(OK. Maybe not the blood and tears part. Just the sweaty part.)  

“Tenny, you’re sweating. Are you OK?”

“Just fine. It’s a gift.”

Understand, this is just what I do, anytime the humidity gets higher than, say…2%!

In my high school gym class (back then, we called it Phys. Ed—some of you remember), when Coach would tell us to warm up by taking a lap, I’d finish the lap looking like I took a detour through Niagra Falls. Every time. No one else.  Just me. 

And now, the high humidity demon seems to have made its annual debut in the Carolinas—a little too early in the season for my taste. And yet, I hear others exclaim how good it feels when they open their front doors and walk into the wall of water outside. They’re not right! Just not right! I can’t begin to imagine how people can live in Florida—year round—where the humidity gets up to, what, about 173%!  

Others migrate out west, to places like New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, or southern California, where the humidity is practically non-existent most of the year. But, I wonder if I’d like someplace out west, like San Diego, where the humidity is consistently low, the temperature swings very little, and seasonal changes are practically non-existent. I like the change of seasons here—not as extreme as Ohio, but still, 4 different seasons. I like some variety—and not just in the weather. I like doing different things, experiencing new places, and meeting new people.  

I like to imagine that God likes variety too.  I suppose that’s why we are all created so differently. We are all unique, have different gifts, have varying interests, and like different things. (That being said, I still can’t understand why people like rhubarb! It’s a waste of a good pie crust, if you ask me.)

Ever wonder what the world would be like if we could notice, and appreciate, people and things that are different than us, people and things to which we might not ordinarily gravitate? Take my wife for example. She likes rhubarb…and I still love her!  

Yes, I know that there is a certain amount of comfort in consistency—having similar patterns, places, and people, in our lives. At the same time, I appreciate change. I love it when one of the ladies who worships with us at Christ Concord says, most every week as she pokes her head into the sanctuary before worship, “What’s different this week?”

Differences. Different gifts. They’re a good thing, right?

“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us…” (Romans 12:6a)

And one of my gifts? Sweating.  

“Where’s my fan?”

Peace,

Pastor Tenny