Perspectives!

In the past I have shared a little about the cultural differences of home in the United States and home in Peru; North America and South America. It’s not a surprise, is it? For those who have travelled outside your home town, even in the states there are cultural differences in the various sections of the ‘united’ states. I realize life is pretty much the same no matter where I am living, the cultures maybe different, and my perspective changes on many things to provide myself with the comforts of home – where ever that may be!

Today I was glad to have the time to sit down with a “Good Housekeeping” magazine my daughter Cheryl had saved for me. She knew of my longing for reading in English and thought some back issues of magazines would help fill the bill, so I brought several of them back to San Juan de Lurigancho with me. It was interesting that I chose a Christmas issue because it’s filled with great ideas for decorating and cooking. I made a fresh cup of coffee, kicked off the shoes, and plopped down on the sofa with the magazine. It wasn’t long until I found myself to be a little disappointed.

You see, the magazine has great ideas, but the resources are not available here in San Juan de Lurigancho. I can’t run out to pick up the necessary supplies and certainly don’t have them here in the apartment. Haven’t collected that much surplus during the past year, and don’t have any place to store it anyway! The recipes looked tasty and tempting. But again, finding the ingredients is next to impossible. I did enjoy reading, and using my imagination, when I scanned the section on homemade soups – those are some of my favorites! The problem is, even the basic stock is unavailable, so when I make “home made” here, there’s no taking any shortcuts!

My perspective has changed and I didn’t realize it! What I thought I wanted (a little bit of home as I knew it) is not what I really want. I thought I knew what I wanted. Maybe I don’t. What I want is to bring that home to this home! With the lack of resources it makes it a little more difficult, and possibly not probable. This home is NOT that home. All this pondering makes me think of the verses which describe us often…They have absolutely nothing (nada!) to do with magazines, decorating or cooking. But I sat on the sofa and my thoughts ran to Romans, so I looked up the verses and want to share them with you.

Romans 7:15-21 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.

Just another day’s experience where I am reminded of the scriptures and how relevant they are!