American Dream or American Nightmare?

My friend Josh is back from Africa and as he talked about it he told a story of a cab driver whom he was talking to. The driver was asking various questions about America, what it was like, the rumors he heard, etc. After Josh had answered his questions the driver responded by saying he was glad he didn't live in America, he was glad he didn't have all the stuff we have. He was happy being poor and living in a third world country. How many of us Americans, if asked, would think that people like this cab driver wouldn't want to trade places with us in an instant? He said that they are more thankful for the things that they have than we are, and who can argue with him? He said that they are closer to God because they have less to distract them, less that can become idols in their lives. Once again, who can argue with that. Though there may be a healthy level of "stuff" you can have and still keep God in focus do most of us stop at that level? It's quite the reality check when you really think about it.

Ugly Flower or Beautiful Decay

I work at a daycare. I like it there most days. On days like today with the snow finally melting and the sun coming out the kids get to run outside and yell and jump be warm and once again teach me more then I teach them. I was standing next to the building watching them play and as normal kids they were of course drawn to the messiest, muddiest corner of the play yard. the leaves that had been under the snow were now nothing more then black mushy decaying compost. This however was not how they saw it. One boy walked over to the pile picked up a leaf and brought it over to me in all it's droopy greatness and said "here Miss Kim I got you a flower." I said thank you and held onto it until the boy had run back to his game and forgotten all about it. The more I thought about it though the more beautiful it seemed. To the boy it wasn't a dead leaf, it was a token of friendship, he thought it was nice. How many times do I look at people or situations in my life thinking yuck I don't want this it's dirty and ugly. Why can't I see a flower in the mud? From now on that is my mission. To find the flower in the pile of decaying leaves.

Albert

"There are two ways to live your life, one is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." -Albert Einstien

Who do they say I am?

Today in my women in the arts class our teacher asked us to make a list of culturally identifying terms that described ourselves. Mine came out something like this:

.woman
.daugheter
.sister
.christian
.sports fan
.friend
.teacher
.student


Then she asked us to pick one of the terms and list what we would and would not want said about ourselves as a member of this "category." I sat there for a minute after deciding I would pick "christian" and once I got started I was quickly reminded of how many negative sterotypes of christians there are. I don't want to be associated with any of them. I want to be one who rises above, I think we as christians make it harder then it has to be. All we have to do is be love. Everything we do, say and are should be full of love. Sure we will fail, we will be mocked, but after everything Jesus went through for us doesn't what we go through see a bit insignificant in comparison?

2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.

Here I am.

We all have a place we go to escape from life now and again. I have found that windows are particularly inspiring to me. Especially the floor to ceiling kind. I could spend an entire day next to a good window thinking, writing or reading and feel like it was the best investment I had made all week. I hope I can be to you what a window is to me. Hopefully something here will challenge, inspire or teach you and I hope that in return you will do the same for me....welcome to my window seat....