I've been sitting here playing guitar for about the past hour.  I've been thinking a lot about this past month, and all of the people that I have came in contact with.  It amazes me every time I see someone who has no possessions and yet has an amazing outlook on life.

     I recently went to West Virginia with some youth from my church.  We distributed clothing and other items to the coal mining families in McDowell County.  The county has been hit by a lot of poverty due to the lack of jobs and education.  Floods swept through the area earlier this year wreaking even more havoc upon the community.  
      The people I talked with were continuously ecstatic.  I know poverty exists, but it continually astounds me by the way the view life.
No matter how much I try, I don't really want to be.....but I find myself being complacent.  There is so much I could be doing, but I find my time being spent on the couch taking a nap during my 'free time'.  

     I'm reminded of a song by Andrew Peterson entitled "Land of the Free".  The entire song overwhelms my thoughts and emotions. I'll end this entry with the lyrics to this song.  Signing off to "The Word" (I nicknamed my bed, the word....  i.e. I spent the entire night in the word.) 

The Land of the Free

(Verse 1)

Little Elba how’s the sun in South America?
does it shine upon the faces of the poor?
do they see in it the brilliance of the place that’s been prepared
and dwell upon the hope of what’s in store?

Or are they just like me?
do they only see
an opportunity
to complain about the heat?

(Verse 2)

Little Elba, how’s the rain in South America?
Does it fall upon the rooftops of the sick?
Do they thank the Lord for coming up with such a great idea
and dream about a place beyond all this?

Or are they just like us?
do they gripe and fuss
about the rain and mud

when they’ve had too much?

(Chorus)

‘Cause I’m just a little jealous
of the nothing that you have
unfettered by the wealth of
a world that we pretend is gonna last
they say God blessed us with plenty
I say you’re blessed with poverty
‘cause you never stop to wonder whether
earth is just a little better than
the Land of the Free

(Verse 3)

well, I’m weary of the spoils of my ambition
and I’m shackled by the comfort of my couch
I wish I had the courage to deny these of myself
and start to store my treasure in the clouds

‘Cause this is not my home
I do not belong
where the antelope
and the buffalo roam

(Chorus)

and I’m just a little jealous
of the freedom that you have
unfettered by the wealth of
a world that we pretend is gonna last
they say God blessed us with plenty
I say you’re blessed with poverty
‘cause you never stop to wonder whether
earth is just a little better than
the Land of the Free

so I hope you’re safe and dry in South America
‘cause I’m feeling pretty good in Tennessee
may you never be so happy you forget about your home...
Your home in the Land of the Free.