young bearded men

pulling into my first gas station in oregon, i was immediately approached by a young-bearded man (ybm) wanting to pump my gas. what follows is the readers digest condensed version of our interlude.

me: that's alright. i know what i'm doing.
ybm: no, really, i'll pump your gas.
me: no man, i appreciate it. but i really can do this.
ybm: it's against the law.
me: sorry?
ybm: it's against the law for you to pump your own gas.
me: really?
ybm: yeah, it's illegal here and in new jersey. i guess people were starting fires.
me: oh, okay.
ybm: you want me to fill it up?
me: oh, okay.
ybm: you were like: "what the f__ is this guy doing?"
me: yeah, i was... to a degree.
ybm: welcome to oregon. you'll get used to it.

his words carried more sentimental meaning and unintentionally inspired more hope than i ever expected from filling up my tank. "you'll get used to it." i'm sure he was only talking about the gas laws, but i'd like to think he was painting with a broader brush.

"sure, it might be a little bit of a struggle at first. but i know you. you'll get used to it" says the young-bearded man. "you're going to be fine. if you don't believe me, i'll even offer to clean your windshield to convince you." at least, that is how it went after i left.

that's been the general feeling i've had this first few days. things are unexpected and new, but kind of nice at the same time. it is kind of nice having random bearded men fill up your gas tank (there is nothing not hetero about that comment).

you know, it reminds me of another young-bearded man that used to walk through this world a long time ago, giving people wisdom and encouragement, blessing people, filling up their tanks and cleaning up the windshields of his day. it was my great-great uncle svetozar bjelica bedi who you might remember me discussing in my yurt post. ah, old uncle toz.

the bottom line is that God is continually speaking to us. He is talking us through our days, encouraging us in our actions and, in general, loving us more than we could know in ways we sometimes don't see. that is having the Spirit in us. now, this is hard to get used to because it is constantly amazing.

we get in trouble when we allow ourselves to get "used to" God. there is just too much to Him for that. it is hard to worship Him, in any way, when we are used to Him. sometimes, like job, we need God to remind us of the great things He has done. it reminds us that He is far beyond our image, our expectations of God.