I am up in the Toronto area, near the airport and convention center, so not downtown in exciting Toronto but that is not important today because EVERYONE east coast got RAIN…  So yeah, I was stuck in a hotel-home phase for today because well, I really didn’t and don’t feel like going out in the rain – did when I had to – but I even considered for a moment a door dash of decent food like pizza…

Trust me – I am fine and blessed and sitting in a hotel room that is nice and self-contained but honestly hotel life is more boring than it was when I was a child – at least then we were excited by the ice machine…  

I am here because I offered to share driving with my youngest whose friend couldn’t make it to Canada (passport issue) for this comic-con anime north – so I came… I am happy to help with my kids for a safer experience, but me too – I like seeing new sights…

Jesus made children inquisitive – right? and made their parents want to take care of their kids….  Jesus said to let the children come – Scripture in Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV: Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

But wow RAIN – It is raining – and well it is going to continue to rain until night time. SO interesting as a meteorologist but not exciting as an outdoorist. I didn’t get back to the farm town that I had hoped so I am really glad I got there yesterday.

And for the convention folks, it is normally a great walk but today – ugh – the rain was/is so heavy (at cold cold 49 degrees) it is so icky… and the people (maybe one-fourth of them) have amazing costumes! I really did feel like I should offer to shuttle folks over there out of pity. I did force my youngest to let me give him a ride to the convention in my car rather than walk the 10 minutes (his friends were already there to meet up with) – and I did come back and see one pair – and offered them a ride – was nice just to help… These are all big kids here – having fun…

Well, back at the hotel, I realized I don’t HAVE to sit here in the hotel – I could leave in my car but after yesterday driving around aimlessly for couple hours, well, it is not so appealing to do that again in the rain – and trust me THIS IS CRAZY RAIN… And the timing of this forced “lockdown” for me is good in that I am forced to keep busy on my backlog of consolidating my writings by month into printed chapters – and faithfully I just finished 2 more and am now almost up to date – and that is what I promised the Lord I would do – so whew!

And I did go to the pool for a little bit – and that is where the loneliness – of being alone in semi-forced lockdown – got better because of Little Franky – YES – little Franky aged 4 was at the pool and he decided he wanted to tell me LOTS of things about being 4. He told me about his sister and so many things in 4-year old talk that honestly I didn’t understand them all but just nodded and smiled – sweet kiddo – isn’t it so nice that KIDS want to interact. God bless you Franky and all the Kids of Inquisitiveness. For sure that if a kid wants to talk to you that is a Holy Spirit connection. Surely it helps that I do look at a child gently in the face – maybe even wave at them – because I am a child too – looking at other faces. My mom is always looking for the babies and young kids to interact with. It’s a family trait.

I think that we are naturally inquisitive about each other and want to connect because God made us that way. Yes there is some being too nosy out there in the world – and the sinfulness of jealousy and gossip. But basic inquisitiveness is a blessing – it is also how we check on people – and relate to them.

And wanting to help is a gift from God too – in empathy. The lady next to me at the elevator said empathetically and compassionately: “oh you are SOAKED” – I smiled and said: Oh – I was just in the pool…  LOL – not soaked from the rain but from the pool.  And isn’t that what we should be too – in life – busy and blessed from the interactions – soaked in stories and sweetness like talking to a child. Being engaged in each other’s burdens…

There are times to step away from situations we can’t help (and 4 more sets of people I offered rides too said thank you but no thank you) – and then there are times we just are available to chat. Sometimes we need to express (says the expressive in me).

Jesus said to let the children come – Scripture in Matthew 19:13-15 NKJV: Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.” And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.

OK – back to the collating of previous collecting of my thoughts. I DID get some food – as my youngest called me to pick him up and we grabbed some fast (and warm) food (PROTEIN yay) for the ride back to the hotel. I am nestled in for TV watching – more gym and pool tomorrow maybe – and maybe just maybe I will investigate if they have an ice machine…

God bless Inquisitiveness!

Amen

(thank you for listening to my rambling in the rain!)