Day 335

I am grateful for light traffic.

Having been countrified for years now, I am spoiled by a complete lack of traffic lights for miles and miles. There are none in the closest town, and the next nearest has one. I find myself sighing when I have to wait at even that one.

Hitting one green light after another is like winning at a slot machine, or at least what I think it's like as I have never been to a gambling establishment. Bam, bam, bam, bam, bam, I WIN! A car way ahead of me and a car way behind me is what I consider light traffic. Okay, maybe a car or two in one direction or the other, but no more than that.

I got rear-ended two weeks ago, so I'm especially thankful when I encounter few cars on the road. I look at a week of body work and at least three chiropractor visits to get back to normal. The main city drag is just that, a drag to drive, which is where I got hit. Nobody likes traffic, much less heavy traffic, so while this may be a no-brainer thanks, it is sincere.

Thank You, Lord, for light traffic.

Day 334

I am grateful for C. S. Lewis.

More can be written about him than I have either the inclination nor entitlement to include here in my lowly (but grateful) blog world. I do want to celebrate his life, work, and theology on this, what would be his 114th birthday.

The Chronicles of Narnia series was introduced to me in college. I read one after the other voraciously and then read them all again. When I found out there was a prequel, I gobbled up The Hobbit in the same greedy manner.

Mere Christianity is a work it would take me a lifetime to process. For me, it is one of those heady, meaty, philosophical classics more easily understood by readers of a higher intellect than I will ever possess. I did attempt to finish it, however, and am happy to report my success in the matter.

On my mp3 player right now are three more of his fine books, The Problem of Pain, The Abolition of Man, and The Great Divorce. Looking forward to finishing Pain, and then addressing the remaining two as I have time in the car on one of my long drives into town.

Perelandra is the first in a strange little sci-fi trilogy. It's the only one of the three that I can recommend. Even then, keep your mind open and give your theology something to do in another room.

The movie, "Shadowlands" is a biographical account of his adult life, and I loved it. His relationship with Joy Gresham and resulting marriage are its main theme and very well done.

Great man, great work, great day.

Thank You, Lord, for this humble, remarkable soul.

Day 333

I am grateful for freedom.

There are so many things to be free from and free to do! Being the patriot that I am, the first thing that the word "freedom" brings to mind is our personal and individual freedoms, those inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

The other thing is spiritual freedom. As believers, we are free from the law of sin and death. We not slaves to sin, but we're alive to God. I'm "free to live, free to give, free to be. I'm free to love You, Lord" as the lyrics go in "Holding Nothing Back" by Jesus Culture. I'm not only free from something--I'm free to do things that defy logic and human nature.

After a driver on a major highway here ventured back and forth across the median and into oncoming traffic, his vehicle hit a truck, killing the five children in it and critically injuring the father. That wiped out one woman's whole family. The response of the parents and grandparents? "We forgive him." One reported asked the grandfather, "How do you do something like that?" I'll never forget that grand man's response. "It's a decision you make long before it happens." Freedom in Christ allows a freedom that mighty to forgive a tragic, senseless collision. A curious world looks on and witnesses the impossible. We are free to live the eleventh commandment, "Love your neighbor as yourself."

Thank You, Lord, Your for sweet, glorious freedom.

Day 332

I am grateful for clear roads.

Roads that don't look like this.

I love the beauty of a snow covered landscape. I just hate driving in it, always have. I tend to future trip, which I know is worthless, but that's where I go when I start sliding around or fishtailing. I almost put the truck in the ditch a while ago on my way to pick up Kev from the church parking lot because he was sure the Malibu wouldn't make it up our road. Note to temporarily ditzy self:  Use 4WD in the snow!

Thank You, Lord, for the gift of clear roads.

Day 331

I am grateful for Lori.

She and I met when we moved across the road from her family. We were nine. My brother, Terry, had already met her and kept urging me to meet her as well, but I was shy and wouldn't do it. She came over one day and introduced herself, and the rest is history.

We have some silly memories, like marching with our arms around each other, chanting in unison, "I hate YOU! I hate YOU!" We have endearing memories, like when she called to tell me that if her baby was a girl, she wanted her middle name to be Cynthia.

She lives in Nevada and has for most of her life. I haven't seen her in years, but I know that if she were to walk in my house right now, we would pick up right where we left off, just like we always have. There is something about a childhood friend that just keeps you friends forever. It's like, "If she was my friend when I was a dumb little twit, she'll stay my friend until I die." I miss her and will love her always. Bless her on this, her birthday.

Thank You, Lord, for my Lori.

Day 330

I am grateful for the work of Brenè Brown.

Dr. Brown is a researcher in the fields of vulnerability and shame. I was compelled to listen to every word. The topics are novel to me, two things I have never dwelt on, but rather avoided considering altogether. 

This is an excerpt from one of her TED talks:

"If we’re going to find our way back to each other, vulnerability is going to be that path. And I know it’s seductive to stand outside the arena because I think I did it my whole life and think to myself, “I’m going to go in there when I’m bulletproof and when I’m perfect,” and that is seductive. But the truth is, that never happens, and even if you got as perfect as you could and as bulletproof as you could possibly muster, when you got in there, that’s not what we want to see. We want you to go in, we want to be with you and across from you, and we just want for ourselves and the people we care about and the people we work with, to dare greatly."

Daring Greatly is her newest book, and it hit number one on the New York Times bestseller list last month. I'm listening to her podcasts, working my way through from the oldest. Fascinating material and so far, worth the time.

Thank You, Lord, for this intriguing research.

Day 329

I am grateful for being able to stay at home.

I loved my job in human resources, and I was content with the job I had with an investment company, the last regular job I held. The privilege of being able to stay at home with my kids and be there for them after they were old enough to go to school is something I never took for granted. A lot of families just scrape by, and unemployment is not an option. We made sacrifices to live on one income, and we have never regretted it.

Now, in our empty nest home, I am still thankful for not having to get a job. I do sub in the school district once in a while, but pretty infrequently. Mostly, I hold down the fort and continue pretty much the same chores I had when the kids were here. We have a pretty conventional arrangement, me with household chores and Kev with outside ones, but it suits us, and we're happy with it.

Thank You, Lord, for this blessing.