except me

I've heard all of the following statements in the past month. I live in this constant state of not-counting. I find it kinda funny.
"I hate christians. Well, except you Carmen."
"I have nobody to talk to. Except you."
"Nobody really understand me, except you Carmen."
"Expect for you, I don't have any friends. And it's your job to hang out with me."
"The whole world is made up of selfish morons, well, except for you of course."
"Nobody cares about me." I give them a look. "Ok, well except for you."
"She asked me to keep all that a secret, and I have. I haven't told a soul." I think to myself, huh, apparently I don't have a soul.

closet christian

One of my girls who has given me a lot of joy in the past few months, as she has allowed me a front row seat to her walk with God, had something very profound to say. I had just asked her what her relationship with God looked like right then, and she said, "You know those shoes you have that are really special? They make you feel amazing when you wear them, and when you have a bad day you go home and put them on and wear them around the living room? Or it can turn a bad morning into a good day when you decide to wear them out and about even though they are way to fancy for the occasion? When you put them on, they make you feel great, then you put them lovingly away in your closet. You shut the door and they stay in there until you need them again. Every once in a while you open up your closet and look at them, smile, and then shut the door again. That's what my relationship with God is right now." When I asked her what she wanted her relationship with God to look like, she said "I want to wear those shoes everyday everywhere!"
What a great answer. This answer coming from a little baby newborn christian can challenge the rest of us old farts. Let's all wear our "God-shoes" proudly!