Walking far from home

I appreciate so many things about Iceland , but what I have admired the most is the people . It has appeared to me that the folks here place a large amount of attention and value in their connection with  other people : be it neighbor , or guest. all of the churches I have been to have gone out of their way to welcome us in their own special way . In most of our conversations with the local pastors , two subjects have been reoccurring : "be yourself" and "do your best". I've heard these phrases many times before , and yes , I agree that they are important phrases to live by, but I feel like in many of my situations at least , that I easily forget what my best is and shift into "just get by " mode . This is dangerous for many reasons but most importantly , it takes the life out of relationships. It is a good practice to walk far from home to learn your strengths, your limits and your weaknesses. I find that mine is that I " try to get by " too often. I also find that it is important to "show off" your gifts from time to time , just to remember what your best can look like. If done properly, your best can inspire others to do their best, and perhaps we can bring some flavor to this old spinning rock we live on .

Dear Creator of Salt,

Let us all spare no expense in our relationships with one another, whether we are leaving footprints or settling down . 

Amen .