From Four Days...Frankly

This last weekend was a productive one, so productive that it carried over into the week and I can't even believe it's already Friday! I'll tell you about that, and then I am linking up with Amy for something new called "Frankly Friday".

Highs

*Visiting with family

*Getting yard work done

*Cucumbers ready to be harvested 

*Lecrae's new cd Gravity just dropped, it's going big. I'm praying that it's as full of the Gospel as it can be so that all of these people will hear truth through some AMAZING music 

*Cooking out with friends ALL DAY LONG (this was probably my "most favorite" thing of the week)

*A batch of sweet tea

*Spending some serious time on the phone visiting with friends who just needed to talk 

Now, for the Frankly Friday bit. (As if I'm not already pretty frank and ready to just say it like it is...)

This week, I'm going to kind of keep with my theme of "highs" and tell you some things that I just really enjoyed. 

I am thankful for...

*Errands to quickly drop off something at a friend's house that turn into visiting on the patio, that turns inside to grab a quick soda, that turns into eating a light dinner, that turns into visiting in the living room until I absolutely had to go. 

*Small town living...A neighbor from down the street called to tell me that my dog was laying behind the van. On her way to work she noticed that the dog was laying there and was very concerned that someone might hit her if they started to back out. Yes, she called as soon as she got to work and repeated her concern several times. And yes, she called the dog by name. 

*The last days of summer. It's cooling off, but summer is hanging on. 

*Kids still playing out in their yards. 

*Cute old people. Especially the man who was shuffling around yesterday. It was sad to see him trying to cross a very busy street and getting honked at because there were lots of cars coming. He may or may not have been drunk and maybe even homeless. He looked pretty rough, but he was old and cute and looked as though SLOW was his only speed. 

*Friendly baristas. The car in front of me at the drive through paid and pulled right on through. The barista was like, "Ummmm, I'm not sure what that guy is doing. He paid and drove off without his drinks." So, I backed up. The guy's lights came on and he backed up for his coffee. When it was my turn at the window, the barista proceeded to apologize for it taking so long, tell me all about how a salted caramel hot chocolate is made, and how it is entered into their system. It was genuine friendliness and it caught me off gaurd. 

*Hot salted caramel mochas. Had my first one of the season yesterday and the above exchange took place. I think I liked it more just because of it. Oh, and by the way, I first saw the shuffling old guy as he shuffled across the drive thru lane. 

*A very unexpected outdoor concert in a park lot. As I was pulling away from the coffee shop, I saw these lights strung up in a sort of outdoor patio thing in the middle of the parking lot and I heard something that sounded like music coming across the parking lot. So, I drove out that way to figure out what it was. I heard a beat and realized it was a couple of guys rapping. I stopped to listen for a while and found out that they were rapping the gospel. I don't know who they were, but they reminded me that "It's alright....God cares for you!" and that there are people out there who do what they do in honor of what Jesus has done and is doing! 

So, to put all of this even more frankly:

I love people.

That's as simple as it gets. I love seeing people do what they do, being who they are. I love seeing people who are passionate about what they do. Not for what they get out of it or what it allows them to do for others, but because of the way it allows them to share and proclaim the excellencies of God. 

I've come into contact with a lot of people over the course of the last week. 

They all have lives, cares, concerns, passions, troubles, and a reason to smile. 

May I be passionate and friendly and full of joy so that they will know God better because of the time they spent with me.