Thursday, September 28, 2006

What's Up With Us

I am sick...some sort of Upper Respiratory thingie. I'm getting over it by drinking lots of water and Emergen-C packets. Mmm. And sleeping when I can.

Holly is good. Our midwife says she's in a really good place (so is the baby) and just needs to be patient.

We've both been reading in our spare time. Me, Confessions of an Economic Hitman, borrowed from a certain Lora Burnett. Wonderful, probing book about international banks/loans, US-Global Empire, and a guy who "got out". Wow. Holly finished Gandhi's Biography...a beautiful book from all she relayed to me. He was someone who took seriously Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.

Her bookmark has now become my bookmark, and I'd like to share it with you. It's a airplane ticket stub from our first (or second?) trip to Thailand last year. It's a little note to herself that Holly wrote.

A life of substance, a life of meaning. I want my life to count for something more than my own personal gain. I don't mean this in the small things I do on the side, a couple of hobbies or a trip here and there...I mean I want the very substance of my life to be consumed with helping others. I want my job (or lack-there-of), my money, my family, my house (or lack-there-of) all to be decisions based around these thoughts.

I know as I return it will be easy to return to comfort, self-seeking behaviors, money, stability, safety, and all America has to offer. Some of these 'ideals' are good, but I want to look beyond them and forgo the good for a potential better. I want to be a part of that 'better' and I want to be responsible for helping bring that to others as well. I believe this to be the teachings of Jesus. I don't know exactly what 'better' looks like, but I want to wholeheartedly pursue it and hopefully bring hope to others with the hope I find.


That was written while in Thailand by the woman I love.

1 comment:

Mike Stavlund said...

that bookmark is absolutely breathtaking.