The Indy 500 and Flowers?

Yes, we return to the subject of racing.

In my prior post on Watch Out Nascar I think I pretty well summed up my views on professional car racing  and why I deserve the big bucks, but I absolutely have to add my husbands further thoughts on the subject.

We were at dinner  talking about the upcoming Indy 500. Still not understanding how anyone can spend hours watching a bunch of cars drive around in a modified oval shape, my husband tried an analogy.

Me: I don't understand how you can sit and watch cars go around in a circle for hours.
Him: Look, you can go to the nursery and spend hours looking at flowers and plants and stuff and they all just sit there.
Me: huh??!
Him: What if all those plants and flowers were flying around a track over 200 miles an hour!! Now that would be something to watch!!!
Me: (pulling myself off the floor and trying to keep a straight face) Yeah, I guess that would be something to watch.
Him: So now it is time to record the Indy 500 so I can watch the elegant cars race.
Me: Did you just describe the Indy cars as elegant?
HIm: Yeah, there is a difference between NASCAR and Indy. NASCAR is like the beer version of racing and Indy is like the champagne version.
Me: Wait, I thought they use champagne at the end of NASCAR and milk at the end of Indy.
Him: You just don't get it!

I still stand by my opinion on racing, I think I do the same thing without any help and no sponsors and I don't get paid for it, but I have to say I was pretty happy to hear how the race turned out this year.
The guy, Juan Pablo Montoya (yes, my husband insisted I mention him by name) who was in the 30th position out of 33 (which is the last row) won the race. It is nice to see that sometimes in the real world those that start out dead last, can win.

Loneliness

There are times in my life where I have felt utterly alone.
The kind of alone-ness that makes you wonder if the heavens are listening.

I have been thinking about that a lot as a parent. As I send my kids off to school each day and there is no telling what they might experience, I don't want them to ever feel alone. After all, the world we live in is crazy and getting crazier by the minute. The world they go off to can be very lonely, especially when you are having a hard time finding friends.

I know the Savior felt that loneliness. Could anyone ever feel more alone than to be taken from their family and closest friends, falsely put on trial, and sentenced to death?

I also know that "Footprints in the Sand" poem about the Savior walking beside the person and in the lowest points of life there being only one set of prints in the sand. The explanation is that is when He carried him.

Have you ever had a child fall asleep in their car seat and when you get home you quietly and gently unbuckle them and pull them into your arms, and noticed that for just the briefest moment they open their eyes and see either their surroundings or your face, recognize home and safety and immediately go back to sleep, slack in your arms. Completely trusting and feeling safe they fully relax.

I have noticed it a lot in my youngest, maybe because he falls asleep in the car more than any of my other kids. Somehow it brings me great joy. To know that he just needs to see home or my face and feel safe enough to go right back to sleep. Just recently, he had been very upset about not getting a piece of candy and was making this known loudly as we drove and eventually fell asleep. We got home, I laid him on the couch, and he woke up some time later asking about the candy and it sounded like he was just finishing the sentence he had fallen asleep saying. He didn't remember the rest of the ride or being brought in the house, he just remembered what he was upset about.

When I think about being carried by the Savior, through those very alone times, I know that in Him I am totally safe.

I also know that I may not remember Him carrying me, like my son not realizing I have brought him into our home, but I trust that He is.
And though, at times I get back on my knees repeating the same complaint, or requesting the same blessing, or thanking the same things, I know that I have a loving Father that is listening, holding me close and carrying me back home.

I just need to open my spiritual eyes for a second and take a look and just trust.

That Tree

Today was sort of a monumental day in my life in a way.

We cut down a living tree.

A big tree.

This tree had been planted probably ten years ago much too close to the block wall. We were starting to see cracks in that wall and talked about taking it down.

Then the neighbor started mentioning how the pods from the tree were falling in her pool and messing up her pool filter and could we do something about it.

If you have ever seen pods from desert trees, you might understand what a mess they are! The trees here don't just make a beautiful mess once a year. These trees are constantly dropping pods, and when they dry, the pods break open and out come the seeds and the pods are very thick skinned and make great crunching sounds when you step on them in shoes, but hurt pretty bad in bare feet.

Anyway, with urging from the neighbor, we decided to cut it down.

I had no idea.

I had no idea how confused the birds would be as they came by later in the day, to find one of their stopping spots gone.

I had no idea how bare that part of the fence would look.

I had no idea I would be able to see the neighbors windows and their lights on.

I had no idea how much shade that tree provided.

I had no idea how it would change the view from my chair by the window where I am writing.

I had no idea how  much I would miss that blasted messy tree.

I know there will be a follow up post to this, because I have some unfinished thoughts. But for right now, I am somewhat mourning the loss. In the long run, when we plant other trees in better spots, I'm sure I will be glad we did it.

But right now, with the birds, I am missing that tree and I'm sorry.

Feet

Have you ever noticed as you lay down on your side how perfectly made your feet are?

Think about it.
Ok, you know you are going to get down on the floor or lay on the couch or wherever to try this, so just go ahead. Get comfy and notice how your feet kind of interlock in a way.

The curve of your instep allows your feet to rest in a really amazingly comfortable way.

If your feet were completely rectangular, it wouldn't feel so great. And if you have your knees bent and rest one foot higher up on your leg that instep is really quite perfect.

Personally, I'm not much of a foot person. I think they are kind of on the ugly side and they tend to smell. I sometimes paint my toenails just because my feet will be seen and I want them to look better.

I only give my husband foot massages because of love. Otherwise, I really would not touch his feet.

I do love baby feet though. They are soft and clean and small and chubby. They are sweet.

But my feet, as unattractive as feet are, do amazing things.

They give my legs something to balance on taking me places I want to go.

They push the gas and brake pedals quite well, also getting me where I want to go.

I have picked things up on occasion with them.

I like the sounds flip-flops make because of my feet.

They give me a reason to look for cute shoes.

They do an awesome job of helping me dig with a shovel.

I couldn't dance without them.

I also couldn't walk, run, roller blade, kick a ball, and lots of other things, as easily without them.

They are wonderfully and curiously made, and so am I and so are you.

We may be unattractive, smelly, polished or not and yet what a purpose we serve!