If you’re friends with me on Facebook, you probably already know that I’m obsessed with the Empire State Building. I am sometimes struck dumb by it. On the occasion of this picture, I was on the phone with my good friend Micah Matthias discussing his wedding while I walked down 6th Avenue. I looked up. I stopped and asked Micah if I could call him back. He obliged. After I took a few pictures, I called him back. He asked what had happened. I sheepishly told him. Fortunately, Micah loves me enough to forgive my little oddities, and he laughed along with me! What friends I am blessed to have! And what a glorious city with its graceful Empire State Building!
We’re having a heat wave… a tropical heat wave!
The summer time seems to be here already, even though the Summer Solstice isn’t for a couple of weeks still. For me, personally, it’s harder to operate when I’m hot than when I’m cold. I don’t know why that is, but a chilly winter day just means an extra sweater or coat, but a really hot, humid day just leaves me sweaty and drained.
I have found that the best way to escape from the heat is to be of service. Hot is hot, but a lot of it is in my mind thinking about how hot it is, hearing the meteorologist talk about it, seeing the icon on my Weather Bug App showing a little cactus, listening to my 4th Graders complain about walking up and down the stairs. So, in the face of all those things, I try to keep my heart and my ears open and look for opportunities to be of service.
Need some suggestions?
- Help someone carry the baby’s stroller up or down those subway steps.
- Volunteer to take a picture for some tourists struggling to hold their phone at arm’s length for a self-portrait.
- Ask someone gazing quizzically at a city map if they need help.
- Carry some nuts, granola, fruit, or extra bottles of water in your bag to give away to people who are hungry or thirsty.
- Read Brian Murphy’s “A Menu of Small Things” for more.
Do you have other suggestions? Please contact me on twitter or comment below. I would love to hear from you.
Before I go, I have one other suggestion: don’t tell anyone what you did! It’s difficult not to talk about it, but I find it’s more rewarding when it’s something I have kept between God and me.
And finally, here’s a song, in case you want to revel in the heat: The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Summer in the City.”
So, despite my best intentions, I’m a pretty sinful person. on the surface, it wouldn’t seem like that, but I covet, judge, envy, and more with the best of them.
Lately, it’s been bad. So, I asked my spiritual advisor what actions I could take that would help relieve me of this bondage of self that keeps me separate and isolated. He gave me a pretty radical idea: every time I judge someone, envy them, or covet their things he suggested that I bless them instead. Oh, and here’s the really radical part. He said I don’t even have to believe it, but just take the action over and over again. And guess what? It is working! All day long, whenever one of my self-centered thoughts came up, I directed a blessing at the person instead. (Just to be clear, this is all happening only within my mind and heart.)
I could not believe the results! After one day, I am left with a measure of relief that is pretty significant … believe me, it is tedious going around all day judging, envying, and coveting. I received some measure of freedom. And this allowed me to build stronger relationships with the people I interacted with throughout the day.
What a joy! It let me feel like I was participating in the Kingdom on Earth as it is in Heaven.
I’m going to try to keep this up.
Any thoughts from you?
