Out of Africa

My parents just came back from visiting my younger brother in Africa. He's on a missionary trip to the country of Mauritania - one of the poorest countries in the world! There is no running water. There are no beds, just mats on the mud floors. There are no showers - just a big bucket of water that everyone in the family (20+) shares. There are no utensils, just your hands. It is a country forgotten by everyone and still stuck in the Biblical days of the Old Testament.

It amazes me how so many people take everything in their lives for granted! I know so many people who complain (and are truly unhappy) about the most asinine things!!!! Have you ever read the Rant and Rave section on Craigslist??? Those people are so negative that it makes me laugh! Then, there are those whose biggest contemplation in life is the decision between one luxury car or another. It's one thing to shop around and weigh the pros and cons of each. It's another thing to drag it out for months on end and have it really eat away at you to the point of having it negatively affect your marriage (yes, I know someone like this personally).

Sometimes, we all have to take time to gain a different perspective on our lives. If you didn't have a car or a feathertop bed, could you be happy? If you didn't have any clothes besides maybe 3 sets of clothes and shoes, could you be happy? If you didn't get to eat at Nobu and other "high-end" restaurants every week, could you be happy? Could you be happy with just your family and friends? Could you be happy with just enough food for sustenance and enough clothes to keep you modest?

Something deep to think about on this hump day......