Just Over The Border:
It’s been years since I’ve traveled south and crossed the border into Mexico. Goodness. Maybe even 40 years or more. But our neighbors to the north? I’ve crossed into Canada 30, 40 or 50 times. It’s hard to remember. The first time was in 1977 on a long drive from Texas to Alaska. 5,000 miles in 96 hours.
During more recent crossings, and living in the tech world we are so used to, I’ve noticed something happening at the border. It’s like there’s an invisible line that severs you from your tech world. Quickly. It’s like cutting the cord. It was working. Now it’s not. Crossing over, you play by the rules of a new country. What you were used to is not necessarily what you will find on the other side.
Maybe it’s been this time more than any, but I am more conscious of the fact of the Miles vs Kilometers (M’s vs K’s) difference. We are in a community that makes you slow down to around 30kmh (that’s 18mph!), and I find my reading glasses are needed to see the small print on the speedometer. With ticket cameras, and RCMP doing speed traps in construction zones, I find it’s important to pay close attention to this new way of measuring things!
Add to this, I must think in terms of different measurements. Ask me to calculate distance into time then I am more comfortable converting from K’s to M’s and work into the answer from a totally backward approach.
Example: If I’m going to drive 500 miles today, and I only want to drive about 8 hours, how fast do I need to travel in order to meet my expectation? Easily done in Miles, but I have to think harder to make Kilometers feel comfortable!
True, I can pull out my calculator (on my phone) and work out the formula to a quick easy answer, and I do when planning the trip. But do it in my head, traveling 70mph (that’s 112kmh), then the math becomes Distracted Driving!
Add to this the unique differences for a country on different systems than what you are used to:
- Weights are in grams – Yes…this shows up in our American packaging, but we mostly use the measurements we learned in school the most.
- Distance is measured in meters – and this affects everything you think about from an inch to a mile!
- Temperature is shown in Celcius – and this calculation is different than distance and speed. Freezing is either 32f or 0c.
- Then take the conversion rate from an American dollar to the Canadian dollar, and their money looks different and is quoted with different words. They did away with one dollar bill and went to coins, and there are no more pennies (I think).
Fortunately, we are all on the same 24-hour clock and 365 Gregorian calendar, with the same named days and months.
If you wanted, you could learn a smattering of French because all road signs are double posted. English, then French.
But then, walk into the grocery store (this is a favorite thing I do when traveling abroad)… Well, there are some familiar looking items, but then trying to match what you know you like and how to find it with new packaging and different companies owning the market, then a 10 minute dash into the store takes about an hour as you wander the aisles, inspecting the packaging, and enjoying the uniqueness of the country you are visiting!
Remember, you must convert the sizes, weights, and cost by your new found conversion skills!
All of this made me think of the difference we find when we live in our everyday world and will someday experience when we visit a strange new place. Having grown up with this idea that heaven will be a more unique and different place than we can even imagine, again, I realize the words of scripture do it no justice, I can only imagine what that time and place will be like!
But imagine you are at the border crossing. It’s time to pass between here and there. Your comfort levels will change, and who knows the measurement system will be totally different! All rules will be different over there. Everything you find normal here will be different there. Present familiar faces will not be there, nor will the idea of current comfort zones. Transportation? Housing? Conversion rates? It will be a place of many cultures and uniquely different to all!
John, the Revelator, was exiled to the Isle of Patmos as punishment for being a Christian. Imagine! A new place with all the rules different than you were used to. It was in exile that he began his writing career, as I like to imagine.
Sometimes, it takes being in a far-off place to get to step up to the thing you were called to do.
He penned his letters and final book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. He describes, at the ending, what the future will be like.
Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.” (Revelation 21:1-5 NKJV)
Then all of this made me think about the difference between here, and there. I remembered a favorite song from my earlier years, most frequently sung by Rev R.E. Johnson and a favorite crooner from the Country Music world, Jim Reeves.
“Just Across The Bridge”
I have lived a life of sin, in this world, we’re living in
I have done forbidden things I shouldn’t do
I asked a beggar along the way, can he tell me where to stay
Where I’d find real happiness and love that’s true.
Chorus:
Across the bridge, there’s no more sorrow
Across the bridge, there’s no more pain
The Sun will shine across the river
And we’ll never be unhappy again.
Follow the footsteps of the King and you’ll hear the voices ring
They’ll be singing out the Glory of the Lamb
The river Jordan will be near, the sound of trumpets you will hear
You’ll behold the blessed place ever known to man!