streeeeeeeetch

Driving to Bronson Park, wondering what I was thinking. Not too late to turn around.

Had I turned around, I would have missed Triple Decker Guy (peanut butter on outside layers, jelly in the center - the "club sandwich of peanut butter"), Joseph and Darlene, Martin and Mike, and Ellen. Not to mention the two-year old on whom we bestowed bubbles.

It was a Jesus thing. Head to the park with July 4th leftovers, a giant jar of peanut butter, jelly, cold water, soda - and see who would show up.

It felt a little uncomfortable at first, but became easier as I focused on the task at hand - serving others, asking their names, asking about them. For me, it wasn't about working Jesus into the conversation to gain a convert. It was about being present with some people who are not like me, but who are like me - for as was mentioned at church today, we're all the same at the Cross.

Streeeeetch. It's good to enlarge the boundaries, to step outside the comfort zone.

I won't be going all the way back into it. The comfort zone, that is.