Packed My Bags

(When I was in grade school we used to sing this little song about being born on a farm down in Iowa.  It had a line in it which was "packed my bags and sacks of foam".  Many years later I realized the words were actually supposed to be "packed my bags and saxophone".)  ((Suddenly the "root-a-toot-toot" line made a lot more sense.))  (((Is it wrong to start writing parenthetically?)))
I am relatively all packed for Mexico.  But I am not necessarily ready to go to Mexico. The STP, the Goob, and I leave Sunday morning.  We have no idea what we will be doing, but we have adopted the motto "We Live to Serve."  Truthfully, I have adopted this motto on our behalf.  We are traveling to the not-a-tourist-area of Mexico.  This week I saw a commercial for tourism in Mexico.  Bright colors, fun music.  I think it was designed to make me forget the news stories about tourists in Mexico being robbed at gunpoint.  The newscaster said the robbery happened in the second most dangerous city in Mexico.  Then he mentioned that Juarez is the most dangerous city.  Juarez?  Yeah, that's on our itinerary.  In preparation for the trip I have been reading.  Born To Run--about ultra marathon runners in the Copper Canyon.  The Circle Maker--about praying big prayers.  And I just finished Small Things With Great Love--about loving people like God loves them.  A big thought from this book about going fearlessly where God calls us to go:

 Fathers who rush into burning buildings to save their children...aren't moved by courage...They're moved by love.... courageous self-giving love depends on God's unshakable love for us and God's unwavering love for those in need. 
Let's review the writing in the dust.  

I John 4:19  We love because He first loved us.
Luke 17:33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it.

So my plan is to go fearlessly where God calls me.  Unshakable love.  Great big prayers.  And maybe even some bright colors and fun music.