The Postcard

Before short term missions was a thing, I had a couple friends who did a short term trip for a summer in Morocco. It happened during the summer when we were in college. Along with learning cultural stuff like do not shake someones right hand they had to learn Spanish.

Pat was not skilled in the language. He was staying in Spain with a family before they went to Morocco. While there he lost his Bible. He was trying to explain to his host what he was looking for and she brought him a glass of milk.

While he was gone, I received two post cards from him. I still have one of them which says:

Scott,

Don't ever let me do something like this again. Get me out of here.
Held against my will,

Pat

The other one I will never forget:

Scott,

Get me the hell out of here!

Pat

My how short term trips have changed.

Why am I thinking about these post cards this morning? Because I just checked the temperature here in Tallmadge. It is -8 and feels like -25. This is the coldest it has been since 1994. When I saw the temperature, I thought about Pat's postcards.

I have thought about going outside and starting my cars, lawn mower and snow blower. I would just let them run to speed up this global warming crisis. I'm not because it's too cold! Do you know at this temperature you can sprinkle water in the air and it will freeze on the way down?

As bad as it is, it could be worse. I could live in a country like Morocco that does not have the same freedoms I have here in the United States. Could be in a place like Morocco where I would not be able to worship God freely.

I could be in a country where I do not have much food or a closet full of clothes. I could be in a country where I do not have clean water to drink or throw in the air to watch it freeze. It could be much worse.

With all that I have, my freedom, food, clothes, a nice house, two cars, a lawn mower and a snow blower--Do I really have any room to complain?

Think about what you have today and thank God for it all.