travel and world views

time at my parents was relaxing, as usual. we had a good time just being together-we always do. puzzles, t.v. and projects. while i was home, mom asked if i would eat the cranberries...i suggested making a cranberry salad and what i would add to it. she looked at me and said, "who did you come from?" my parents aren't super adventurous when it comes to food...you may or may not recall the time i got them to go to get sushi with me...that won't ever happen again. but back to the point, it was good to be with them.

favorite parents ever!

the day before i left, i was able to make it into nixa to get my chacos (the actual flip flops, not my dog, thank you kristi!) and visit with robin, chris's wife, their daughters, and martha, the rees matriarch (smile). it was good to catch up, as i feel like every time i'm in town, time just flies by and we never get to touch base. the weather was a bit treacherous that evening, and there were all sorts of warnings, as the rain was ridiculous. in case you need background, we were on the mission field together with the rees family, and carmen was probably one of my first and dearest friends when we arrived to tegucigalpa. and chris and david, my brother were besties too. can you say that about guys? too late...i guess i can.

the next morning, i made my way home in a full 8 hours of rain. yea. the dogs were troopers, because we couldn't get out to walk at any point-the rain was stupid. i had to get home for a dental appt. that was scheduled for today, and it's good to be home.

travel. it is the best time to think (at least when i'm not mentally-or verbally making harsh comments about rude drivers around me...hopefully the boys don't pick up on my bad habits). anyhoo...i've been reading a book: generation me, which mentions bobos in paradise, which i own and have been meaning to read-now i am even more inclined to read it...but it really is interesting, in that it explains a lot about behavior that i notice, but had never really thought too deeply about.

one of the things mentioned is that the culture has changed to being a very self-centered culture, deciding what's good for 'me,' and the basis of decisions comes from a self-determined set of principles. while this is evident everywhere i look, it seems like such an ill-founded concept.

it made me think about my world views, and i have come to the conclusion that pretty much all of my world views are founded within scripture.

wisdom: from the time i read/heard the story of king solomon being asked what one thing he wanted and it would be granted to him, he chose WISDOM...i knew that was important. also james 3:13-18
keeping promises: let your yes be yes, and your no be no- james 5:12
work ethic: whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men...col.3:23
service: though i am free and belong to no man, i make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible I cor. 9:19
humility: do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. phil. 2:3-4
peace (personal): through following God's laws- great peace have they who love your law and NOTHING can make them stumble psalm 119:165
peace-making: let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. rom. 14:19
friendship: actually, all of these things fall into the idea of friendships and relationships, but the stories that stuck in my mind from sunday school were the friendships of david and jonathan, ruth and naomi, Jesus, john, peter...
edification: therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I thes. 5:11
generosity: the macedonian churches who gave generously even in their difficulties II cor. 8, the widow who gave what she had
sexual immorality: I cor. 6:12-20

i could go on and on, but the point is, my world views come from a higher standard. not having a higher authority on your basic principles seems problematic. am i where i need to be by these standards? by no means!  i have work to do in every area, and i'm okay with that...the bigger point is that i have these principles embedded in my heart, and i know that it is by the grace of God and nothing that i can do to reach further and continue to grow!

ok, so i need to finish this book so that i can move on to bobos, recommended by my dear friend nika, years ago!