This morning as I ran through Matt's mom's neighborhood, my heart was saddened by all that these people are missing. If you have seen this neighborhood, you would doubt that these folks could be missing anything. They have big houses with manicured lawns and ornate Christmas decorations. Each home has 3 or 4 cars. Probably inside the house there are multiple flat screens, computers, i pods, blue rays, and many other high tech gadgets. Yet I have the odasity to say they are missing out on anything.

The last few days in the states I've been amazed by the desire for stuff that so many people have. They are buckled down in stress for the season, bu fail to realize how blessed they are. I was thinking today about Oscar, a man we met on Friday at our home before we left. Oscar had wasted his life in drugs, but had recently become a Christian and was wanting to get off drugs. A local church offers a rehab program, but in order to enter, he had to bring with him basic necesities of life including a bar of soap, shampoo, toilet paper, and a change of clothes. If you are reading this blog, you surely cannot imagine being not able to afford basic things like soap.

This Christmas season remember the important things are not things at all. The most important things anyone can own are their relationships with others and with God. All else will waste away.