Ed, my neighbour next door, has been like a bear hibernating this last while. If he has been out of his den, I haven?t seen him. Ruby, his wife, told me at the post office yesterday that Ed is alright, but gone most days. He is helping a relative by feeding his cattle. The cousin is off to Mexico for three weeks. With a wind chill in the high minus 30s that day, Ruby expressed her belief that if she ever travelled to Mexico in January she might not come back home until spring.
The grass always seems greener on the other side of the fence. In Saskatchewan it can seem way too cold, but I have been in Mexico when it seemed way too hot. I also remember being on a tour bus in Texas when the driver accidentally shut off the bus air conditioning. It sure made the warnings of the heat of hell realistic.
Last week, I drove home after work when the highway was a ribbon of ice and I was crawling along in my car in tension. I also remember being on a packed bus in Jamaica in the heat and in stress. There were no seat beats on the bus and the driver was speeding around curves while we passengers were clinging to anything possible to keep from flying out of our seats without wings or brakes.
They say life is a journey and the joy is in the travel, not the destination. In the winter, Mexico will be hot and Saskatchewan cold, but both can be enjoyed with the right attitude. Anywhere in the world we have the opportunity to enjoy where we are and the people around us. No place is perfect or trouble free. Doubt, regret, and dread can trip us anywhere.
If I am not content and happy in Saskatchewan, I will not be happy and content in Mexico. Circumstances, places, property, and other people can briefly make us happy, but they cannot keep us happy. Paul says in the Bible, ?I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.?
Paul was referring to Jesus as his strength. When Jesus was being crucified with one criminal on his right and one on his left, there was certain death ahead for all three. One criminal hurled insults at Jesus, in doubt, regret, and dread. The other criminal looked at Jesus in faith, trust, and hope and asked, ?Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.? Jesus promised him, ?Today you will be with me in paradise.? No matter where we are, we have the promise of paradise when we look to Jesus with faith, trust, and hope.
