A STRANGE DAY

IT WAS A STRANGE DAY.

I RECEIVED A CALL REMINDING ME OF A DOCTOR’S APPOINTMENT. I THOUGHT IT CONSIDERATE OF THE NURSE TO ASK IF I KNEW WHERE THE LOCATION WAS.

I ANSWERED, YES, I HAD BEEN THERE SOME YEARS AGO.

SHE SAID, WAS THAT ON SUCH-AND-SUCH AVENUE?

I IMMEDIATELY SAID, NO, THAT'S NOT WHERE I CAME. SO, WHERE ARE YOU?

SHE GAVE ME THE ADDRESS AND INFORMED ME, WE RECENTLY MOVED.

SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, I RECEIVED A SECOND CALL. IT WAS FROM A PASTOR I HAD THE GREAT FORTUNE TO BE INVITED TO SHARE WITH IN PREVIOUS YEARS. I WAS EXTENDED A LAST MINUTE INVITATION TO SPEAK WHICH I ACCEPTED.

HER ASSISTANT ASKED, YOU KNOW WHERE WE ARE RIGHT?

I ANSWERED, YES, I HAVE BEEN THERE FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS FOR SOMETHING OR THE OTHER.

SHE SAID, OK, SO YOU KNOW WE ARE IN BESSEMER NOW?

I STOPPED HER BEFORE SHE HUNG UP AND REPEATED, BESSEMER? NOT WEST END?

SHE KINDLY SAID, NO. WE HAVE MOVED, BUT WE ARE STILL KNOWN AS THE WEST END CHURCH. I WILL HAVE SOMEONE CALL AND GIVE YOU OUR ADDRESS.

I THOUGHT, WHEW! TWO NEAR MISSES.

I BEGAN TO THINK ABOUT THE BACK-TO-BACK CALLS AND THEIR SIMILARITIES. I WAS SO SURE I KNEW THE LOCATIONS THAT I HAD NOT BOTHERED TO ASK. I WOULD HAVE ENDED UP IN THE WRONG PLACE AND POSSIBLY MISSED OUT BECAUSE I WAS SO SURE THAT WHERE I NEEDED TO BE WAS WHERE I WAS THE LAST TIME.

WHEN PEOPLE CALL YOU UP AND ASSUME THINGS ABOUT YOU THAT’S BASED ON WHAT THEY LAST KNEW OR THEIR LAST UPDATE ON YOU, WILL THEY FIND YOU IN THE SAME PLACE? OR WILL YOU HAVE MOVED ON TO A BETTER SPOT? A NEWER PLACE?

WHEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE ABANDONED, REJECTED, MISTREATED OR DROPPED YOU, COME BACK TO CHECK ON YOU, WILL THEY FIND YOU WHERE THEY LEFT YOU? OR WILL THEY FIND THAT YOU ARE NO LONGER IN THAT PLACE BUT YOU ARE IN A BETTER PLACE?

WHEN I WENT TO BOTH OF THESE NEW LOCATIONS, I FOUND THAT THE BUSINESS / THE CHURCH HAD UPGRADED. THEY HAD GONE ON TO BETTER.

ARE YOU IN A GOOD PLACE RIGHT NOW OR DOES BETTER HAVE YOUR NAME ON IT?

ARE YOU COMFORTABLE OR COMPLACENT IN YOUR PRESENT PLACE? IS IT TIME TO STRETCH OUT A LITTLE FARTHER?

IT TOOK A STRANGE DAY TO WAKE ME UP. WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU?

(I'M JUST ASKING FOR A FRIEND.)