What's the diff?

Alaska? Italy? Montana? Vermont?  Been there... I hope to return to each of those places!  The reason...?  I dunno... maybe 'cuz the scenery is amazing; the people? Same as home, I've noticed.  Culture, language, ideas of fun may differ a little and a lot, but the fact they are navigating through life with what they've been given as resources is the same.  Personalities are the same.

Imagine being in the rapids above this precipice. Maybe some of us are...

 Good or bad upbringing, no Dad, two parents, orphaned, high income, low income, school, no school, crime, shelter, tragedy, contentment, trials, religion, good decisions, bad choices, cliques, isolation, a part of, apart from, lost, found, seeking, assured, home,  homeless, job, career, no work, illiterate, shunned, outcast, smart, educated, powerful, easy-going, high-strung, clueless, driven, ad infinitum...  People.  The Human Race.  Descendants of the first humans created on the planet.  Fascinating!  I tell you one thing, though;  checking out other parts of the world and country has given my wife and I perspective. . . We love to go away, but we LOVE returning HOME!  The grass (as described by Erma Bombeck) is ALWAYS greener over the septic tank!  I'm not saying the travels we've taken are less desirable than home, as a whole, I'm simply stating that HOME is a huge blessing to return to.  We have our difficulties and struggles, but they are OURS.  I know that if we were to trade our life with, say, a homeless couple in NYC (trading all that our lives entail) we would unanimously agree to trade back in a matter of days, perhaps hours.  Only my wife and I know how to navigate our own lives (with God's ever-available guidance).  And the homeless couple would rather have their life to navigate... I'm sure each of us would adjust the way we'll navigate from that moment on, however.  We'll see our lives with fresh eyes and seek to tweak our respective goals.  The biggest change in perspective however, would be in our attitude.  Boiled down, ATTITUDE is the ONLY aspect of my life I have ANY semblance of control over...  and I need help with that daily!  That's why I have daily quiet time with God and go to meetings.  I can respond instead of react.  I can put my PRIDE aside and walk in integrity instead of self-reliance (small difference perhaps, but big for me)  Humility is no longer a weakness, it's a powerful tool to keep me honest, right-sized and, most importantly, dependent on a loving God who is intimately interested in where I'm going, what I'm doing, how I do things and my motives for doing them.  Since putting all my eggs in one basket and handing it to Him, my serenity has increased beyond measure.  My life has become more difficult, but the rewards I get (in the form of peace of mind, provision, blessing, guidance, friendship, peace of mind and peace of mind) make the difficulties moot at best!  It's funny, though...  There are times when I recount my day in my evening quiet time with God and I say, "You know, God?  Today SUCKED!  But, MAN, it is NOTHING like before!  I can look myself in the eye Today!  I can sleep tonight knowing no one is looking for me for retribution!  I can see all the ways You've touched my life Today and showed me which direction to move!  I still can't see why THAT had to happen, but Your track record is sound, so I trust You to work THAT out!  Thank You for loving a wretch like me!"