Expectations

I have been working over many aspects of my thought processes. Another thing that I have become convinced of is this. We as Americans have received materially on many levels more than what we are prepared to deal with. All the luxuries and time savers have come with a price that we do not recognize and therefore fail to calculate. Stress, stress, and even more stress! We are borrowing from tomorrow, and making our time pass faster, not realizing that time itself is our most precious commodity. You say; well we know that, there are studies out that have reported this. Yes, I would agree, but with one caveat; we do not seem to understand the implications of the report and part of us does not want to believe it’s so. Want drives us on, and we follow its slimy trail that seems to keep a hold of us like a sticky glue. Last night there was a little scene here at the house over the TV. Robinson stepped in and cleared the problem. The TV was not the problem, it was the attachment to the object itself that was. Here is how Rob described to me what he feels about everything he owns; it all trash. If he losses it all, it is no problem. He does not need it to go on. If the hurricane comes, no problem! It’s sooooo simple. But to do it? That is a whole different thing.
The tentacles of things are sedating, and squeeze the life out of us. We think they are helping us, when in fact they are destroying us, our relationships, and robbing us of our time together. This culture that I have found myself immersed in this week is a culture of relationships, communication like I have never experienced in my life. One is not connected just within your house, but a word spoken draws in a neighbor, or brings news from a crossed town. It is a wonder to behold. It fascinates me. Here you die, but I perceive you do not die alone.
We went to visit a very sick mother last night and she exclaimed to Pastor Robinson that she was dying. But the house was full of people, her son was right there beside her. We are afraid of sickness; these people seem to embrace it. Is it healthy for ones body? I’m not sure, but good for the soul? Now there’s a question! You theologians pick that one apart and let me know what you come up with. I don’t pretend to be so wise as to be able to answer that yet.
Things raise our expectations, and with that our stress. They push our desires to where they are no longer safe, but it is a weird feeding frenzy. It is like junk food for the soul. The problem is we are not really full, what is ‘Jay’s’ chips slogan? ‘You can’t stop eating them.’ Why? Because you never really get full, you nibble, and nibble, but the nutrition is not there. Do without a little TV tonight. Spend time around the fire (the living room, whatever, you get my point) soaking in one another’s company. Tomorrow’s unexpected will arrive soon enough; capitalize on what you have in each other. Therein is the real value in life, which is the real food of our existence. Jesus said the world would know He lived by the way His children “loved one another” but how in the world will the world know if we never spend time actually loving one another.
Expectations? I expect I will be making another trip to Haiti pretty quick, I expect my time here is short, I expect to love more the way Jesus loves, I expect to expect less of this world and more of what really counts. It seems those kinds of expectations will not damage me, but free me to truly live. It’s time to take out the trash! God bless.