Ants with Cellphones?

So the other day I was watching one of the numerous streams of ants we have around our house. It is actually amazing that they can run up and down the ant super highway without running into each other. They all know where to go and do it effeciently. But what if they each had cell phones??? That would certainly disrupt things now wouldn't it? We know this because we can look at real life examples all around us. We see it everyday here in Manila. Thousands and thousands of people walking down hallways, in malls and yes even across traffic texting people on their cell phones. Normally people could walk without running you over but it is amazing how hard it is to walk in a straight line while trying to type in a text message! As if walking in a large crowd weren't bad enough! Let's give them all cell phones and see how much progress they make! All I can say is good grief.

Now that is 20/20

I was just thinking about what it was like in obtaining my driver's liscence. Christine actually leaves in a few moments to go get hers, brave girl that she is.

The first thing that happens when you show up is that you are offered "help" by a bunch of guys who hope to get a tip for helping you navigate the process. Thankfully I had a local friend with me and I got to bypass that part of the experience. So you go to a big building, stand in line to get your application and your drug test form. Then you get to walk out of the compound, across the street to what looks like a "shanty town" to get your drug test. Again, there are many people offering their assistance. I was told that you have to be careful to only go to "approved" drug testers. Apparently there are those who set up shop and try to take peoples money with fake results.

After navigating down these little alleys filled with vendors trying to make a Peso on selling drinks and snacks, you get to set in a little room (about 10x10) for your urine sample. Then it's out the back door down some more alleys and into another small room for your vision test.

This is where I got my laugh. The vision test consisted of me sitting down on a stool with my back to the chart. I was asked to look into a mirror and read the letter that the doctor pointed to. "C", I said. He pointed to a letter on the line below. "C", I said. "Perfect! You have 20/20." It was over in about 2 seconds! Not only did I only read two letters, but it was the exact same letter! (and one of the more easier ones to distinguish I might add!) I couldn't beleive it. Do all people get "20/20" vision approval so easy? That would explain some of the crazy driving I have been seeing lately!

I was just thinking how nice it would be if spiritual sight could so easily pronounced "20/20" as this!!! Lord open people's eyes so they can see and that they may truly be 20/20 with their view of who You are!

Your Decision Changed My Day

I used to be able to plan my days and accomplish just about all of what I set out to do. And why not, I had a computer, high-speed internet, my own car, freedom to go where I needed to when I needed to, traffic rules that make sense and even a cell phone that could download my email. But the days of efficiency and accomplishment are gone. For example, just the other day we were driving down a side road preparing ourselves to jump into the "salmon-in-a-stream-like traffic" and all the sudden there was one lane of traffice where normally there was two. Why do you ask? Because some guy driving a dumptruck full of gravel decides to take a short cut across a muddy spot and his tire sinks up to the axel, tilting the entire dump truck at an angle. So of course to solve this delima, another dumptruck has to be brought over and parked in the middle of the road alongside of the first dumptruck and all of the gravel has to be hand sholved out of the first dumptruck into the new one.

What effect did this have on traffic? Well the entire main road was backed up for several hours as people who wanted to use this side-road began stacking themselves up, not in single file lines mind you, but in a crowd of "me first" vehichles all trying to force their way into a small opening. Of course, this is also taking place from the other direction as well. So as you can imagine, it was not pretty. Did you have plans to be at the store before it closed to get the item you needed for tonights dinner? Sorry, fix something else. Did you need to go pay your bill or make a meeting to discuss a timely issue? Sorry, you have to do it tomorrow.

And this happens all the time!! Very few days end like we think they will. It is hard to do much planning at all. So the thing we have come to realize is that we have to pray and trust God for EVERYTHING!! I realized that I never had to rely on God so much in the States. Life is easy, convienient and effecient. Why trust God with ordering your day and accomplishing your to-do list if you can do it all yourself? We can rely on effeciency and orderlyness. Things will operate the way they are suppossed to operate. When stores say they will be open then they will be open. When you turn on your computer to access the internet then it will be on! This has been a good leason, one that is changing our perspective and actually drawing us closer to Jesus. It has brought new meaning to the saying, "Without Me you can do nothing." Let us be thankful for all that we can get done in a days time and let's not forget Him who makes all these things possible!

You Better Go before you Leave

Here is a wild one for ya! Let's say you are at the mall for several hours (not hard to do around here) and you have to stop for a potty break. Well if it is your first time to the mall, you are in for a surprise especially if you have to sit down. Not only will you not have toliet paper but you will not have a toliet seat either!!! Yikes!

I will never forget my first visit to the restroom. After standing in line for several minutes, I was "disappointed" to finally get my chance and find out that there was NO paper. I didn't even notice there was on seat until I went through line again. Can't something be "normal" around here?! It was later on that a friend told me "oh yeah by the way you need to bring your own paper when coming here." Thanks for letting me know!!!

So now you know why it's better to GO before you leave for the mall!

Are you Qualified?

Hey sorry I haven't written in awhile. I was out of town last week on a trip to Malaysia. But that is a different story all together.

Guess where we were the other day? You guessed it! The mall! Did I mention we even go to church at the mall? Anyway, we saw this ad looking for new employees for the department store. It amused me that they were so particular in giving height requirements. It seems awful discriminating by American standards. You could be the best salesman in the land but if you were too short then forget it, go join the circus! Can you imagine if you owned a restaurant, like let's say Chick-fil-a, and you tried to post an ad like this in the US? You would be sued so fast your chicken wouldn't have time to cook! I guess that those outside the US have the "freedom" to promote any look or standard they want. Maybe the local store owners would feel limited by having to hire any "qualified" person that applied regardless of height!! It's just a normal way of life here, another small difference in cultural practice! Blessings.