Small Steps. Big Faith.

Coque-a Catalan pastry- and café con leche. They were small details that reflected a strong desire....to connect. She was so kind to come, the neighbor that I see on her balcony throughout the week. I was so happy to have someone over. After months of silently retreating inward, the moment had arrived to start reaching out again. Although we literally see each other from our balconies, we don´t really know what´s going on in each others´ lives. How could we know? It´s the hidden things of our hearts, not just the outward activities, that really reveal what´s going on. I was kind of nervous about the details. It had been months since we talked last. What would we talk about? Would she be turned off by the emptiness and boxes in our house as we prepare to move? After cordial hellos and the traditional 2 kisses, she simply opened up and shared her own details.....life is hard right now: laid-off, money is tight, a postponed wedding, a diagnosis of illness, a weary mo...

Last Tuesday the doorbell rang at 5pm. "Ruben, you get the door," I pleaded. I was weary after caring for Aaron all day and just didn´t feel like dealing with more people. "No, you get it," replied Ruben who had also been up since 5am when he left to work the morning shift. So, I begrudgingly went to the door and peeked through the peephole. "Oh," I said. "This is not who I expected," I thought to myself. I opened the door with a surprised smile and said, "Hello! Come in! Come in!" (all in Spanish of course.) It was my new downstairs neighbor, a young mother with her daughter, just a month younger than Aaron, in tow. The Lord had prompted me to stop at her door several times in the last few months. The first time was before Christmas, just to introduce myself. People here don´t really talk to their neighbors and it can take years before you even know their names; but since she was new and young and a mom too I thought, "What ...