An Ozone Day

August 29, 2018

In the valley, the pungent smell of diesel and non-compliant gasoline engines drowns out all other aromas, but riding the ridge of the hill on the back road, a faint whiff of ozone hinted at the rain to come later in the day. More reliable than the weather app on my phone, that diaphanous electric fragrance couldn’t pinpoint exactly when the rain would come; only that it would come. 

One of the unsung benefits of driving my sidecar is the variety of olfactory delights that bombard you along the way, dead animals excepted. Billowing cumulus in the western sky were far enough away to assure that it would be afternoon before the shower, while overhead, the sun engulfed everything in sight in steamy warmth. It was going to be a beautiful day!

Prayer with some pastor friends and a stop at Tim Horton’s for breakfast was followed by a couple hours at the office before linking up with Debbie for some door-to-door work. Debbie is one of our pastors, a tiny wisp of a woman, diminutive in both size and demeanor. I’ve known her casually for years, but since she came to us in Dunkirk, I’ve developed a profound respect for her. She may be small, but when it comes to matters of faith, she is fearless! We leap-frogged every other house, her taking one while I knocked on the next door. Those who were home and answered our knocks were mostly Latino, which gave me the opportunity to practice my Spanish by praying with a couple women for their pastor who is having eye surgery. 

I hate going door to door! I will do just about anything to avoid it; any lame excuse will do, which is why I need someone who will hold me accountable and if need be, kick me out the door. But I understand that the difference between failure and success is being willing to do what others are not, and most Christians I know are doing the same things, expecting that advertising campaigns, a hip worship band, and a social media presence will grow the church. They may help, but there is no substitute for face-to-face contact with people in the neighborhood. So, like it or not, we are doing it. It was beastly hot, but the rain held off till after I got home in the afternoon. I am thankful tonight for Debbie, and for the opportunity we had to meet and pray with some of the folks in our neighborhood. That early morning whiff of ozone tipped me off; It was a beautiful day!