Brrr! Finally, Winter has come to northern Iowa. Today's walk was under a bright blue sky with the temperature reading 26 degrees Fahrenheit, according to NOAA. There was a breeze which did not heed either leather gloves or denim pants, but the coat my mother-in-law bought me held up fine. As I sit here writing, my thighs are slowly thawing while my cheeks burn with a return to indoor warmth. I walked the neighborhood between Pierce Ave and South Polk Ave, South of 6th St. SW. This is a neat little neighborhood, with generally small and rather uniform houses. The light dusting of snow made everything look bright and crisp. Today's prayers centered around an idea of releasing my life into God's life. I noticed a yard full of toy trucks and was reminded of my Dad. He was a heavy equipment operator before he retired, and I have ridden with him on most of these real machines. I wondered what construction project was going on at this house. I wished the "contractor" good luck and wandered on.
Along 6th St. SW I noticed a number of houses without trim around the doors and windows. You don't truly notice how similar most houses are until you see houses that look different. I often think about similarity, conformity and difference. It takes a great deal of bravery to walk in a different path: to dress outside the lines of fashion, to have a relationship with someone others ostracize, to choose not to paint the trim on your house a different color from the walls. I will end today's reflection with a prayer that you feel encouraged to walk in the direction you are being called, even if it turns out that direction is off the common highway.
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