Have a Coke and a Smile...

I know, it's not much of a smile, but it's the best I can do. This picture was taken in Peru, halfway between Lima and Huaraz. At this point, I was still wondering what this week was going to hold. We had arrived in Lima in the late afternoon, took a shuttle to our hotel, bedded down for the night, and at the point of this picture, had already begun half of the 8 hour bus ride the following day. I knew I was in for something, but I had no idea what it was.

Two things were impressed on me as I crossed the seas to this new culture.

1. Simplicity breeds contentment. As we watched people living "slower" lives, with less opportunity for distraction, they seemed to be satisfied with so little, and enjoyed the "finer" things of life - like relationships with others. People sitting down on the side of the road, watching the world go by. People talking over meal tables and hanging out with family. Seemed much slower and comfortable. You know, have a coke and a smile... relax!

2. People come in a variety of shapes, colors, designs, etc. which showed me the creativity of our God. However, at their basic core, people are so similar. You watch parents love their children. You see rules and regulations defining what is and is not okay. As we crossed into this new culture, it was imperative that we find out what the social norms are so that we could adjust to meet their expectations. In light of recent things I have been reading - you know, the blogs about the proofs that God does not exist - the variety yet the similarity of people was for me a very plausible defense for the existence of a loving, artistic, wise creator. Say what you will, our God exists, and His creation defends that truth every day.

Well there is much more to write, but that will come another day. So, sit back, enjoy your creator, and "have a coke and a smile..."