Quite the Light Show

 

I sat up last night and watched the truck race going on over in Charlotte on television. I had tried to watch an old movie but it was heavily censored taking the cutting edge off. I may be wrong, but seems that when we go so far out of our way to not offend, we create an ease of being offended at any and everything. But that's a topic for another day.

Watching the race there was one driver who had a lot going for him. He had the talent and a fast truck. Toward the latter part of the race that desire to win overshadowed caution and in his rush to leave his pit box nearly injured a tire changer. In the end, he did not win but not from lack of trying.

After the race I did my reading, enjoyed a cup of hot tea and prepared to call it a night. I sent a text to my son to be careful on his ride home. He had ridden his motorcycle and race traffic are not known to be the most patient when leaving the track. I was nearing sleep when the headlight from his bike coming down the road, danced through the window and across the wall of my bedroom. He was home, he was safe and he was glad I had prepared something for supper.

After he left for his camper, I returned to bed. At some point in the early hours I was awakened by distant thunder. I've been leaving the curtains open to allow the ceiling fan to draw in the cooler night air. This allowed the approaching storm to illuminate the room. It was quite the light show once it arrived. I waited for our dog Molly to become afraid while Bella ignored everything. The sounds and pyrotechnics had been going on for a while when my phone decided to alert me of a 'thunderstorm warning in my area'. Thanks phone. I did get up and check once to make sure the drain that runs under the house was clear then returned to bed. With the windows open I could hear the strength of the falling rain and it never got hard enough to cause concern over the drain becoming clogged. The show though, was strong. The moment the thunder was strong enough to shake the house was what got Molly causing her to let me know of her fear. I allowed her into the bathroom to wait it out. The room is small with no windows. There is also an exhaust fan to cover the sounds from outside.

The storm was in no hurry to move on. I found that I was not afraid, not concerned, not worried over what was happening outside. I remained there in a dark room, resting in bed, watching the show outside. The lightening that turned the dark into day. The thunder that rumbled loud enough to be felt as well as heard. When the phone alerted me a second time about the severe thunder storm in the area I simply muttered no kidding. I eventually dozed off and awoke later to quiet. Waiting to make sure it was safe to do so, I finally got up and let Molly return to her usual sleeping space.

I have yet to see if the storm caused damage anywhere. I would not be surprised to find that it did as from sound alone it was mean and strong. I will need to walk up soon and check my makeshift garden. My pot garden, being that everything is planted in flower pots. Some of which I need to make drain holes.

Last night a group of truck drivers set out to win a race. In the process there were mistakes made, it happens when you get in a hurry. When you get in too much of a hurry to be safe and make sure all is where they need to be when they need to be there. Even and especially if that place is out of the way. One driver tried to overcome mistakes but still came out second. Thing is, his positioning could have been much worse. In the challenge, he overcome and over took a lot of other drivers.

We can do that. When facing a test, a challenge our own race of sorts, even when we fumble and stumble, we can be determined and keep going. We can fight the good fight not allowing mistakes to cause us to quit. We may not come out first, or even in the top ten, but we didn't quit. In that, we proved that we are capable of finishing what we start.

Last night mother nature put on quite the show. One impossible to ignore. In the past, I would have been up pacing the floor. I would have checked outside multiple times during the rain. In the past Molly would have panicked at the first distant sound of thunder. We both did well last night. Molly had the faith that I would protect her by allowing her into that safe space. I had faith that God would protect us through the storm.

This morning, I am enjoying my coffee. My son has gone into work leaving me to the peace of the morning. While I have not been outside any further than to feed the cats, all seems okay. We were given quite the light show, but we were kept safe and I am grateful.

There is Purpose

Its the time of year where I have windows open and ceiling fans circulating the air. I love this time of year. With the windows open I can hear the symphony around me. Even those which disturb my sleep. This morning I was awakened by an odd sound. Finally determining it to be a night bird I returned to my slumbers. Currently I am witnessing a slightly overcast sky and muted landscape. The deep greens of the woods behind the house comforting. From various locations birds are greeting each other and the day well into its beginning. The morning a time of quiet contemplation.

 Yesterday my dad shared with me his plans for an event he is putting on soon. An event that will happen only in his reality. This is the time of year when he can spend hours sitting on his front porch watching anything, everything or nothing pass by him. I listened to his initial plans, and what will need to be done before I returned to my home. I needed to run errands that didn't happen but I can do them today. My mother called me to let me know that dad had stopped one of the many delivery drivers that run up and down the road. Much too fast at times but that's another story. By the time mom got to them he was telling the driver all about his planned event. Mom's whispered words got a nod from the driver who told dad that one day when he had time he would stop and discuss the event with him. I was glad to hear that they both made it across the yard and back safely as their balance is not the best.

 Later I walked up to check on the vegetable plants that I have growing in planters. I got a good laugh out of my son when I called it my pot garden. For clarity its tomatoes, peppers and squash. It is up fairly close to the end of my yard due to that being the area that gets the most sunlight. While I was there I noticed my neighbor has a new puppy. I actually walked over and spoke with her for a while. She's lived there for seven years and this was our first conversation. There are reasons, that I now see were probably, mostly, incorrect. For both of us.

  We do not meet people by accident. Events do not happen randomly. I believe that everything that happens, everyone we meet, has purpose. Everyone who my dad has spoken with, no matter where he happens to be, have been very kind. He's in his mid nineties and has a rakish personality. Mom is more reserved, but she always has been, yet people treat her with kindness and compassion. Because that is what she gives to them. Most people we have crossed paths with in some fashion, have in their own way, shown that kindness. People have gone out of their way, to help me, help my parents.

 In the conversation with the neighbor, I may have found a new friend to hold conversation with, but offers a view and better knowledge of people passing on the dirt road that I cannot see due to the bushes blocking my view. This is one more who may help me take care of and protect my parents.

On another perspective, I believe that it is important that we show kindness and compassion to each other. That we care for those who we do not know but we see they have a need. It is when we offer hope, give encouragement, feed the hungry and thirsty, that we are showing love to our neighbor. When we care for those who cannot repay us, that is when we show and give love. When we recognize that everyone has purpose and matters, that is when we show love. Be it someone who is young or old, wealthy in material things or not, has a high social status or not. When we treat each other equally, that is showing and giving love.

 

Lost and Found

 

A few weeks back dad finally got the hearing aids he had been wanting for so long. Since they are so new, and he is adjusting to having them, we have to go every couple of weeks for checks and adjustments. This morning was one of those adjustment appointments. I get down there, help him into my vehicle and we head for the office. Once there I parked in the handicap spot for the first time, hang the tag and move around to help him out of the jeep. He didn't want to walk up the ramp so I helped him up the steps. Then made sure mom got up safely. Helping dad inside we were met and told to go ahead into the office. It was immediately discovered that dad had lost one of his hearing aids. It was nowhere in his clothing, in my jeep or anywhere along the distance we had walked into the building. That being the case, there was nothing the gentleman could do adjustment wise. We started out with the instructions to call once we found, or could not find the hearing aid. The gentleman walked with us helping make sure both of my parents made it safely.

 Once we got home I immediately began the search. It wasn't in the yard or on the front porch. It wasn't in his chair. It was under his side table. It was undamaged and he somewhat easily got it back in his ear. I called the office and rescheduled his appointment for next week.

 

 When someone is new in the faith, it may seem easy to get misdirected. We stumble, we take wrong turns, we give in to temptations. There are times, that even those who gave their life to Christ years prior, wander away. Life is a journey. It is a learning process. Every day holds lessons to be learned if we are paying attention. But, all along the way, there are pitfalls, detours, many temptations that will cause one to lose focus and direction.

But no one who is a child of God wanders too far that they cannot be found. No one commits  a sin too bad to be forgiven. To deny Christ is the only thing that separates  the lost from salvation and eternity with God.

That hearing aid was a small thing, replaceable. We only have the one life, irreplaceable. Once our time runs out and we close our eyes for the last time, there are no more opportunities. We cannot be sought out and given another chance. We made our choice. The best thing is to seek the one who seeks us. The One who calls to us and seeks to draw us near. We are not lost to Him, He knows where we are. He loved and loves us enough still, that He gave His only begotten Son to die on a cross that we may have life. His resurrection paying the price of our sins. Forgiveness given at great cost to Him, yet given freely to us. But the choice is ours to make. Do we wish to be found?

Life's Fleas

 

I have an older German Shepherd Lab mix. She has the thick double coat. Its the time of year when fleas make their presence well known. It doesn't help that she is sensitive to flea bites. So on top of all the shedding she's been doing, she's been biting and tearing her coat out. Checking the cost of flea medications from the vet was frightening and out of reach. I had to find an alternate method. I took a trip down the rabbit hole otherwise known as the internet and found what looked to be a good method.

 After a good, deep scrubbing bath in a flea shampoo that claimed to be veterinarian recommended, I mixed up the ingredients the article gave. 4 ounces of warm water, 6 ounces of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of either pink Himalayan or sea salt. I used the pink. Pour into a spray bottle.  After she was dry,  I spritzed her down well. Avoiding her eyes and mouth I covered her well. The article said to do this weekly. I will admit that I gave her a second spritz a few hours later. I will now wait to see how well this works. I can already tell a difference.

You may be wondering why I am sharing this, other than to assist those who also have dogs battling fleas. Watching my dog and how this has eased her struggles, it had me thinking. We are somewhat like this dog, and the things we face in life are the fleas. We are going along, doing our best to have a good life but find ourselves struggling against life's irritations. Jealousy, envy, gossip, hate, bullies, depression, its a list that could go to near infinity. We want to be satisfied with what we have, thankful for what we have, but oh that new shiny toy. We want to go about our business, but that one that has to make life difficult. We want to be happy, but that feeling of loss, of abandonment, of anything less than happy drags us down. We scratch, we claw, we bite, fighting against the irritations.

The answer, the relief, is but a prayer away. God parted the sea so the Israelite could cross. He gave David the strength to swing the rock, He gave Moses the words to say, and the help of his brother Aaron. God will not take us out of the storms, but will give us the strength to endure and pass through. To have the Holy Spirit indwelling within and guiding our life, is all we need to help us against all the troubles we face.

Safety Net of People

 

My parents have some age on them. Because of that, they do need help with some things from time to time. I was laid off from my job just short of my thirty year anniversary with the company just over four years ago. This was at the beginning of what my son calls the dark time, but others know as Covid. I chose to take early retirement and be here for them. I live right next door so it seemed right. While I am the main caregiver, I am by far not the only one. Everyone else has full time jobs, but there are here ready and willing to help when they are able.

Like this morning.

My nephew was preparing to leave for work, at just before six in the morning, when he noticed a strange truck parked in front of my dad's large storage building. A truck no one had ever seen before. He called me, then the police. I was up and dressed in record time. My parents were not up yet, and their house was secure. The building the truck was left at was secure. Turns out the truck had been borrowed without the owner's consent from a neighboring county. Why they chose to dump it where they did we have no real idea. A lot of guesses but only that, guesses. The police contacted the owner then had the truck towed to where ever they have vehicles towed. One of the officers who was out we've spoken with before. One had been down the road in the past when a former neighbor lived here. Their supervisor was also out, very nice individual, but I wouldn't want to make her angry. She has the appearance of one who could definitely hold her own and then some.

 Thing is, my nephew noticed something out of place. He called me first to let me know. My folks were fine so other than the police no one else needed to be called in, but they would have come. Quickly. I was mildly surprised at how quickly the police arrived, but as mentioned one had been out before and knew my parents to be well into the senior citizen status. We live out in the county, far away from the amenities that city folk have access to more easily. It is important for my parents that there is someone within reach should a need arise. They know, they have a safety net of people around them. Me and my son who live next door, my brother and his family across town but only a phone call way, my niece and her family across the road from them and my sister in law just down the way. Neighbors also help keep a look out, though not as often as some have moved away.

 I do realize that we are blessed in our situation. Not many families live as close to each other as we do. Not all have the good relationship that we do as an extended family. Because of the love shown and the way we were brought up, we are close. We are each other's safety net and are here for each other when needed. I think that if more could have such a life then society as a whole would be better. If we only showed others  respect and love, things would be different. If only, we chose to accept differences among us, and not allow those differences to divide us. For now though, my family is and has a safety net around us, and for that I am grateful.

Throwing Hands

 

Well...that was something.

My son and I sat and watched the NASCAR All Star race last night (May 19th). The cost to go was more than we wished to invest so watch from home we did. For those who do not follow the races, the All Star race is not a points race, it is for those who have won a race in the season, who wins their way in during the shoot out or who is voted in by fans. Twenty drivers take the field in the hopes of winning a cool million dollars.

 Due to events of the weekend, the schedule was altered. Saturday a severe storm went through that had lightening strikes close enough that the race was halted. Then it dumped five inches of rain in less than two hours time. This caused the truck race to be postponed until Sunday morning. Videos show trucks being moved out of the water and cars being covered and moved to safer areas. There is also video of drivers and pit crew members taking advantage of the storm provided pool at one corner of the track.

 During the running of the truck race there was a driver who made a name for himself quickly. I'm thinking this was his inaugural race, but not positive. Either way, he started at or near the back and during the course of the two part race, passed well over 60 trucks, yes, he did pass some more than once but it still counted. He had something to prove and he did just that thing. Determination and ability were his keys to success. He may not have won the race, but I know he won a lot of respect.

 The All Star Race started much later. With that million dollars on the line the name of the game was aggression. Trying to get position, trying to pass through openings, trying to get to the head of the line and stay there. The one who eventually won, did just that leading all but one lap. His victory though was over shadowed by another event. Driver One moved into an area making it three wide, causing driver Two to brush the wall. He didn't wreck, he kept on quite well. However, being unhappy the moment driver Two got the chance, he caused driver One to wreck and took him out of the race. Well, driver One had no way out of the infield so he waited for the end of the race and the chance to have a 'discussion' with driver Two. Yes, fists were thrown by many. Videos of the event are all over the internet.

 Twenty drivers were all on this newly paved short track going for that million dollar pay out. One got angry and took another out deliberately. I really doubt this is over. But, that was a sporting event, what about in every day life? What happens when we want something so badly? When we have a goal or bonus or some reward that we desperately want and are working toward, and someone deliberately takes us out of the running? It wasn't a lack of anything on our part. It wasn't due to a miscommunication or lack of needed materials. We were moving toward that goal but for some reason, real or imagined, another ruins our chances. We are left standing to the side watching the goal we sought go to another. We may not have been the eventual winner, but we would have had a chance that was taken away.

What then? What do we do after the fact? Do we become violent and throw hands or worse? Do we pout and hold a serious grudge that will eventually create an action and response of some form, possibly violent? Do we handle it in a calm, mature fashion? Do we hope that those over the event take action? Do we use it as a catalyst toward betterment and future events? Does it become a personal challenge to set that next goal and seek it with a better determination?

Physical fights, especially those where by no one is injured can be entertaining for those watching. Fights captured can make for good video. In the end though, nothing really good is accomplished. Determination to be better, stronger, more prepared and success oriented, usually creates more success than throwing hands any day.

Lessons Learned

 

What a day this may be. Each moment seemingly a test. Will I remain patient? Will I hold my tongue when I want to speak out so badly? Will I act in mercy and react with compassion? Will I pass each test? Each day brings its own challenges and tests. From the moment we awaken until and at times after we close our eyes for the night.

 I am a forever student. I am learning how to face the challenges on a moment by moment, lesson by test, basis. I am learning that it is a matter of attitude and determination. I am learning that once I pass the one test, another one that is harder will come along.

 I am mastering the patience in shopping. Smiling and remaining calm when the line at check out doesn't go as quickly or smoothly as one would prefer. I'm still learning though how to handle the frustrations of being on the road with drivers who are less than one would hope. We recently had a bad storm system pass through that caused massive power outages which obviously included traffic signals. It was obvious that many people either did not know or ignored the rules of how to handle such an intersection. It becomes an all way stop, taking your turn to pass through when it comes around. Trees were also down and by the time I was out on the road, most ways had one lane open for passage. All this was done on some form of honor system which many did not honor and which caused remaining patient and calm nearly impossible. I will admit to getting a low grade on that test.Sadly, it is not only in the aftermath of storms that bad driving happens. It happens when drivers decide to ignore stop signs or stop lights. It happens when one realizes they are about to miss their turn and anyone in the lanes they must cross need watch out and move for them. Speed limits to them are nothing but suggestions. Distracted driving, driving under the influence nothing new for them. It is the rest of us who must be ever vigilant.

 Some folks who seem to think the best way to acquire things is by stealing. They do not care how difficult they are making life for the rest of the population. They do not consider how difficult their life could become when caught, though I do realize that shoplifting is low on the list of crimes needing to be handled at any given moment. Still, because of them many retail businesses stand at the door needing to check receipts for items not bagged. I have no problem with this and usually have my receipt at the ready. I have however read and heard the comments of those unhappy with the process.

 Now, before anyone reaches the incorrect conclusion that I am fine with indoctrination, I am not.

 What I am, is one who seeks to better my mental health through learning patience in trying times. In learning compassion when I see another hurting. In learning to encourage those who are struggling. In learning that positive thoughts and actions overcome the bad and give strength to make it through the difficult.

 One important thing to remember, is that the lessons are ongoing. Life is a classroom that only ends once we graduate from this life to the next. But with each test we pass, we become all the better for the lessons learned.