Mine is Better Than Yours

Out of the past 14 days, I've spent 5 back in Odessa, TX. That's more time there than I've spent in a few years. Throughout 2012 I spent almost a full month in Georgia. So much so that I began to like sweet tea, want biscuits with meals, and look for dessert after every meal. (I don't know that I'll ever like white cheese dip, though!)!While a lot rubbed off on me and I've grown to appreciate Southern culture, I will never remove the desert's mark on me.

The first thing we did when we arrived in Odessa was go out for steaks. (Thank you Mom.) I had become accustomed to the hickory and pecan flavor of southern grills, and the first bite was a shock of mesquite smoke. I don't know how I ever convinced myself that sweet woods and barbecue were so good. One bite of the delicious-yet-harsh, slightly acrid taste of mesquite smoked meat and I shed all my delusions. I am a West Texas man.

I love it. Not just the independent mindset, the make-it-against-all-odds, Western mentality, but the desert itself. It has such stark beauty. You can see the horizons, dotted with pumpjacks, windmills, and rigs. The brown and red hues, the blue sky, white clouds, and the greens that come with Spring rains. The desert is harsh, and full of harsh scenery. It doesn't hide behind trees and leaves, but shows itself for what it truly is: rugged, harsh, and beautiful.

It rubs off on the people. Good people, hard-working and generous. A little too honest for some. People who know common sense as opposed to media spins or philosophical viewpoints. Friendly people who know where they stand and who they are. The desert won't let you hide. It's barrenness doesn't allow room to fool yourself into thinking that comforts will always be available, but reminds you they only come from hard work.

You can't mistake it, and you can't fake it. Not everyone likes it, and that's okay. Regions are different for a reason, and they're all cool! Not just because God separated us with the Tower of Babel, but because of the creativity that is shown in each region's food, language, and landscape. Romans 1:20 lays it out in plain language: For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. (Romans 1:20 NLT)