Day 19 in Review

Prayer: Yes, I ran by myself this morning because Running Buddy is sick. Had a nice long conversation with my "Other Running Buddy."
Scripture: Yes
Silence: Yes, walking home from Duck Pond


The Deed/The Day: So Running Buddy is sick. This is particularly bad news because RB is also New York City Buddy — and we're leaving Wednesday for the Big Apple to go have some sans kids Mommy Fun. I hesitate to even note this deed because I would do anything for RB/NYCB on any normal average day — especially when she's got the crud. With four kids, RB/NYCB needs all the TLC she can get! So I tossed a bag of soup, bread and Gatorade on her front porch this morning. (And I mean that when I say Tossed. I threw the Publix bag at her door carefully, and with great distance, as not to get the crud myself so soon to NYC departure time and all). Please note, doing things for friends is not a conscious deed. I believe it is something you do because it's — well, just what you do when you're friends.


The next event falls into the same category — a non-conscious deed. Abed and Ashraf came to dinner tonight and met David's siblings. We are taking care of The Blonde Brother, who is crashing here for a few days after spending the weekend in the hospital with a "brain attack," as Abed so wisely described TBB's condition. It was complete joy to hear such cross-cultural laughter going on all night. Again, this was not necessarily a deed — but it felt joyful like one!


Words of encouragement/advice: "When you take the time to actually listen, with humility, to what people have to say, it's amazing what you can learn. Especially if the people who are doing the talking also happen to be children." — Greg Mortenson (Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan)


Final thoughts: Speaking of New York, the challenge of this Lenten experiment is about to be like Greg Mortenson scaling the K-2 in Pakistan. RB/NYCB and I enjoy eating a lot, shopping a lot, watching shows a lot, looking out for stars a lot and being total gluttons for pop culture and fashion — a LOT. How "doing unto others" will fits into the scene I have no idea. But I'll keep you posted.