although slow and dangerous behind the wheel

I really cherish the older generation. I'm a listener and I enjoy listening to the the experiences and insights that they've learned. Those that choose to learn from the past and evaluate the meaning of life, that is. Unfortunately, I don't have many of those opportunities right now in this place, but I think that's why I actually connect more with some of the older folks at church. ...I think they're also a little curious if I'm for real too... :)

Anyways, I've been listening to Ravi's recent talks on Daniel and he asked the question "Is it possible to find a complete sense of fulfillment without wandering away from the parameters of God? And what does a person look like, what goes on behind the scenes of a life of a man or a woman who lives that kind of a life, worthy of your emulation and mine?"

He tells a funny story (although i leave out most of the humor - look it up on itunes):
"A few weeks ago, my colleague Gavin Douglass and I left Atlanta here to be doing meetings in Columbia, S.C. It's only a 25 minute flight. We didn't think it was possible, but it happened - the airlines lost our bags between here and there...how it was possible to have lost our bags in the 25 minute journey, I could not understand...As we arrived in Columbia, the gentleman who greeted us was a man by the name of Joe Novincen. You want to meet Joe Novincen. I am not over-stating what my description is to you. Everybody who knows Joe tells you 'he is one of a kind.' So calm, so peaceful, so Godly in his countenance. I had met him before. He was just leaving his church one week after we'd been there for meetings. He'd been there for many years and was moving on to Look-Out Mountain in Georgia to take on the pastorate of a church there. I saw in his countenance, my wife will endorse that, and anyone of you here who was with us will say the same thing. He was a man who looked absolutely calm in every situation.

Now I've not seen him in every, but this time our bags did not show up, so he went with us to the counter to register our complaint, for what it was worth. And the man behind the counter said this 'Your bags have not come,' which we knew. He says 'in fact we do not know when they will come. They will not be here before 24 hours. It could be 24 to 36 hours.' And the inside is beginning to churn. And Joe Novincen says 'Thank you.' That's exactly what he said. And the man says, 'And when it does come we will phone you.' Novincen says 'Thank you.' He says, 'And then we will deliver it to the hotel.' Novincen says 'Thank you.' I walked out of there and I said to Gavin, 'What is he thanking them for? He needed to be thanking us! For being willing to wait for 24-36 hours!' But you know, deeper inside was this thought, 'what does it take to be a man like that? Who was not going to allow this slight dislocation of 24-36 hours to rob him of the privilege of being courteous to a person who had nothing to do with this loss along the way." Marching to A Different Drummer - Ravi Zacharias 5/24/08

I have to think hard to remember people I can say those things about. It's easy to think of our social butterflies, for charisma is cousin to charm and allure. But how much an authentic countenance speaks. I believe countenance is another of such things that cannot be faked, pursued, or conquered, but as Viktor Frankl states (and i've referenced in other posts), must "ensue." Who is it that you can recommend and say "You want to meet ________, because ______."

And once again it's lunch time and I've spent my time on reading and listening rather than writing my papers that are due tomorrow...

currently listening: Push and Pull - The Autumn Film