Beep..... beep...... beep..... BOOOOOOM

Literally every 30 seconds since I have arrived in Lancaster almost a month ago, a smoke alarm within earshot (whose whereabouts are frustratingly unknown) sends out a tiny chirp indicating that its batteries are low.  I hear it in the middle of group conversations, evening house prayer, as I lay my head down on the pillow at night, and if I listen carefully on the front porch, I can even pick up 2 or 3 other more distant beeping alarms.

While I would love to march over to the neighbors' house with few new 9-volt batteries as 'gifts', this constant beeping has actually started to get me thinking.  Where Gretchen and I live normally in Reading, PA, you don't hear much from our neighbors.... ever.  There is more distance between the houses, and neighbors even take pride in the fact that our street 'keeps to themselves'.  After 10pm, many if not all the other houses are dark, which makes us 20somethings-that-work-with-college-folk feel like late night party animals.

However, here on East End Ave, there are many different sounds.  Beeping alarms, loud music, early morning neighbors on the street, humming mufflers, and most recently TONS of late night fireworks.  Most of these sounds have felt like an interesting nuisance at first, but lately have grown into a painful annoyance.

During one of the past few nights, I was having trouble falling asleep in between the thunderous fireworks on the street corner and actually thought, 'no wonder people choose to move out of the city.  It's quieter, and you don't have to put up with all these OTHER PEOPLE'.......wooooooah there cowboy.......  time out.....  Didn't I come here for the sake of learning about God from these same 'other people'?  Where is God in super-loud-muffler-drag-racing moments?  Am I not here to serve students and the people of Lancaster?  How quickly I am able to become disgruntled towards those around me!  Upon further reflection, and a few precious hours of sleep, I can soberly realize how easy it is for me to lose sight of God. 

I do believe that the fingerprint of God is present in some way in every single person and culture represented on East End, and His presence is even more constant than low battery smoke detector chirps.  Help my unbelief God!

In fact, if I am paying attention to our Isaiah Bible study, God seems to show up even more when people are in tough spots.  This is good news for our Sidewalks community.  As we journey deeper into the city together, our own quirks and sin can become painfully annoying and hurtful towards each other.  We are beginning to move past the carefully calculated politeness into a more real and blunt form of community with each other.  This is real life.  This is post honeymoon.  This is where God shows up and brings healing, growth, and redemption.

Please pray for us... Pray that I would again and again be able to see God even when I am tired and annoyed.  Pray that our community would learn what it means to love each other even when it doesn't feel good.