Western Myths

As I begin the process of settling back into my own culture I am trying to think about what I can bring from Bangladesh to my life here. Banglas see life so differently to us. Everyday life just works differently there. Traffic for example, just doesn't exist in Adelaide! Planning ahead... Here there are notices everywhere about a change in plastic bag use. 1 type of bag will be unavailable in South Australia in MAY. Bangladesh changed the date of the first National Election in 7 years from Dec 18 to Dec 29 on about Nov 29!!!

Here in the "west" we love our "meaningful" little sayings to gee ourselves up. I am beginning to think many of them are actually rubbish.... or at least a very "western/rich" world way of looking at things. This is not necessarily wrong but it can lead to assumptions when dealing with other parts of the world or even how our lives work (where ever we are) and so are not always that helpful.

One of these I am "playing with" in my thinking right now is "You get what you expect. If you expect things to go well they will." Sounds wonderful. Aim high seek to achieve dreams etc but I am questioning if it doesn't imply we have way more power than we really have! We are meer humans on a vulnerable earth!

Expectations

"Expect to make a difference!"

We don't always make a difference where we expect to
but
where we respond to God
and just do it

Life is bigger than what we think about it
OR what we do in it.

DO NOT "expect things"
like a formula with a right to receive

Rather

Pray
Be
..... watch
and be ready

......... to act
respond
love
do
be


and see what God can do!

Jeanette
Written over several days while"praying" and trying to watch!