Cultural Significance

Well, two days into my reentry into the culture of NYC. A lot going on right now in the world of T$, certainly. Actually more than a lot if that is possible. God continues to stir in my learnings from our trip to India. Let me first say that I couldn't be more proud of my daughter Allison. She is a beautiful young lady - frightening that I am saying that about my baby that was just saying things like "look at my fafe daddy, my fafe" - which is how she used to pronounce face. Now, she is becoming more and more of an adult in her modality. And I couldn't be more proud of who God has created her to be. I so much enjoyed every moment with her from the time we arrived at JFK (TAM airlines) to the moment we walked in the door with the entire KKFT. We have many laughs that we continue to share in. But the moments there in India were sweet. She is wise beyond her years, and many of the team members commented to me about her maturity level, how they were impressed with her and how she was handling the trip, and I can tell you that superstar has had a huge hand in shaping our firstborn. I am blessed with who she is and I simply love to be with her wherever I am at. I can tell you also that I am sitting here in BKLY missing the culture and emotional state that is in India. Sunday's time of worship almost seemed insulting to God after experiencing a great time of unabashedly shameless worship with my friends each day from the orphanage, and at our village church. (GO Raju and Way of Life!) The girls were watching the red carpet blah blah blah last night, and I was glad they were enjoying the time on the couch all snuggled together, but I was almost sickened by the ridiculousness of the event and the 'importance' of who was wearing what, and just how much money I am sure people spent on the event and the clothes they wore. Sickened. I am trying to say this without judgement, and I am sure that is not how it is coming across. But people are dying in this world. They have no food to eat. They live in open sewage neighborhoods. Their families abandon them without honor. And I did catch Billy Crystal's best joke ever - 'we are here with millionaires awarding other millionaires with gold statues.' Quite the way I felt. So I am still uncertain how to live with the contrasting thoughts I am having as I love to sit here and look at things on my iphone and use my wireless to blog this whilst my DVR and expensive cable package records the Daytona 500. So where is the line? How do I alter the cultural significance I hope to accomplish? How do I balance the gospel with the reality of this world we live in? How do I make a difference to the billions of people around the world that are in a place of suffering physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually? God help us all.

Comments

Charlotte Kelly said…
I agree, red carpet = disgusting. But it is no different than watching a sporting event, where players earn millions. Or the daytona 500 where they blow through cars and fuel at a cost that could feed thousands. It really is hard to know how to enjoy things in life when so many others are not only suffering, but literally dying. Ugh. We will just have to pray for God to lead us. Thanks for being the best Dad in the world to our big grown up baby girl.
February 28, 2012 at 10:04 PM
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