Chicken Wings

Funny thing at work today. I share this story not to make any one embarassed...it's just funny to me.

Elmbrook is famous for gatherings with food. Holidays, birthdays, retirements...any excuse to bring goodies! What I've noticed in the year that I've been there is that there are never chicken wings. Now this is what is odd about that. Every job I've had as an adult--white people have been the minority. Those that are usually the minorities (hispanics, blacks, asians, etc.) have been the majority. There were ALWAYS chicken wings...always.
Here at Elmbrook, I often times give money to someone else who is bringing something, or bring in something sweet. So today for one of our Pastor's send off parties...I forgot and had to run to the store. As I enter the store--the hot deli is just bringing up their chicken wings and I say to myself, "I'm bringing in wings" I am not sure how they will go over...but I think, why have I NOT been bringing them, just because nobody else does? As people walk up to the table I hear a lot of questions about the wings...who brought them? why are there wings there? etc. I proceed to tell a small group around me that I brought them. A few of them tell me they've never been to a gathering where there are wings. I laugh and tell them until Elmbrook, I've never been to a gathering where there aren't wings...lol. A couple honestly look dumbfounded and ask why? I tell them maybe white people don't think of wings as a finger food/hor dourves...lol. Then of course we all have a good laugh and a couple of them tell me how they have learned so many new things since I've been there...lol and they ask if I will always bring the wings!! If it means that I will get wings at Elmbrook gatherings...I will always bring them!!
Now, please don't be offended. I am not trying to say that all minorities specialize in wings or that all minorities LOVE chicken. What I think this does show is that there are cultural things that we don't always know about others and this can be a wall we never get through.
God said that we are to love each other as He loved us and we are to treat others as we would want to be treated. A lot of us "Christians" say this with a smile and believe that we live by it. We might very honestly be trying to do so. Now I am including myself in this because I've been guilty of this in the past as well. If we are to love each other....don't we need to know a little about each other? If we are to break bread together, walk in each other's shoes...shouldn't we get to know simple things that can help break barriers and bring us closer? I am white and mexican so all of my life I've lived in a dual zone. It was hard growing up and I was sometimes confused. As an adult I consider it a blessing to have insight into different cultures. The world around us is full of minorities. Do you allow yourself to interact on a personal level with ANY of them? Is your only interaction that with the clerk at the store, the staff person at your job who you smile at but never actually go to lunch with, the nurse at your Dr. office? If so, why is that? If so, how is that? How is it that in your entire life you've never befriended a minority such that they are part of your life? Invited to gatherings at your home, sharing life milestones, doing everyday things together? Just thoughts in my head. Look where I can go from chicken wings...lol.

This is my command. Love each other as I have loved you.

Oh one more thing....get to Bethlehem Marketplace! If you've never been, it's an amazing walk to the manger through Bethlehem. You will see and experience things you can't even imagine. For more info click here