Half full

I just returned from a trip to Florida and it reminded me of several things that I really like about New Mexico:

1. There is very little humidity in New Mexico. In Florida, you can feel like you're swimming when you're on dry land.
2. There are no mosquitoes, gnats, or biting flies where I live in New Mexico. In Florida, mosquitoes are the size of small commuter planes.
3. I'm not aware of a single toll road in New Mexico. In Florida, I stopped to pay 4 different tolls on a 60 mile trip.

Now don't get me wrong. This isn't intended to portray New Mexico as better than Florida. In fact, I'm guessing if Florida natives traveled to New Mexico, they would be reminded of things they really like about Florida (the color green for example). The point is, it is our nature to take our blessings for granted. We focus on what we don't have instead of what we do have. Look at the account of the 40 years in the desert. The Jews complained about anything and everything. Not enough to eat… Not enough to drink… Too much manna… They even wished they were back in slavery in Egypt at one point. Think about your spiritual life for a moment. Are you more prone to look at how far you have to go to become like Christ or do you look at how far you've already come. The first focuses on self and self's inherent shortcomings. The second focuses on the amazing power of God. Apply the same to your marriage, your job, your children, whatever. Remind yourself of blessings that you may have started taking for granted. Challenge yourself to see what's right instead of focusing on what isn't.

Have a great week and a great fast.
Your brother,
Bob