It was a sunny San Diego morning and I was so excited to go to the Farmers Market here near the house. It seems many locals try to go to a Farmers Market at some point during the week since there is one every day. They have samples at most booths and you can almost feel full by the time you leave!
Today as I was walking into the market I felt like all of my senses were wide open. Of course I smelled the tamales. I heard the guys strumming on their guitars and lots of the laughter from the kiddos running around. I saw the bright colors of the produce and watched as people walked up to the booths to buy their goods.
From just observing, it seems many locals (which i don’t know if i am one yet since i have only been here 2 months) are heading straight to the vendors that they are used to buying from. Others, like me are meandering through and taste testing.
Today was different though for me. I thought back over my own visits to the Farmers Markets over the recent weeks and I realized that sometimes I can go up to a table where someone has worked hard to plant, maintain, harvest, and deliver these delicious foods and I just look at the food and at the prices. I evaluate and make a judgment, compare what i have seen at other tables, taste and sometimes just walk away. WITHOUT even looking into the eyes of the person at the table.
My Aunt and Uncle that we live with though are so different. They look into the eyes of people at the booths. They find out their names. They ask about the foods and they say thank you.
Today, I was by myself at the market. (Lord, who would you have me to SEE? Who would you have me to listen to today? Will you use me to love someone).
Oh boy, all you need to do is whisper that prayer, look around and there will be people!
When i approached Rorey’s stand she was on a phone call and seemed concerned. I waited at the table for the sample and she got off the phone quickly. I told her it would’ve been fine with me if she continued the call. SHe shared that she was grateful for my son. Her son used to only call her once every 6 months with her begging and now he calls 6 times a day since he is in a crisis. She went on to share a while and i could tell she is really concerned for her son. As she was giving me samples of honey, i realized that honey was going everywhere. I said “wow, this is a sticky business”. We got a laugh. She usually brings more paper towels today but today she forgot. Some others walked up to sample the honey and I just moved to the side and then went to the next booth. Later, I went to the bathrooms and got some paper towels and dropped them by. She was surprised. We chatted more and I told her that I would pray for her son and his situation. She shared his name and I told her that i would pray. Will you say a prayer for him now? (bringing a paper towel to this sweet lady opened up this door to listen. Lord, allow her to know your love for her and also for her son. Thank you for growing their relationship during this time.)
So after talking with Rorey, I continued on to buy other things like apples, eggs, and Kombucha. I LOVED that I could look the vendors each in the eye and say thank you for providing this food for us. (Lord, thank you for each person that plants our food, cares for it, harvests it and brings it to share. Bless them. Provide for them.)
So, I will finish this not so short post with 2 other people that i met today. They asked me to share their names with you and to ask you to pray for them. This is a father and son and both of their names are Rudy. Here is how this conversation went. I was walking past a booth and little Rudy said “do you want to buy bread?” . (oh my word, he is such a little cutie!) I told him i was allergic to bread and that i couldn’t buy any. I went on to ask his name. He said i can’t tell you. Then of course he went on to tell me. “My name is Rudy.” I said “hello Rudy, my name is Heather”. As i continued on I heard him say “Heather, don’t forget my name. My name is RUDY!”. (This is what i do in my heart all the time. I want people to see me. Understand me. Hear me. Know my name and remember my story. At this moment, i am so thankful that God does not forget our name ever. He never forgets our story. He knows it so perfectly and is with us in our story). I call back, “Rudy, i will NOT forget your name”.
I got all the way to my car and had to go back. I couldn’t get this cute little face and his voice calling out “don’t forget my name” out of my head. I went back and bought bread from his dads friend and also sweet potatoes from his dad. After talking a bit with them and hearing more of their story, i was so thankful to buy from them and to support their family. They work SO hard to bring all this food to sell. Everyone there does. ( Since they wanted to have people pray for them and wanted me to share their names, i will post their picture here). Will you join me in praying for God to provide for their family?
I cannot wait to go back next week. There are people there who I know a bit better. There are names, faces, stories, heart aches and joys.
Honestly, God is opening my eyes to see people all around me. My close friends will say that this has always been the case but its different. Its deeper. I am about 3 chapters in to reading Bob GOff’s book “Love Does”. God is showing me more about loving through reading this book.
Who might God be wanting to love through you today? Who is someone on your weekly path or daily path that you may not have really seen in the past? Y’all, it is a gift to live this life alongside of one another. Will you move slower with me today and ask God to help you see, listen and love those who cross your path?
Its a joy!