i came home last night after dark b/c of our tuesday engagement. i got the mail and played with jake a little bit before i took him out. while i was outside in our front yard, i noticed some furniture in the yard next door, phil's house.

i didn't stare, i just took jake back inside, fed him and walked upstairs to our room. i looked out my bedroom window for an aerial view of next door. i found that there was, indeed, quite a lot of furniture in the front yard next door, as well as personal items. jason came home and told me that it looks like there's a lot of junk in the backyard of our neighbor's house as well. so it seems as though phil has been evicted.

it saddens me.

the past few weeks, phil has been really laying low, probably to his benefit. but he looks really tired lately. is it withdrawal? is our response to this to have no response? there are so many questions that arise in a relationship that was nothing more than an acquaintance, but contained the possibility of being so much more.

in the advent meeting this morning, feener talked about Jesus entering into our hearts. it got me thinking... why is it the heart that is the entry point? maybe b/c out of our heart flows everything else. Jesus first enters the heart, then our minds, then our souls. he quite literally inhabits the places that inhabit us.

i don't know the condition of phil's heart. i know that there was some semblance of the love of Christ through the various conversations we had. this inner city thing has produced many challenges and fears. unexpected feelings have risen to the surface while others, things i would have expected, seem to remain deep within the recesses.

so maybe we need to pray that this Christmas season we will gain experiences that continue to challenge, and relationships that take us to our heart.

Christ is coming.

posted by Kelly @ 10:51:00 AM