Title: Consider the Tulips
The land of the tulips has
begun to spit some up--everywhere. These are just the pre-season tulips,
they're not quite official or anything, but they are beautiful.
This past week has certainly
been an interesting one. We have talked to some cool people, taught some
cool people, and just had a pretty good week. When the lessons fall
through--sometimes there's something better. Or sometimes, there is just
a lesson that fell through. But everything has it's reasons.
My "pointless miracles" rant
was a little incoherent last week. It was more of an inner debate I had
to have with myself. But I think this week I think I want to add to it.
It has to do with the quote "sometimes things fall apart so that other
things can fall into place." Emphasis on the sometimes. But those
sometimes, I've found, are really worth it.
This week, we had an
appointment lined up with this really cool guy, we had even called and
confirmed it, but we called almost every active woman to be a joint
teach, and nobody could come with. So we finally arranged for the elders
to come with, and at almost the last minute, he called and said he had
to work late. So, it being the half way mark of my companion, we needed
to do something to celebrate (and we had also scheduled too many
appointments that night for dinner so yay-cancelled appointment means we
can eat, in this case) so we decide to go get ice cream. And the sign
on the door says it's open until 8 but it is definately not 8 yet, nor
is it open. So we turn back, and on the way, there are some men at a
bar, sittin outside, who see us and are talking among themselves about
the mormons, when my companion, overhearing them, goes up to them and
gives them a card. I was just thinking "wow, I wish I was as cool and
fearless as my companion. I am going to contact the next person I see."
The next person I see happens to be drunk or at least severely
intoxicated and was also smoking. He was at least a nice one (mean
drunks are not fun) and he actually seemed pretty interested. He talked
to us about his addictions--how he had been trying to overcome them but
he was in a relapse. He told us about how he hadn't been sleeping. We
were able to tell him a little about the enabling power of Jesus
Christ's atonement, walk with him to our church to show him where it
was, invite him to maybe come to church sometime, and say a little
prayer with him. He gave us his address and then we said we'd be in
touch. His name sounds like Shirt.
A few days later, my bike
decided to just stop working. The back wheel (darn those back wheels)
wouldn't turn in a normal circle, it was way too loose but unable to be
tightened. Not sure exactly what happened, I just know it stopped
working. So we had to walk/take busses/rent a bike. My companion's bike
started having issues, too.
Well, Shirt didn't come to
church on sunday--we didn't really think anything of it, but today, we
went down to the station to take my rented bike back and also took my
companion's bike in and we thought we'd go to the church really quick to
see if we could pick up a Chinese Book of Mormon. We also took my bike
on over to the church so that it wasn't sitting at the station too long
and getting taken away. I was practicing the piano when my comp and I
heard knocking on the door. We went out to see who it was, and it was
Shirt. He seemed a little eccentric today, but he said he was sober and
that he had been getting some sleep, so we gave him the benefit of the
doubt. We talked to him a little and I mentioned my bike was out of
working order and he said he knew an old man who's hobby was bikes--I
said I'd rather just buy a new one because mine was so bad--I showed it
to him. He agreed. And then he said he'd line me up with a new bike. It
kinda didn't seem like he would actually do it, but I thought "well, I
need a new one today, so by the time he does, I'll just say I already
bought one, and it will be fine." But he left, we went back into the
church so I could learn how to play the whole song (top and bottom hand!
I am getting so good! haha) and then we got a call from Shirt. He said
he got a bike from this old man friend of his and he was on his way back
with it--asked if we were still at the church....we were. So..I paid 20
euro and it's actually a really decent bike. Obviously it needs a
headlight and a chain to lock it up, but otherwise...it's great. But
then there's the question--did he just go steal this bike and now I'm
riding a stolen bike?
When do you stop assuming
positive intent? How do you ever really know if people are sincere?
Maybe he scams people often. But we have his address and phone number.
So...is he stupid? Or did he really need somebody to reach out and show
him love and now he's giving back? There's also the miracle that we went
to the church at that time and stayed for that long and that he came
knocking at the church doors. All the signs point to--miracle. Well...a
lot of the signs.
Maybe it was a miracle. Or
maybe I'll get stopped by the police for stealing a bike and the miracle
will be invalidated. Or maybe the person who's bike it is will find me
and I'll give the bike back and it will turn out that this person is
open and ready to recieve the gospel of Jesus Christ. Or maybe, this
miracle is just right in front of me and I need to accept it as such.
All it took was one fallen through appointment.
Christ said "consider the lilies of the field how they grow; they
toil not, neither do they spin;...wherefore, if God so clothe the grass
of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the over, even
so will he clothe you if you are not of little faith. Therefore take no
thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things..."
I, like Nephi, don't know the
meaning of all things. But I know that God loves His children. He knows
our needs. And He answers our prayers.
I don't know if this was also
incoherent or made sense...but I feel better now :) Some things fall
apart so that others can fall into place. Some things fall into place so
that miracles can happen. As Einstein said--there are two ways to live:
one is as if everything is a miracle. The other is as if nothing is.
Happy Saint Patrick's Day, friends! I hope you all are wearing green. :)
xoxo
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