Relax mon!  Everything will be OK!

In our fast-paced society, where stress is the norm, perfection is expected. But what happens when facing less-than-ideal situations while visiting foreign countries? Either we become irritable, out-of-control and less-than-satisfied customers, or we relax and adopt the local philosophy: "Welcome to the Island time! Relax, mon!"

The first thing that struck me about this gorgeous group of islands is that Bahamians enjoy their daily living.

Hmmm… I wonder if we could learn a thing or two from them!

The second thing is that most things are not as bad as they look!

Take, for example, the patched-up mildew spot above the bathtub. It may not be attractive, but it is functional! The faucet in the bathtub may be leaking, but why worry when surrounded by billions of gallons of ocean water? In fact, the drip works to lull you to sleep at night! Quite handy, don't you think? The elevator floor may seem to include a bubbly sea monster, but count your blessings; at least you do have an elevator! And so what if the only way to call the elevator up from the lobby is by pressing the "up" button? Hey! At least it comes, and that's more than you can say for my dog! And what about fire drills in the middle of the night? Or the car alarms blaring loudly at bedtime? These things are all a part of the joy of life. They really don't hurt you in anyway. Just sleep in and enjoy the upcoming day! Why worry about such futile things!

These "inconveniences" might annoy most of us if they happened at home, but if you are open to the easy-going laissez-faire mentality of the Bahamians, you will quickly learn to laugh them off. In all reality, none of these will diminish your stay abroad!

The third thing I noticed is that most Bahamians are not afraid to share their faith. They live it not only on Sunday, but also at work, at home and anywhere else they are going. One of them overheard tourists talking about the upcoming US elections. What came out of her mouth surprised me, but she was 100% correct: "I don't praise men," she said. "I only praise God!"

I wonder if we could all learn something from the Bahamians. Maybe our lives would be less hectic! Maybe we would be less tempted to control everything around us! Maybe we would start to really enjoy living! And maybe, just maybe, this would result in us becoming bold in sharing what is on our heart concerning the One who really matters in our life!

Releasing all control to God every day will not only fill us with adrenaline, it will also fill us with peace, with real living, and with a desire to join God in His endeavours to reach out to the needy of this world!

"I'm sending you off to open the eyes of the outsiders so they can see the difference between dark and light, and choose light, see the difference between Satan and God, and choose God. I'm sending you off to present my offer of sins forgiven, and a place in the family, inviting them into the company of those who begin real living by believing in me." (Acts 26:17-18 The Message)

"Honey, there are ants in my kitchen!"

"Yuck!!!"

What will be your approach to this "inconvenience"?

Rob Chaffart