"Consider the Ravens..."

I'm writing today from a coffee shop in a small town I didn't plan to stay in.  God has a funny way of encouraging His children to stop and smell the roses.  Here's the story: Thursday after work I buzzed down to a small town south of the metro to drop my car off and meet up with my dad to drive to Indianapolis for the weekend because Dad had another marathon to run.  I left my car with a former co-worker and family friend and spent just a few minutes catching up while we waited for Dad to arrive.  I got in the car with my dad and immediately said, "Man, I miss those guys!"  Dad asked, "Why don't you come see them more often -- they're not that far from you!"  I agreed and said I didn't know why but that I could be more intentional about those friendships. We had a great weekend in Indianapolis.  I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to navigate the city and how beautiful some parts of it were.  We never really got lost, which, if...

When I lived in Manila, I learned very quickly that some of the things that appeared the same were actually very, very different.  I could tell you some pretty funny and embarrassing stories, but let me just give you a few examples: Pets: it seems most everyone in the US has a pet: cats, dogs, and small rodents are all popular choices.  People in Manila had pets too -- but their dogs were guard dogs, the rodents weren't invited or named, and cats were kept around to dispose of the rodents... the only real "pet" people kept in the same way we keep cats and dogs were CHICKENS.  It wasn't uncommon to board public transportation and have people bringing chickens on and off with them.  Never a dull moment, I tell you. Spaghetti -- same name for the same concept in both places.  In the US, this is a SAVORY dish of tomatoes, meat, and noodles.  In Manila, it's SWEET -- like a dessert.  Definitely a shock to one's palate when you order it without knowing t...