I was walking my dog today and thinking a bit more about last night and in particular myself bemoaning my lack of sleep – which is entirely my own fault and how in complaining I missed mentioning the excellent jazz trio.
Moreso the shared enjoyment of it, beyond just Jess.
I can’t believe I forgot to mention them.
I was describing who various people were to Jess in the privacy of the very small kitchen where we were putting the food onto plates to take around. I recognised the cleaner whom I’ve never really met and mentioned him.
It was getting to the end of the ‘festivities’ as the majority of people disappeared before 7:30, Jess and I weren’t doing a whole lot and we found ourselves talking to the cleaner and his wife.
His name was Mike, I didn’t catch his wife’s name. Both short, both stocky. She had a brilliant sense of humor and laughed a lot, he was intense, sure of himself and yet still engaging, optimistic and funny. One of those strange encounters which finds you entirely comfortable and has you talking as if you hadn’t just met them.
They asked what study we were doing, Jess mentioned uni first and later Tabor. They knew Tabor (click ‘here’s a fellow Christian’ radar goes off in both our heads, not that I can read minds) the conversation progressed to 89.9 Light FM, which is where they had heard about Year In the Son.
Jess mentioned something about not being entirely sure that Light was the best thing and perhaps not very effective. They then proceeded to gently but strongly correct her view of Christian Radio with a plethora of stories. From (non Christian) tradies, to druggy neighbours, to friends. We conclusively decided that it definitely has it’s audience. I don’t know if Jess was embarassed or astonished – I think a little of both. I was laughing at her inside and rather awed myself.
Mike went on talking about how he’d reached a point in his life where he was really happy with what he was doing, working in a secular environment where he could have an impact on all those people he came into contact with, while working an unpaid postion in the Church so that the money could go elsewhere. He said he’d reached almost all his goals except for wanting one day to start a church from scratch. I was so impressed with someone at his stage in life (would have been in his 50’s) that thought they hadn’t finished everything they could for the world. I think that as a young person myself I can freely and informatively generalize in that we vastly underestimate older people. I have never really thought about what good I could do at that stage of my life particularly in influencing society. It leaves me with a bit of freedom to think of all the years I have ahead of me. Life doesn’t end at 30.
His wife told us about the numerous opportunities they’ve had just in their neighbourhood to impact people. Opening their garage by just taking some chairs and sitting out there and kids in the area who’d come up to talk and ask questions, whose parents would follow to check out if the adults were ‘okay’. How they had ‘bread days’ and when 60+ people showed up for a free BBQ.
I don’t think I’ve ever been encouraged so much by someone sharing how God has used them while still being entirely humble about it.
Their prime example of who they were as people extended beyond their words, not just in their actions explained. It was for me a very good example of a lasting Christian marriage, they didn’t talk about it, nor did I ask them. It came up briefly that they’d been married about 30 years. I did however notice the surreptitious broad compliments and how they treated eachother. Its a nice thing when you can see two people who love eachother yet aren’t excessively, sentimentally infatuated.
That was Mike and his wife.
I am extremely glad they took the time to talk.