While celebrating the birth of our baby girl, Pearl Kristine, I had a surprising conversation with another new dad.

Ivaylo and I were brought together because our wives happened to have scheduled C sections at the very same time on the very same day in the very same hospital.  We were sitting outside the operating room dressed in our hospital-issued, sanitary-blue, tyvec suits.  After some quick questions, I discovered this would be his second child, that he was from Bulgaria, that his wife was from Hungary and that he worked as an animator. 

He asked what I did, and I told him I was a pastor.  He said, "Really!?"  He wondered how I chose to do this: "Did you receive a call?"  I said, "Well, sort-of . . . but it wasn't an audible voice if that's what you mean."  I asked whether he had a faith of any sort.  He remarked that he was an official member of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church but hadn't been active in the church for a long time. My buzzer went off, signaling it was time for me to leave.  I wished him well and he did the same for me.

While our wives were in the recovery room and our babies were warming up in the nursury, we found ourselves in the cafeteria for a late lunch.  Ivaylo joined me at the table where I was devouring a cheeseburger -- it was about 2:30 and I was hungry!  After some small talk, I shared a bit about our church -- it's history, it's diversity of people, it's mission.  He seemed impressed.  What struck him most was our commitment to Compton.  He lamented the individualism and consumerism of our culture and was glad to hear that our church wasn't just about loving ourselves.  I told him he would have to come join us for a Compton Day and meet all of you on a Sunday morning.  I really believe you're going to see Ivaylo and his wife around here at some point in the near future.

How 'bout you?  Have you had any good conversations with people outside of Emmanuel lately?  What's been going on in your DJ08 journey?  How have you seen heaven come to earth.  Take a minute to post your story or your questions. 

Oh, by the way, Pearl Kristine and Emilie are doing well -- sleeping as I write this.  I can't believe we've got a baby Girl!