Normal

So, what's normal?  Depends on who you ask, right?  Depends on what country you are in!

Over the last several weeks this difference really stood out to me on two occassions.

During my trip to the United States with Caleb and Ruth in order to attend the annual meeting of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches and a wonderful visit with my grandparents and other relatives, my children experienced something that for me has been a part of "normal" life, but for them was quite the novelty!

A Drinking Fountain!

In Mexico. we do not have drinking fountains because we cannot drink tap water!  So, when Ruth first saw a drinking fountain after a great hike at a local nature preserve she was quite intrigued!  I taught her how to use it and she caught right on!  She quickly discovered that if she would let go of the button, put her face down close and then push the button, the water would squirt her in the face!  She did this several times, stopped, turned around, and said to me, in Spanish:  "How refreshing!  A cool drink and a face wash!"

Drinking fountains, pretty normal, right?  

The day before we flew back to Mexico was Miguel's 9th birthday.  However, he kindly waited to celebrate so that the whole family could be together.  During his birthday celebration we did something quite normal.

We sang "Feliz, Feliz Cumpleanos" and then "Happy Birthday" and Miguel blew out his 9 candles!

Then Miguel took a bite out of the cake while his siblings pushed his face into the cake and his Dad rescued him from being asphyxiated!

Like I said, we celebrated a normal birthday!

Taking a bite out of your birthday cake, pretty normal, right?

Throughout my years of traveling to Mexico (since I was 16...just a few years ago:-), being married to Victor (14) and living in Mexico (9), my sense of normalcy has certainly expanded.  In fact, as we have welcomed new children to the Zaragoza family, we have basically given up on trying to find "normal".

However, there is one standard that we should all use to measure our lives, to which we should aspire!

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."  

Matthew 5:48 

Among all of our differences, Christ is the great unifier for He is the "same yesterday and today and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8) and in every language and culture!

Jesus should be our "normal"....as His children it should be "normal" to be loving, forgiving, merciful, consistent, dedicated, extraordinary, generous!

So, in your very unique days, in your unique culture, in your unique family, with your unique personality, gifts and abilities, your unique circumstances look for the "normalcy" of Christ....which is actually quite out of the ordinary! 

Now, to head into a "normal" day!