A Day at the Park

I have been waiting for Spring weather for quite awhile now and South Carolina hasn't been doing me any favors. It got semi-warm for a little, but that was just a tease. Since the snow it really hasn't gotten terribly cold but for whatever reason I have not wanted to go out until this weekend and especially today. I decided when I got off work that I would run home, eat a quick lunch, and head to Finlay Park. I would walk Abby for awhile and then sit down and read (By the way I just received The Last Song in the mail today- see this post for explanation!). This is what I found at Finlay Park:

Obviously this is not what you want to see. The water was drained from the (man-made) ponds and it smelled aweful. There was a stark contrast of the playground in the background and the hole filled with dirt and filth. I also encountered some people there. I always expect to see homeless men sleeping in the grass or sitting on the benches. It is downtown Columbia and there are not many places for them to go. Today, however, I saw a scene with a woman who screamed and cursedd at a man because he refused to give her a pack of cigarettes. I was even afraid that it was going to become physical between them. It didn't. I also spoke to someone Someone spoke to me. It started as a conversation about my dog. I always get the question "Is that a pit" and yes she is. He told me that he had a pit. It was actually the only thing he had after his wife left him with no money and took their kids. I didn't know what to say.
This park and these people reminded me today of how broken the world we live in is. They reminded me of how broken I am. I wouldn't think that I would forget that so easily seeing as I do live downtown, a place where the brokeness isn't hidden (like in many suburbs). And yet I have forgotten. I go to work everyday in my nice car and come home to my nice house to see my loving husband. I go to church in my nice clothes and see all the nice people. I don't have to worry about whether we are going to have food tonight. I should be so much more thankful for God and his provisions and his blessings in my life. Instead I spend much almost all of my time if not all of my time thinking about me and not loving others as I should. I don't even know what to say when someone tells me their story of losing everything. How about- God and his love and how that will never dissappoint. Today God reminded me of what is important and that we live in a broken world with broken vessels. He is all that is important and I pray that He will use me in this broken world.