So Wednesday night was one of the most refreshing nights I've had in New York. Redeemer Presbyterian up here does an RUF style college summer bible study and so on Wednesday I hopped the 3 train and headed uptown. After a quick phone call with W (I love you! Good luck with your surgery on Monday sweetheart!), I buzzed the Kellers and was let in to a very nice, homey apartment. It's the first place I've seen so far in the city that has a backyard, how incredible is that?! I wasn't really sure what to expect from this bible study. Having heard Tim Keller preach before I knew that his son would be just as good and passionate and knowledgeable but I wondered what the other kids at this bible study would be like. When all had arrived, about thirty or so, we went around and introduced ourselves. The kids range from New York to L.A. to Bangkok, and I knew that this would be different that any bible study I'd been to before. And I was right. Down South everybody assumes if you're at a bible study you're a Christian or you at least have knowledge of what you're studying and its a very like here's what we read, here's what we learn, how does this apply to us? Which is wonderful and great and how I learn things of course but up here it's extremely different. You don't assume anything. And people ask questions. I mean really ask questions. It's the first study I've been to wear the leader hardly talked. Instead we all posed deep, thought-provoking, and sometimes uncomfortable questions. Then we looked at the passage we were reading and pulled at our knowledge of other passages we knew to try and answer our questions and we had to realize that some of our questions were unanswerable. I loved it. I love that doubt is almost encouraged up here. That through the questioning and the doubt and the disbelief you actually find faith and encouragement because you're not just on cruise control with the schedule you keep but you're constantly challenged in a city like this, your beliefs, your faith, your humanity at times. But by digging deeper and asking the tough questions you actually find Jesus and God in the most unexpected but welcoming places. As I was waiting in line for a sandwich yesterday two men in front of me, one older, one younger were discussing how to do business in a city like this while keeping in mind God and your obligations and duties and desires to glorify Him, it was one of the most encouraging things I've ever heard, and these were two complete strangers to me. And no Elton John, no New York Times, God is not dead, not in this city, go look and you'll find Him- in more places than you might think.
Wednesday night and Thursday night were both spent once again in the air conditioned second floor- I swear it's the strangest feeling. Surrounded by a ton of kids, all of our lives crossing at this one moment, all of us preparing for the next step, this is the generation that will control the nation when we're adults- some will be the Wall Street tycoons, others the publishers, some in the government, others will the bankers (trying to fix what our parents did)- and for one night we all cross paths in a small, dark, cool room desperate to get some sleep. Thursday was a long day at work, but with a fun project, and then free dinner with the roommates at the coolest restaurant. A night out with the girls. Then came Friday morning and I did not want to wake up- the theater room was so cold I could have lived in that room all day. But instead I got up, got dressed, got yogurt, and met up with M at Bryant Park to get ourselves some free Chicfila sandwiches. It was the most delicious thing I've ever put in my mouth. These sad, sad Yankees don't have a Chicfila (I know, crazy, right?). But some promotion thing was going on so I hightailed it over there to get M and me a free sandwich and Dr. Pepper. Then we headed to the park to layout and chat. But one of the best parts of the day was when I accidentally ended up at Herald Square and discovered this exhibit on Broadway between Herald Square and Times Square where famous designers have painted, designed, or sculpted these incredible mannequins and have placed them like a massive runway show all the way down Broadway. I walked the entire length, Starbucks frappe in hand, and marveled at the design and beauty and cleverness of each one.
I love stumbling into things. It makes the discovery so much more wonderful when it's unplanned and seems to have just dropped in your lap to make your day that much more special, like the entire thing was planned out for your personal benefit alone. Another thing I stumbled upon yesterday was three new friends. They were playing music in the park for fun, some kids who had just graduated or were still going to the New School in New York. Just some really friends kids my age playing in the park for fun. These guys were so talented (studying music at the college) and you could tell they loved doing just what they were doing. Playing for a bunch of strangers who paused, listened, and days were a little brighter by their music. We bonded over yogurt and New York and then a woman who writes for AOL came and interview the boys and me in turn about street performers (who knows maybe it'll go online!) and then we parted ways when I ran into C and SB and decided to grab dinner. But once again, that small encounter and fun conversation and new friendships just dropped in my lap and made my day even more special. Then I came back and changed clothes (I had jumped in the Washington Square fountain, amidst bikinied women and shirtless men and half-naked children all desiring a break from the blistering heat and I needed to get out of my clothes) and then met up with L, R, K, and H to go out. It was fun, it was chill, it was just what I needed. And now it's the morning and it's sticky in here and I need to do laundry yuck!
It wasn't a very poetic or pretty post, but it was my past few days, so enjoy. I promise the prettyish will come back. Eventually.
All my love.
-Mandy
No comments:
Post a Comment