9-28-11

Dear Family of faith,
I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful fall weather after the monsoon on Monday!
I have a friend that both irritates me and inspires me for the very same reason. When he is talking with someone and I try to get his attention to say a few things, he completely ignores me. Even in the midst of a crowd of people, he is focused on what he is doing at the moment and he is unable (or unwilling) to be distracted. You practically have to grab him by the arm or stand right in front of him to get his attention. That's the irritating part. And yet this person gives you his complete and undivided attention when carrying on a conversation with you. He is not talking on his cell phone or texting or even looking through you or around you. He is looking right at you and speaking to you as if you were the only one in the world. That's the inspiring part, and I have been the recipient of that kind of attention from him. I wish I could be more like that myself. Especially on Sunday mornings I find myself having to talk with so many different people and see people wanting to say something to me that I often feel like I'm cheating the person in front of me. I imagine Jesus to have been someone who was completely absorbed by the person in front of him at the time. That was surely part of his charisma. What does it take to become more like that? Concentration and the will to do it! I'm going to try harder. It's so encouraging and affirming to receive someone's complete attention!