Late night chats, Porches and Parking lots

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone. ‭Colossians‬ ‭4‬:‭5-6‬ NLT

Sometimes I run into my apartment from my car and avoid my neighbors.
Especially on the long days after lending my exhausted ear after a day of counseling. Frankly, I don't have the energy. Sometimes my avoidance is wisdom and a part of setting healthy boundaries with others but sometimes I am being selfish, rude and am missing opportunities. This came to light during several late night chats.
Over the last few weekends, I have found myself in the twilight hours talking with women at my apartment complex on porches or in parking lots. A week ago I sat on lawn chairs with a group of  Senoras, as we swapped stories, family photos and struggles under the night sky and in front of a group of kids jumping rope. It was bonding.
Last night I debated having conversation with anyone.  As I started my predictable scurry routine from my car to avoid human contact something stopped me. My neighbor was outside with the hood of her car raised as she tinkered and poured water into something. She greeted me. Pause. In my mind there were the excuses. My purse was heavy. Ridiculously heavy. It was nearing midnight. Not sure what made me choose to hault and not bolt to my door.
After we exchanged some chitchat, and I set my bag of bricks down, we found ourselves in the middle of an honest conversation about God, how neither of us have it together, how to have a relationship with God and making sense of God in the trials. The time was closed in prayer.
As I entered my apartment I felt sobered. I don't like interruptions. I don't want life messier than it is and don't like my schedule changed. It is easier and more convenient to run.  However, as in the life of Jesus, interruptions may be opportunities. Especially, under the stars through random late night chats.

                             Pupusas, a  dish from El Salvador, made with Amor from a Senora

Living in a multi-cultural world. God's family is Color FULL and he likes it that way :-)

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

Revelation 7:9

I think a lot about the fact that I am white as I am daily reminded of  it.
Where I currently live, there are only four other white people I know. It is the norm for people to point me out or identify me in relation to my race. At times I often get confused with one of the other "white girls" (my friend Rachel) who lives here. At times it is a conversation starter as neighbors often ask about my race because I speak Spanish. It feels weird, but a good weird as it makes me think about the subject of race. I am forced to challenge stereotypes my neighbors have towards me and contemplate how race plays a role in someone's identity. All of these interactions makes me feel more comfortable talking about race and culture. In fact, it becomes more necessary to talk about.

Yesterday, my new neighbor from Kenya stopped by my apartment while some kids from Uruguay were visiting me. Three countries, no three continents represented in my living room. Our conversation was a swirl of  foreign foods, stories of their family living far away and the best apps to communicate with others internationally. The differences made our conversation richer, more fascinating. At the close of our time, my neighbor offered to make us Kenyan food. My mouth maybe watered a little.

Moments like these fly in the face of the concept of being "color blind"  as an attempt to embrace diversity. A part of who someone is, is their race and their culture. If you are blind to a person's color (race, culture, etc...) you miss the true beauty of SEEING it. It is apart of seeing them. Of understand who they are.

The Bible and Jesus are not afraid to talk about race and how the gospel calls us to embrace cultures different from our own. Jesus intentionally caused a stir around the issue of cultural difference via talking with a Samaritan woman at the well. He had a frank conversation about it with her. Additionally,  an extension of God's call on Peter's life was to confront his own feelings about culture and race along with challenging the church to embrace the Gentiles.You see, as believers, we become a part of a multi-cultural , multi-racial family whether we like it or not. In heaven, God's family is from every nation, tribe and tongue. All have an equal invitation through Jesus to be at home, in his color FULL home with him.

So I became a top secret laundry room ninja.

One of the laundry rooms is where ninjas practice their sweet moves. So today I joined them. However, the only thing that really gets beat up is the stains out of our clothes.