Montag abend

The sky is ominously gray and angry this evening, tinged with orange from the city glow. I ventured out into this earlier today, braving the drenching snow and cold wind to make it to the Magister's Office to get my American diploma notarized. Thankfully, I had no idea at the time what I looked like after meandering through the streets asking various people for directions to Albert Street 25, as my hair was strewn wildly about and my mascara had leaked below my eyes to give me a slightly urchin-like and unkempt look (I may have to consider moving to waterproof). No wonder why the guy before me in line stared so much! Heh.

I have just been speaking with my parents in Ecuador. We are a small family, and at the moment, in three different locations. If I remember one thing from my macroeconomy class from four years ago, it is that everything has an opportunity cost. The opportunity cost is defined as the value of the next best choice, when making a decision. One of the opportunity costs of my life, and my parents', is being close to family. This is one of the reasons I try to make the most of being here in Finland where relatives are close by. But, now my parents are an ocean and a continent away, as is my sister. However, since the opportunity cost is the cost of passing up the next best thing, the best thing, the one chosen, is of greater value. In our case, the choice is to live the life God has marked for us. For my parents, it is the mission field. For me, well, it is still being defined. But, in the short scenic journey I have traveled so far, I have concluded that everything else is secondary compared to the adventure of a life lived with and for God. To let that become the "opportunity cost" would be the costliest mistake to make!