Sally would probably tell the Ferrari that she lives in Mexico, but in her lifetime she has seen just about everything - the beach, the mountains, the desert, and the snow. Now the Ferrari would probably tell our minivan that the only places it’s ever been are expensive cities and neighborhoods. Then Sally would talk about all the music it plays, such as Jana Alyra or Rob Biagi. She has heard our family talks and arguments, and little kids screaming and crying. Sally would explain how she has basically raised our family, getting us from place to place.
The Ferrari would tell the minivan that it has listened to every type of music except the music the minivan has heard. The conversations the Ferrari has heard have always been business conversations or boring adult conversations. The Ferrari has no idea about families and the things that happen in them. He has no idea what life looks like from Mexican roads. He maybe starts to feel like he’s missing out.
Then I started to think what our shiny, new Honda Odyssey – Jazz, and our old, green minivan – Sally, talk about now (they are parked next to each other). Does Sally say, “You are going to love the Struttons!” Does she say, “Mexico is the best place to be!” I wonder if Jazz will even like it here, or will she miss her old family, the old roads, and her old life? Does Sally feel rejected by our family? Or does she understand she still has an important job – serving babies at Grace Babies’ Home.
When I think about all these silly car conversations, I remember my feelings when we visited an outdoor market while on vacation last weekend. I walked around all the little shops, but as I kept looking around at all the girls my age I felt like our old, green minivan on a highway of Ferraris. I knew that on the outside I didn’t look much different, but I could feel something different on the inside. We had a meeting spot where my dad was hanging out in case someone got lost. So after walking for a little bit, I went back to the meeting spot and hung out with my dad. I didn’t really have the nerve to tell him then the reason why I didn’t want to keep shopping. So when he asked, “Couldn’t find anything you can’t live without?” I shook my head and said, “Nope, not really”.
The Bible says that our home is in heaven and until we get there we are not going to feel like we belong. I don’t know about you guys, but I know that I really need to remember that. God put me here in Mexico for a reason, and I sure am glad He did!
