Subway Stories

Riding on the New York City subway system is convenient but it also has its challenges.

One of the challenges are the crazies that we have encountered so far.

Here is an exchange of text messages between me and my wife on our last ride:

Me: The guy across from me is creeping me out. I am avoiding eye contact
Crystal: Yeah he keeps staring Just don’t get up to get off until the train stops.

We have learned to take decisive actions when it gets too creepy. We have a code word which means that we get off at the next stop and change cars or wait for the next subway. We have had to do this a few times.

Another thing we do is to always act like we know where we are going. Don’t act that we are lost or confused.

When waiting for a subway we also stay away from the edge of the platform. There have been too many instances where people have been pushed onto the tracks.

Overall, the subways are safe if you just stay aware of your surroundings. We try not to take any unnecessary chances or put ourselves in bad situations. Unfortunately, the crazies are out there. They either need medication or they have had too much medication.

I have learned a lot about the subway in the past nine months we have lived here but I am not a pro and there is still a lot to learn.

I will say it has been nice to finally live in a place with transit options. I don’t drive as much as I did in the past. I only need to gas up our car about once a month.

On our recent ride and the creepy guy staring intently at me, we waiting until the subway stopped completely at our stop and the doors opened before we jumped off.

I don’t understand people. There are a lot of crazies out there. I’m sure we will encounter more.

When God Is Silent

The hardest part of being a believer is the times when God is silent.

Sure, resisting temptations, dealing with pain, death and unanswered prayers are difficult but the times when God is silent are some of the hardest times in the life of a believer.  I hate these seasons.  

No, God doesn't speak to me in an audible voice but He will often make himself known in other ways.  

I have been through many of these "silent" seasons and when I realize I am in one, I look forward to when it will be over.  

The silent times are important in our lives because it is a time when God tests our faith in Him.  Will we continue to believe when there is radio silence between us?  These are also times which reinforce our dependence on Him.  Many times He is teaching us something in the silence.

One thing I have learned to do in these seasons of silence is to hang on and push through it.  I remind myself of what God has done in my life.  During the silence we have to go back to the basics of reading the Bible, continue to pray and listen to encouraging music.  I can't tell you how many times just listening to music has kept me going.

The silence gives us a time to reflect and examine ourselves.  Sometimes we gloss over some things in ourselves that we need to resolve.  We don't like to see the negative things about ourselves.  The silence becomes a microscope on our thoughts, feelings and emotions.  

Even in the silence, God is working behind the scenes on our behalf.  He hasn't left us.  He promised that He would never leave us or forsake us.  He's not absent, just silent.

So when do we know when the silence is over?  For me, I discover a new song that speaks to me or I will hear someone speak a word and in some very rare instances, I will get a direct email or message from someone or I will simply sense that He is known to me again.

 I came across this video clip which really nails it down: https://youtube.com/shorts/DTBPrkuRn-s?si=y5XxszOxfLqV33Bv

Be encouraged and keep pressing through.  

First Three Gifts on Christmas

What are you getting for Christmas?

The Christmas season involves lists of gifts we will be getting or receiving from others.  The stores are packed with shoppers on their mission to finish their list and checking it more than twice.  

In the story of the birth of Jesus, we are told of when the three magi brought gifts to the newborn. This moment has been depicted in Christmas plays in churches for hundreds of years. The gifts were not something we would give someone, nor do they seem very practical for a baby such as clothes, diapers or toys. The wise men brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

What were the meaning of these gifts? 

GOLD
The meaning gold was to symbolize what Jesus was going to become king. Gold is a precious metal and as such was a very valuable commodity. Its value could very well have financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. 

FRANKINCENSE
I’m sure you are puzzled about the gift of frankincense. I can’t help to think of Frankenstein, but this gift has nothing to do with the fictional monster. Frankincense is A fragrant resin or gum which was used in temple worship, symbolizing Jesus' divinity and priestly role. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God.

MYRRH
Myrrh was an expensive spice used for anointing the dead, symbolizing Jesus' humanity, suffering, and sacrificial death. It’s kinda strange giving a gift for his future death. Myrrh, which is product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. It was also sometimes mingled with wine to form an article

Frankincense and myrrh were precious commodities from the Arabian Peninsula, traded by the Nabateans, suggesting the Magi's origins and the gifts' significance as tribute or diplomatic offerings. Both resins had medicinal properties and were used for healing and in perfumes, offering practical benefits for the family.

These were some strange gifts for a baby on that first Christmas morning, but the birth of Christ wasn’t about the gifts the wise men brought to Him but the gift that God had given the world and all of mankind from that day forward. 

What gift does Christ want from us?  He just wants a relationship with us.  He doesn’t want our money or any gifts from us.  His most precious gift is our love for Him.  Sounds too easy?  It does but why make it complicated?  Religions want to make it about keeping rules, being perfect or your church attendance.  Are there standards Christ wants us to live by?  Yes, but we often make the mistake in leading with that instead of the relationship we have with Christ.  When we have a relationship with Him, those things will follow.

Merry Christmas Everyone!  Thank you for reading my blog throughout the year.