Spoiled Rotten

How many people have heard the term Spoiled Rotten.  Or Spoiled brat?  It is usually a name that an elder sibling gives to a younger sibling who seems to have an easier life/time that he/she had.  Maybe the younger sibling getting nicer stuff.  Maybe the younger sibling gets his or her own room.  Maybe the younger sibling gets a cell phone at a younger age.  You get the picture.  But, I'm going to make the argument that we are all, spoiled rotten brats.

Are you with me?  Ok, so this past week I was on an orientation (which was more like a retreat) to prepare for my next job which will be a Ministerial Aide if you didn't know.  It was basically a work-week long event where everyone that got a grant from the organization, MCC, went to leadership training.  There was a total of 10 of us there and we stayed in a Mansion!  Wait...it was a mansion, but it was also a Youth Hostel.  AKA all the guys (6) had one room and all the ladies (4) has another.  Here's the kicker, each room had exactly 1 outlet, beds that were as thin as toilet paper, and roofs that were ona a downward diagonal angle so head hitting was at a premium.  Throw in the fact that no one knew each other initially.  Soooo here's the scenario:  You are ina room with at least 3 other people, with only two available (two-pronged) outlets, the bed is incredibly uncomfortable.  Oh, and I didn't mention that you had to share a bathroom with any number of random people that was staying in the hostel and not all of them are exactly hygienic.

That sounds like a blast doesn't it!  Now, there are two ways to react to this scenario.  The first is what I call the: American way, which is simply complain about everything.  The second is to embrace it.  I'm not going to tell you which way I reacted but lets just say that the majority of people were Americans.  I too, am an American so I'm not knocking anyone for how they feel, but theres a slight problem with Americans that was illuminated to me: we are spoiled freaking rotten!

Since there was only two spots to charge our phones, we had to rotate our phones every night.  That provides a minor inconvenience, but how about the fact that some people...alot of people doesn't even have running electricity 24/7 like we did.  Sure our bed were egregious and some people snored, but at least we had a bed to sleep on.  The point is, we need to start appreciating the little things.  Appreciate the fact that you have a car, a bed, or even something as insignificant (to us) as electricity.

There are things that we have, that all of us has, that we take advantage on a day to day basis.  No, I'm not talking about our families (even though we do).  No, I'm not talking about our jobs (even though we complain about them 24/7).  I'm talking about God's grace.  God's grace to forgive us.  God's love towards us.

I cannot say this enough...How many people here, we offer up his/her only begotten son/daughter to die the most hirrd death, for people that doesn't deserve it.  For people that complain about every little issue, every little scratch on their arm, while when Jesus hung up on the cross (partly human), he didn't complaim (well he did say that he was thirsty [John 19:28-29], but thats nothing major).  As a matter of fact, amidst His suffer, the Icon had us on his mind when he pleaded with the Father to forgive us because we don't know what we are doing....Wow...that's true love from the Father and Jesus. (Luke 23:24)


When was the last time you told your mom that absolutley gets on your nerves (NOT MINE! :] ) that you love her?  That you appreciate her? And you GENUINELY meant it.  Mothers Day?  Come on people!  If women are a gift from God, mother's must be the winning lottery ticket from God.  Treasure, and appreciate them.  And that goes for the fathers too....and brothers, sister, uncles, aunt, friends...Let's throw enemies in there as well...  Oooo, I just made a boo-boo.  Yep, I'm serious, love your enemies and appreciate them.  Bless them that persecute them.  (That's not my saying, that's Jesus'!) (Matt 5:44)

What am I trying to say??? We are SPOILED ROTTEN!  We are blessed.  No matter how much you think you have, without Jesus you have nothing!  No matter how little you think you have, you still have more than someone else.  It can always be worse right?  Cherish your friends, your family, your God, and most importantly your car!  Tell your car that you love it...yup, I'm dead serious!  Ok, not really, but seriously.  Remember the rule: Love God, Love People.  Let's step up our game! Oh and by the way, we all survived that retreat closer than ever before to each other despite our minor inconveniences.

And now its time for me to call my parents to tell them that I love them.  Pardon me.