RMOJ: School Bus Kids

I was waiting for the bus into work a few days ago. My stop is also a stop for the school bus to the local elementary school. So the bus pulls up, and a bunch of kids in the back are looking around, with that childish "this is the brave new world... wow!" look that kids do so well (when do we lose that wonder?)

So I look at them and make a silly face. And then go back to being studiously, definitely, neutrally AT THE BUS STOP boring again. And then crack another one - just long enough for those looking to notice and get their neighbors to look - but by then I was serious again. I did this three or four times, until the bus drove away... and I think the joy I gave those kids is nothing compared to the joy they gave me.

RMOJ: This Is Your Captain Speaking

"This is your captain speaking. We'll be arriving downtown shortly. It's currently 11 degrees out there, with a forecast high of 11 degrees. It was 11 degrees when I came into work this morning at 4 am, so I hope we can do better than that. The forecast calls for a chance of light flurries this afternoon, with the temperature dropping to 4 degrees overnight - so keep those winter coats handy. Thank you for riding Calgary Transit, and have a wonderful day."

That's what I heard on my way into work last week on the train. I think everyone went to work that day with a smile on their face.

RMOJ: Deep and Wide

This morning, the kids are coming up and singing with worship.

And that means one thing. I get to pull out the ol' "DEEEEEP and WIIIIIIDE!"

Complete with wider and deeper actions. Ah, the faith of a child. Such amazing, simple joy. Don't lose that.

RMOJ: Bronco!

At work today, the van wouldn't start. So I got to take the Bronco.

Barely starts. Cracked windshield. Rally-tuned suspension straight from the 1980s. No rear-view mirror. Bench seat, done in 80's plaid, sitting loose in the back. Keys you have to eject. And FM radio. FM!

Safe? Hell no. Modern? Not by a long shot. Fun? Oh yeah.

RMOJ: Vacation!

I'm heading to a warm warm place, where the ocean's swell and the skies are pretty. And I'm going to enjoy myself. So there.

RMOJ: Age

One of my co-workers is turning 40. So the gals of the office (notice how it's always the gals of the office...) decided to humiliate him in the most loving way, and post cheesy over the hill decorations all over the entrance to his office... and maybe elsewhere.

And it's funny - because at 40, he's most likely in better shape than anyone else in the office. I'm more over the hill then he is, in terms of what we can do. He still acts like a teenager with new toys. So I want to see the look on his face when he sees the "stop, shuffle and creak" signs...

Happy 40th, Dug... don't worry, I'll still think of you the same when you can't see your biceps because of your grey beard.

RMOJ: Recycled Paper!

After a long and arduous process of price negotiation and back and forth with internal and external persons, we have confirmed the intent to immediately switch over to 100% recycled and chain of custody approved office paper! :)

RMOJ: Senseless Beauty

Our household was the target of a (not so) random act of senseless beauty. I arrived home from work on Friday and found two large pots of flowers on our front step. The person who left them obviously has no idea about our history of killing anything in the front yard, or has no idea about how we pursue the practical elements of taking care of them. But they're there, and they're beautiful.

Thank you to whomever blessed us with beauty. May you be richly blessed in return.

RMOJ: Aviation

I received a beautiuful poem today that grew out of a conversation shared with someone last week. It is incredibly joyful to see the walls of hiding and hurt come falling down in someone's life that give way to a world of opportunity and flight. The most beautiful part was that the conversation which prompted the poem was so delicate and unplanned. It was just sharing the beautiful fruit of truth that had been previously given to me by someone who cared enough to take the time.

We must not underestimate the force that is Living within us to breathe life. It doesn't come from us, but we have the ability to let it loose to fly around. All we need to do is give praise to the Giver and soar with it.

RMOJ: Take one from the bottom and put Him on top

Jenga. You know, take a block from the bottom and put it on top. The player who manages to not cause the tower to tumble over wins. We played Jenga tonight at the shelter. When people came in for dinner, they came in maybe a bit hungry and tired. The Jenga game served as a catalyst to get them interacting with each other, supporting one another and best yet, laughing from their true self. What joy it was to watch these adults, some of whom who have been hardened by the truth on the streets, just take a moment to play! Even those who weren't interested (or at least pretended they weren't) kept peeking over at the Jenga table. Their eyes showed hope and expectation that their hearts haven't yet realized. May there be many more moments of impractical Joy in the days and weeks to come in that place.

RMOJ #1: Flying Balls!

I'm staring up a new category: The Random Moments Of Joy. We walk through things every day that bring us joy, and we either ignore them, or we forget them. So here's a memorial, just a short little post, to remind me of joy. Keep on the lookout for your own RMOJ.

On the way to see my banker this afternoon. Ran into two guys in a park downtown, just randomly. They were packing up juggling clubs. So I introduced myself and went and juggled with them. Just a random ten minutes of joy. Amazing.