As you can tell by my infrequent and inconsistent posting, I run out of things to write about. This is funny since I never seem to run out of things to say.

Anyway, to mix things up a bit, I thought I’d see if I can’t get all of you to do a little blogging for me. Besides, it’d be nice to make this more of a two-way relationship.

So, from time to time, I’m going to throw out a Random Question. I’m hoping you will be so inclined to answer. You can do so by simply leaving a comment. I suspect we all might be enlightened by what others have to say.

(If you’re new to commenting, there is no need to fear. Simply click on “comments” at the end of this post and you’ll be taken to the page where you can leave your own comment—and read everyone else’s too. Just scroll down to the “Leave a Comment” box. If you want to remain anonymous, you don’t even have to leave your name, email or website…just your comment. What could be easier.)

I feel compelled to lay down a few ground rules. First, please be civil. This is not the place to rip on someone, post your spam, gossip, practice vulgarity or be a pain in the booty just for the sake of being a pain in the booty. Second, I reserve the right to delete any comments…just because I can. Third, for all you perfectionists out there (and any pastors’ wives who think they need to keep up some sort of image) please note there are no right or wrong answers. Just be real.

OK. Here’s the first Random Question:

“The most courageous act I ever witnessed was ________.”

I immediately thought of an experience I had in Jerusalem when I lived in Israel during college. The streets downtown weren’t exactly spacious, nor were the drivers particularly sane. Not only was there a lot of street traffic, but there was quite a bit of pedestrian traffic as well. If you were a pedestrian, Rule #1 was to be sure you were not in the street at a crosswalk when the light was about to turn green and the cars were about to go. If you were, vehicles would hit you. End of story.

Well, one day I was approaching a busy intersection on foot. The light turned red and people ran to make it across the street before the light turned green (which always seemed to happen very quickly). I was stuck in a crowd of people and had to wait til the next go-round.

Well, as I stood waiting, I noticed a blind woman with a walker start across the street much too late into the light. There simply was no way she was going to make it across in time. Sure enough, she only got out about 10 feet when the light changed. I have NO IDEA what the drivers were thinking but like I said, a green light means go…even if you are about to kill someone apparently.

Those of us standing on the corner were stunned—at least I was. I had no idea what to do and felt totally paralyzed as I watched the elderly woman stand frozen between lanes 1 & 2 as cars, trucks and buses raced by, literally within inches of her. (And when I say “raced” I mean “traveling at very high rates of speed indeed.”)

I thought I was going to throw up.

Then, as about 2 dozen of us stood there like idiots, one brave woman stepped directly in front of oncoming traffic with her arm outstretched as if to say “I don’t care if you are a monstrous automobile with the ability to flatten me in an instant, STOP!” She walked up to the blind woman, whispered something in her ear and then gently led her back to the curb.

It was absolutely one of the most courageous things I ever witnessed firsthand. I only wish I had the guts decency to do the same.