How to Be Humbled by Ice Cream

“If I have to feed you your ice cream, how’m I gonna eat mine?”

I’m sitting in a McDonald’s somewhere in Ohio (not my first choice of location, just to be clear). My parents are picking up a car here, and I will drive the other one home. 

A few minutes ago, a woman walked in pushing a girl in a wheelchair; another wheelchair-bound girl followed behind. The girls are clearly physically disabled, but also have severe mental difficulties.

She gets them in and they sit by the windows while she buys the ice cream. “No screaming,” she instructs after one of the girls bursts out in what I can only assume is joy. “No ice cream if you’re gonna scream.” 

Observing these sweet people is always humbling for me. First, because God has given me an abundant life, complete with full thinking and moving capacities and I take this grace for granted way too often. Second, because I know the love and devotion of their TSS worker stretches way beyond what I could ever have for those girls. Her patience far exceeds mine in any given seven-day period with my own family. 

She sits with the girls, talking with them like there’s not a thing wrong. A bite for the girls, a bite for herself. She leans over and one of the girls kisses her on the forehead. They talk about school, weekend plans, and how much they like ice cream. Sounds like a pretty normal conversation to me. 

The woman doesn’t look fancy, successful, or prestigious. She wears grey sweatpants and a t-shirt, probably ideal for the physical maneuvering she must do each day. I’m sure her paycheck does not by any means appropriately reflect the amount of work she does to get it. But I’m guessing that kiss on her forehead from a few minutes ago probably compensates the missing digits, at least in her mind.

Yes, I am humbled. 

The ice cream is finished, and they start to pack up. They will be gone in a few minutes, unaware of the joy they’ve fed my soul. 

What is something in your life that you take for granted? Stop and thank God for it today!

How to Understand Revenge

This might not surprise you, but I am Pro-life. 

(I know, that last post kind of gave it away. I’m okay with that.)

I repeat that I don’t mean to make this blog a political platform, but it’s a platform nonetheless. And I’m not afraid to let you know that I am definitely for babies getting to be babies—living, that is. 

Last week I went to hear radio personality Bob Dutko speak about the right-to-life conversation. Mr. Dutko enjoys a good debate, and as a Christian apologist, it’s his job. He hosts a talk show on the Detroit radio station,103.5 WMUZ, each afternoon talking through a variety of issues from the biblical standpoint. 

I, however, do not enjoy debating, which has more to do with my personality than my convictions (which I can assure you are strong). But I do enjoy good logic. And Mr. Dutko uses excellent logic. 

In the talk I attended, (hosted by the Pregnancy Resource Center of Lapeer ) he outlined several arguments that are a part of the debate. He walked through the logic—or lack thereof—in both sides of the debate, and gave tips on how to use correct logic when talking about this issue.

At the end of his talk, Mr. Dutko set aside the debating to make a simple, fascinating observation...which I’m about to share with you.

Ever heard the phrase “Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth?” I’m sure you have. It’s a pretty widely accepted phrase; we hear it and/or use it. It’s an idiom that means you harm me, I harm you in the same way. In other words, your knock my tooth out, I get to knock yours out—it works at a hockey game, but not at the dentist (sorry). 

Turns out it’s more than just an idiom. Do you know where the phrase comes from?  It’s actually straight from Scripture. The portion of Scripture in Exodus 21:22-25 describes—in no uncertain terms—the laws for the act of harming the unborn. Read it for yourself:

“When men strive together and hit a pregnant woman, so that her child[ren] come out, but there is no harm, the one who hit her shall surely be fined, as the women’s husband shall impose on him, and he shall pay as the judges determine. But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.”
Exodus 21:22-25

I’d say that’s pretty clear: unborn life is precious. But isn’t it interesting that a phrase we know so well and use so often actually refers to protecting unborn life?

Interesting.

Now I’m wondering what other common ideas have deeper ties than we realize...what do you think?