Update #112

“But I say to you, Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you…”Matthew 5:44

Outside Seedorf, where I am staying, we found this sign...frog crossing...which is so funny as the nearest body of water is about 1km away! We laughed a long time!

Erik’s office was on the absolute opposite side of the building from mine. Two long corridors of white walls, grey carpet and closed doors separated us…but I could always hear him coming. Always.

I could hear the murmur long before I could make out the words…they grew more distinct as he came closer to my office. “I love Bill. I LOVE Bill. I love BILL. I love Bill.” over and over and over he repeated the mantra as he marched around the office periphery.

After about his third lap I asked about the weird song. “If I say it enough I may believe it.” He replied and continued walking. Huh?

Erik had pushed a Microsoft based operating system to its limits and beyond. And, in response, it had crashed, died, and refused resurrection. Erik was a bit steamed. He knew the capability of the system; he knew what, in theory, it could do. He was positive that it could go farther, do more, and achieve greater accuracy and efficiency than it was currently. Before he called Microsoft Customer Support he was calming himself down by walking the office halls and reminding himself that he needed to love not hate Microsoft. If he loved Bill he would treat all that Bill had and owned with care and kindness, as if it were his own.

Was my friend deluded? Was he on the short list for mental hospital admittance? No, he was just really, really frustrated. But, I do think he was operating on a few of God’s foundational principles, ie “Love one another as you want to be loved” and “respond in love” (i.e. the opposite spirit because it isn’t usually love being shown to us!).

Erik called, was kind, gentle and instead of lambasting the service reps when they said “no” and “can’t be done” he responded with patience, understanding and persistence. The operating system was up and running after a few long hours of re-programming frustration.

I need to be more like Erik. I need to remember that in loving God I need to love others. Everything on this planet is Gods; God loves every person on this spinning orb – I need to remember that.

I need to be kind to the person cutting me off in the post office, I need to give the last bunch of bananas to the grouchy mother of three in the grocery store, I need to smile at the man who just swiped the parking space I had been patiently waiting for, I need to hold the door open for the woman behind me – even though the man before me let it slam in my face...I need to love them and respond in the opposite spirit projected to me. Not because I am a saint, not because I took my happy pill before I left the house – but because I love God and he loves them.

How do you respond to the grouchy boss, the grumpy secretary, the moody barista? Are you grouchy, grumpy and moody in return? Or do you respond with the opposite spirit and smile at them wishing them a happier day? Let me tell you, when you do, it shocks them – and some even smile back. Try it!

Updates:
Condo – Still for sale. No movement – the realtors advised me to keep it on the market through the holidays because only “serious” buyers are looking right now and hopefully one of them will be interested.
Work – on a bit of a holiday in Switzerland with my co-worker Rebecca. Her dad lives just outside of Bern and I am enjoying the near-freezing temps, scattered snow showers, and countryside.
Travel – was able to sleep a little on the plane (a miracle in itself) – and I was surrounded by well behaved children (another miracle)! Thank you God!

Requests:
Condo – It needs to sell and I need the monthly mortgage payment to come in. I wish the condo would just be snatched up by some lovely buyer and I wouldn’t have to think about it anymore.
Work – we are in the midst of recruiting for the next training cycle and readying for the January kick off.
Travel – I head back to the US on the 7th via American Airlines. Travel has gotten sluggishly slow after the attempted terrorist attack – pray that my journey won’t be too affected by the heightened security.
Websites - If you would like to RSS my update vs. getting them by email visit my blog site http://www.denaandrews.blogstpot.com/. To find out more about rēp visit http://www.repurposing.biz/ for information.