{"id":3404,"date":"2014-09-09T13:42:35","date_gmt":"2014-09-09T17:42:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/?p=3404"},"modified":"2014-12-06T14:02:03","modified_gmt":"2014-12-06T19:02:03","slug":"36578-gaining-humor-facing-humility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.susanvogt.net\/blog\/36578-gaining-humor-facing-humility\/","title":{"rendered":"365+#78: Gaining Humor & Humility"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Days<\/a>I recently returned from a trip to visit our daughter in Nairobi, Kenya. International travel like this always prompts reflections on life and how we humans are alike and different, I\u2019d like to share 2 things I learned \u2013 one humorous and one humbling.<\/p>\n

Humor<\/span>:
\nOur daughter, Jim, and I went on a walking safari through the savannah region north of Nairobi. We had two\u00a0Massai as guides (a spotter, aka the \u201cgun guy\u201d and an \u201cexplainer\u201d). We saw dik diks, zebra, geremuks, giraffes, jackals, elephants, ostriches, impalas, waterbucks, and other exotic animals and birds.<\/p>\n

\"Elephant<\/a>

elephant track<\/p><\/div>\n

I was in awe of the guides’ ability to spot animals from afar that often just looked like rocks to me \u2013 until they moved. The explainer would often point out the tracks of the various animals and background about their habits. Eventually, I wanted to contribute to our group\u2019s knowledge but was pitifully ignorant of tracks, until\u2026I saw the tire track of a truck. Click on images to enlarge.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"tire<\/a>

tire track<\/p><\/div>\n

In the style of the guide, I explained that this track was probably made by a Toyota jeep. \u00a0It eats gas and oil and comes in many colors, but mostly black, white, and earth tones. Its \u201cpoop\u201d comes in the form of smoke and fumes. Its predators are bumpy roads, bigger trucks, and drunk drivers. Did it impress the guides? No, but we had a chuckle and I had fun thinking up parallels.<\/p>\n

Humility<\/span>:
\n\"Days<\/a>Periodically I took time to quietly sit, reflect, and pray about the experience I was having in Africa \u2013 both the safari and life in the city of Nairobi. My custom is to end my meditation time with calling to mind something I am grateful for. (It helps balance out my worries and stress.) One morning, as I was aware of the safari staff busily preparing food and supplies for the days walk, while I leisurely gazed at the sunrise, I found myself saying, \u201cThank you, God, that I do not have the life of a safari worker, a maid, a guard, a driver, or any of the many local people who spend their time serving us.\u201d OH, NO! I caught myself in the middle of this \u201cGratitude Prayer\u201d and realized how close it was to Luke 18:11 \u201cThe Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, \u2018God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.\u201d I didn\u2019t know what to do with this awareness of myself as a proud Pharisee. I felt humbled and resolved to do some kind of service for the staff that day.<\/p>\n

Points to Ponder:<\/p>\n