Big Gulps.

Those that know me well know that I love three things and may or may not be obsessed with: politics, soda, and more politics.
Let's start with the first one. I like Dr. Pepper.... Ok, I consume far more than the usual daily amount for normal humans. Anyways, the primary way I do that is via a Big Gulp from the 7-11. 32 oz of pure delicious goodness is double the price here in D.C. than back in Oklahoma. But, it's not really that surprising (it makes me feel like I'm back in a foreign country in some ways). In fact, the price of everything is pretty much double or triple what I grew up with and is a large factor for why the District has such a wide gap between the wealthy and those in poverty. So, realizing that it was so expensive not only in quick stops, but also grocery stores made me shudder. A 2-Liter should never be about 1.50 in my opinion...but, anyways it has been an enlightening experience with my coworkers talking about the differences between here and where they live (most are from similar places price wise etc. )
This week has been full of great and unique experiences for sure, but two have stuck out to me when interacting with the people of the city. When we had to ask locals about D.C., we got an earful and I loved hearing opinions from passionate people about their community and city. Which is why the price differences piqued my interest (because I wanted to grumble about 7-11 highway robbery on Soft Drinks).
The 2nd one was at a local restaurant when I was handed a flyer from a local with the Occupy movement and it concerned racial tension between different groups of the community. And, it went even further than that encompassing (rightly or wrongly) multiple issues facing this community and the broader society today. I thought to myself, "What am I going to say to the kid who (like I would have at 16) asks about it and what to do about it?" There two very good questions....however, this week has been helpful in being able to recognize something: answers and solutions are not always absolute, but the constant factor is the Love of God.
The lack of reconciliation in some areas or the occurrence of racial tension is something that I will be facing daily and seeing/hearing varying opinions on it. I won't elaborate, but if you want to know more of what I'm talking about wiki Washington D.C. and keep reading about the city.

Today was a pretty good day. I went with a couple of coworkers out and about in the city and had a good time exploring. (I finally saw the Avengers movie and it was solid ...the hype was higher than the actual product in my opinion.)
This Summer will be an adventure and a growing process for sure. It feels like it has been a month...and it has been a week. Oh man, here goes nothing/everything.

"Again I say, don’t get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights. A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth." 2 Timothy 2: 23-25