Thursday, March 17, 2011

Street Gangs In Calgary

Roving street gangs in Calgary, Alberta. They're looking for trouble.

Here they have commandeered the front yard of a peace-loving suburbanite.

Isn't it amazing how many things in life people look at totally differently? For twenty-five years I've spent countless vacation days and thousands of dollars traveling to Colorado to hunt elk and I've had years where we never saw any. I have come home with elk for the freezer four times, but some of us (who shall remain nameless) have never brought home any delicious elk meat. I'm just saying, it's a quest, a goal, a hobby, and an adventure - and just a fun time for a bunch of guys to be together hunting in the mountains of Colorado. In the suburbs of Calgary - elk are pests, and the homeowners get upset when their shrubs and gardens are eaten, and their green yards get fertilizer that is un-spread and unwanted.
Everything depends on your perspective, and your values. One persons pest is another persons prize. Have you ever looked around your house and thought about all the little (and sometimes big) things that you wish were improved, fixed, replaced, or just different? Whatever it is, there are whole nations of people who would feel like they were living in the lap of luxury to have that very thing. With affluence comes complacency, and with complacency comes ingratitude and with ingratitude comes ungodliness. When that happens, we are a long way from seeing things with God's perspective.
Maybe we don't need to "stop and smell the roses" but stop and count our blessings. That pesty elk in your yard would be considered "yard art" in some places, just like that dripping faucet would be considered a life saving spring in some places.
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." James 1:17

1 comment:

Glenave Curtis said...

Oh, how I heartily "amen" your thoughts, Mike.