be) “longing for a better country… a heavenly one. Therefore God’s not ashamed to be called their God, for he has a city prepared for them.”

How awesome is that? GOD is not ashamed to be CALLED THEIR GOD. Not us ashamed to be His kids, but rather the privilege He GIVES to those that aren’t ashamed is that we can call him OUR GOD.

This fresh analogy comes to mind. Travelling as a single woman, it seems on this trip there has been a lot of flirtatious men, from giving me discounts in stores even with my mother! But I long to honor my husband by not giving even a second glance, but even looking away and you know how much I love eye contact. NOT in those situations. I long to show off my ring and declare that I have a wonderful husband at home. Every single one of these guys, some married, some not, KNOW I really LOVE my husband and as a result my faithfulness along with unashamedly declaring it, proves thus.

It is no different with MY GOD. I LOVE Him. I will never push my God on anyone, but let me tell you I won’t share the intimacy I have with Him either. Each one of us is called to really KNOW him intimately. He desires this from each of us.

I love you Lord. May my actions declare this to everyone that you chose to cross my path. May I reflect your love in a way that threatens evil.