Our Hearts Are The Same

It never ceases to amaze me that our Motivational Monday focus is always just what I need that week. You guys…I think Melinda has a camera into my life or something.

My favourite part of Monday’s show about cultural diversity with Tim Tang and the gals was that AHA! moment when he said “…I’m missing something that you have.” Remember that?! Um, powerful.

Now, listen, I grew up in a home where you just simply love everyone.

Jesus loves them. You love them. Doesn’t matter their background, their job, their ethnicity – everyone puts their socks on the same way and Jesus’ love covers all. So…love all.

Now, sometimes I think there is great cultural diversity just in my house – because, let’s get real – don’t you just look at the children sometimes and think, “what planet are they from?” That’s cultural diversity, too…right? Haha. And, I’m a Canadian gal married to an American boy – we have our “cultural differences”. Like, he says some words wrong. (It’s ‘washroom’, people – not ‘restroom’.) 😉

As it just so happens, I am travelling for a couple days this week with my husband. He whisked me out of the kitchen and sat me on a beach in Florida because he knows the sand and the waves are myhappy place. He’s a good guy, y’all. We are also here for some work.

My handsome man works with a company that invests in and does marketing for some incredible faith based films. And that is what we are doing tonight. We are doing a pre-screening of a movie. Here’s the thing – this movie is a true story based on a church that was told to shut down, sell everything they had, get the money, and move on because they just couldn’t sustain the church any longer. But…a group of refugee immigrants started attending the church and taught the congregation how to turn the fertile land that the church was built on into a working farm so that the church’s bills could be paid and could continue on. So…yeah… “I’m missing something YOU have…” is lived out in this movie and in real life and oh, how true it is!

Annnnnnd….look for “All Saints” in theaters in August and go see it!

{you KNOW I have to promote that for my hubby, right?)

Guess what else? I’m a little behind on writing my blog this week so I am actually doing it just outside where the screening is happening right now (how’s that for honesty?!). There is this very nice gentleman who is our security guard this evening. His name is David. He is an Apache Indian. He is in his early 70’s. He fought in Vietnam. He has 2 Purple Hearts. His wife left him in 1969. He has 5 kids. He is a martial arts master (so I’m being really nice). He married the love of his life 7 years ago at age 65. He loves God. And he says that the way you survive war and a ‘dear john’ letter from your leaving wife is with a whole lot of help and grace and love from Jesus.

Are David and I different? Very much so.

I don’t think I will ever have as many stories to tell in my life as he has. When I met David tonight he was just another security guy helping out at our movie. But he’s not just that…he’s the picture of courage and strength and yet, simplicity and a gentle heart. Our hour long conversation has filled my weary being and encouraged my heart.

You see – we ARE missing something that our culturally different friends have, but we will never know what it is until we open our mouths and have conversations and listen.

So, here sits a Canadian girl in her 40’s (gasp!) – still learning about people and living and loving and the things I’m missing from YOU.

Our skin colour may be different. Our backgrounds may be different.

Our words may be different. Our food may be different. Our countries may be different. But our hearts are the same and we need one another. And we’re all still putting our socks on one foot at a time.