persistence

Here’s how Memorial Day played out. It was a lazy morning. I am getting over some messed up infection that they gave me steroids for, and so I am really tired in the mornings until I can get my next dose. So we puttered around and afternoon, we went out to the garden. Our sweet potatoes arrived, so we planted them and watered. The Highfill boys were, of course, faithfully there. I am not sure the garden would work this year without them. They saw a friend on the playground and he came over a bit, but he was bored. He kept asking Matthew and Robert if they found “this exciting.” He was shocked that they just walked around watering and pulling weeds. I guess I am, too. Maybe it is boring, but I have never felt that way. I think, finally, Matthew and Robert just like hanging out. Plus, they have specific responsibilities, and those responsibilities are going to taste really good!

When we wrapped up, we went and talked to Foti and Rebecca. We stayed a while and Rebecca brought out some Indian donuts in rose syrup as well as some masala tea. We knew Sarita would be coming over for dinner, and we invited Foti and Rebecca. I took a chance—he has never accepted, and does not like being around too many people. But he said yes!

So I fired up the grill for some serious chicken. I have been working on getting the skin crisp and keeping the inside moist. I am getting there. Anyway, Foti brings some brats and Greek salad. So we ate like kings.

The boys were soooo dirty. I had to drain the tub and run new water halfway through! It was full of dirt, grit, sweat, and a day of fun. It’s gotten to this: they both get out of the tub, dry off and get dressed. I don’t have any babies anymore

The best part is this: Foti and Rebecca stayed to almost 1 a.m.! We were up discussing. Well, debating. All kinds of things—politics, economics, ethics, religion. You’d think we’d never be friends after all that. Jessica especially was in on it. They were bulldogs about their positions. A telling moment, when Jessica said that if they could not agree on a basic premise then there was no point in arguing any further. Foti had a disappointed look on his face as he said, “True. But let’s argue some more!”

By the end we were talking about ethics and economics in the Kingdom. Praise God. There will be more topics to discuss, more time to argue, more chances to get to the Kingdom’s answers to all our problems.

As Jess and I took a deep breath after all that, I said, “I have been waiting for this night for two years.” This is another piece of what evangelism looks like. You knock on a door. You engage spiritual discussion. You see that there is a spark. You come back now and again. You get invited to a birthday party. You go out to lunch. There’s interest developed about why a church grows a garden and feeds the hungry. Then you have a bar-b-q and hang out and talk. This is all, simply, what Jesus said to do, what He said would happen if you did it. It’s not that complicated, but somewhere churches got hung up in committees and vision statements and… next thing we knew, we no longer fired up the grill to eat with publicans and sinners.