Love, Vomit, and the Cheese Wagon
My sister drives a school bus. The big ol’ cheese wagon. I don’t know if you currently ride a bus to school, or remember riding the bus, but stuff happens on the school bus. My sister tells stories about that stuff and those cheese wagon riders.
Today’s story involves vomit.
An elementary school boy got sick… And puked in the floor on the bus. Kids screamed and moved as far away as they could. Except one boy- a middle school guy, who kept his cool, stepped over the puke and sat down beside the little sick kid. The older boy patted the younger one and said “Don’t worry, dude. You’ll be alright.”
My sister talked about how sweet the older boy was and how he was the only one who didn’t make the sick kid feel worse about blowing chunks on the ride home. (reminds me of Carlos Whitaker’s “suck less”- check it out here)
Then she said she had to clean the bus before going home. Ew. “But you know, it wasn’t bad at all because he is one of the ones I love .”
Hmm. “I believe I will have to blog about that.” I said to her. “What?” she asked, “Blog about throwing up on the bus?” “Blog about how love makes it better.”
Today’s story involves love.
When there is love, the mess doesn’t seem so disgusting. When there is love, there is a willingness to get involved, even in the middle of the mess. When there is love, we don’t scream and try to move as far away as possible at the sight of the mess. When there is love, cleaning up the the most vile of messes is a task we are willing to undertake.
In
Scott Wilcher’s book
The Orphaned Generation, he compared Jesus to a life guard who dove into a sewer to rescue us. Jesus left heaven, dove head first into a vile sewer, to rescue me from drowning in my own nasty mess.
To rescue you.
That’s some love. He didn’t ask us to get out of the sewer and shower off first. He came after us, while we were still covered in stink. And still does….Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13
(shoot- read the whole chapter- it’s all about love.) Jesus said, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. this is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’” Matthew 22 37-39 MSG
This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. John 3:16
We are called to love each other (and not just when we are fresh out of a bath). And I am so thankful that Jesus loved me so much that he left heaven for me- even though I am a mess.
What is your favorite verse about love?
–gigi
GOD LOVES (MESSY) TEENAGERS
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About Gigi
I see God in the every day workings of life. I love to learn, and laugh, and dream. I am thankful beyond words that Jesus loves me.
God bless people who drive buses and clean up after sick kids! This reminds me of my dad– working in maintenance at the CDC–picking up poop and cleaning up puke, but seeing it as a way to minister to those around him and make life that much better. Cute post!
Thanks for reading and taking time to post! My daddy was a restaurant manager my whole life- suit – tie- briefcase- 60 hour work weeks. After he retired, he just couldn’t stay home. So he went back to work as a middle school custodian- poop, puke, toilets, trash cans. He LOVED his job. LOVED the kids. LOVED the teachers. And they LOVED him. The year he died, they dedicated the school year book to him. It makes me very kind and thankful for the custodial staff where ever I am.
My favorite verse on love is the command that Jesus gave. It’s the one He (the Son of God) said is the most important thing He could tell us, “Love God with all your heart and show your neighbor selfless love.”
You–my friend–have shown selfless love to my wife and I on numerous occasions. You’re a real friend, and your love for us “makes it better”.
I love you. My wife loves you. And my little boy may not be able to put it into words yet, but he loves you too.
It’s “me” not “I”. And I love you all three.
I’m so ready to cut you today. Me, myself, and I are ready to CUT you! RUDE!!!
I too am on of those school bus drivers, and you truly do love your kids that ride you bus, they are like your own children!!!!!!