Me and My Toyota

"Wherever I go, he goes..."
Okay I think that was a My Buddy commercial. But, it still holds true in regards to my relationship with my car. Wherever I go my Toyota goes. For some people that might not mean a lot, but considering I live in the world of commuters it does mean a lot to me. My travel time back and forth from work every day can average any where from 1 1/2 to 3 hours a day. I realize that some people commute even further, but sometimes it feels like I live in my car.

So yesterday I left work, and drove to meet up with a friend at Baker's Square. What normally should take only 15-20 minutes actually turned into 40, but I finally made it. Relieved I turned into the parking lot. Unfortunately, I have never mastered by right hand turns. So, I hit a curb. Actually I did more than hit it. I think that both wheels on the right side of my car when up on the curb, across the little grassy area, and then landed back down safely on the parking lot. I tried to stay calm. This is not a new experience, although the jolting was loud and somewhat troublesome, I thought, hey, I'll get out check my car and it'll all be fine. Fortunately, my car was okay. My tire, however, was not. I got back in my car and drove 20 seconds until I slid carefully into a parking spot. By that time, my tire was almost completely flat.

This is new for me. I have never had a flat tire before. On top of that, I have never ruined a tire beyond repair. But, that is the case. I have ordered a new tire which has arrived safely and in about four hours will be positioned neatly on my car.

In trying to look at the positives this is what I have learned:
1.) My insurance will reimburse for someone to tow my car and to put on a spare tire. (Although they will not pay for the new tire).
2.) I do not have a jack in my car (I need to get one of those).
3.) You can drive about 40-50 mph on a doughnut (depending on who you talk to and what your car book says).
4.) To take extreme caution when turning right.
5.) It's cheaper to order a specialty tire on-line than from the dealer directly.

I hope all of you can learn from my experience.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow...

In case you are wondering, that is really not my exact sentiment, unless it would be possible for me to stay nice, warm and safe in my own bed, and in my own home. However, I do think in some sick and twisted way that the snow fall of two Fridays ago was beautiful, albeit treacherous, dangerous, and slippery.
Growing up, prior to obtaining my driver’s license, I did not look at snow with such disdain. Snow at that time meant sledding, snow ice cream, snow days and hot chocolate.
My most memorable snow incident occurred in college. (A Bible College- with no drinking, we did this sober.) I packed myself into a car with 5 other college students and we took ourselves, loaded with cafeteria trays and garbage bags, to something akin to the “Hill of Death”. The hill was NOT covered in soft, fluffy snow, but rather a thick sheet of ice. The hill called our names and we answered-rather stupidly. To sum up the long, and probably boring story, my friend and I clutched each other as we barreled down the hill, on a cafeteria tray at a break neck speed. What happened next was a little blurry. We made it to the bottom of the hill where we hit a creek bed, and went airborne. We landed about ten feet on the otherside of the creek bed, practically unconscious. We spent the next three days unable to turn our heads because of severe whiplash.

All this to say: Enjoy the weather, but Be Safe Out There.

A thought to think on:

"We don't see things as they are, we see things as we are." -Anais Nin

Mirror mirror on the wall...

So not too long ago, I had one of "those" days. You know the days, when despite how you really are looking, you feel like you look like you have green hair, and a big warty nose, and, well...I'm sure you get the point.

So then, I read this:
"Your beauty should...be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which of great worth in God's sight."
1 Peter 3:3,4

Could that be true? Honestly? The fact that I could be beautiful, DESPITE the warts and the frizzed hair? And, then God says, yup- that could be true.

Which that makes me think, how often does my inside shown outwardly and reveal my TRUE beauty? Often times, I think instead of showing beauty I show an uglier side even worse than a bad hair day.

(For example, maybe I don't like mornings, or heavy traffic. Maybe I am just in a cranky mood. Maybe, on occassion, I just don't feel like being kind.)

So what is the fix? I can always put a masque on my face- but there's not a "masque" for my heart. I can always buy a new shirt and don a new pair of the latest shoes, but I cannot dress up my heart.

So what is the answer?
It's Jesus.
"You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."
Ephesians 4:22-24

Only Jesus can cause the old, cranky, I hate mornings, self to become someone kind and gentle to those around. Only Jesus can cause me to leave behind my selfish desires and instead look out for others.

Only Jesus.

So despite what we may think is a good idea, a new shirt is not necessarily going to make someone beautiful.
But Jesus will.