Our Sated Egos

     What a wonderful six days of vacation:  the Smokies---Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, waterfalls, Clingman's Dome, hikes, a round of golf that was better than expected, Cade's Cove! And a five-bedroom, three-story cabin with a breathtaking view from the very top of a mountain with every member of our family there; I say: God has blessed me and blessed us!       
     Now, I'm thinking about the less fortunate.  I don't feel guilty about this; I just don't quite understand the mystery behind the blessings of God. Some people [like me] seem so blessed while others suffer amid continual turmoil and trouble.  I try to live a Christ-centered life, but inevitably, some days I'm more successful than others.  I do try to bless other people, but too often I don't recognize ways or opportunities to do so. Helping can be very difficult.

      Why does God bless some more than others? Because He chooses to and simply said the choice is His.  Not because we are somehow worthy of His gifts.  The serenity of the panoramas from the balcony of that vacation cabin were special gifts from God that I recognized as such.

   Is our goal in life personal gain and happiness? Is our purpose and truth equivalent to our sated egos? Or is our life here about conforming to the image of Christ Jesus---impossible, but our goal all the same? Are material and physical benefits the real and only indications of God's goodness? Consider the setbacks, failures, illnesses, and disappointments of Christ's followers down through the centuries. God truly is always good---despite whether we as individuals are happy or not with our lot.
       Man!  Was that one super vacation! Despite spending too much time in the car driving, I'm so thankful for this time away with my family. Thank you, God, for this blessing. Hopefully, we can do it again before too long.