2014 runs like an Impala

Phew – between Christmas and New Years then school starting with basketball…things are moving right along in 2014 and it is going to be a good year! Two boys in basketball, I accidentally on purpose put Sophia on two Bball teams….the girl is growing like a weed and needs to be active.  Tumbling has her working on coordination too.  Courtney has been getting her grades up and is eager for track to start.  Speed clinic will be right around the corner in March.

Throwback 1980’s – my first “car” to speak of owned by my Dad but driven by me, was a 1968 Chevy Impala, rusted to pieces by the salt of Manitoba – it had some serious punch and I can still feel the smooth steering wheel as I slide mentally onto those shiny vinyl rowed seats.  It was my solo grad car – the big thing was to make tissue flowers and decorate your cars…..so I made over 2,000 of them and literally hid the rust.   

Was fun….driving down the gravel road and watching the tissues fly away.  I’d broken up with my boyfriend, so I went solo to the grad (we don’t call it prom in Canada!).  Me and 6 gals piled into my car and had a blast together. In 2008 – my Dad, who was a very big Buick man, actually purchased a new Chevrolet Impala.  This was the last car he’d purchase and drive as he passed away in 2011.  Mom, needing a smaller car to fit into her tight condo parking spot, graced me with this car this January.  She’d be mad for me typing this, but she scraped the side on her parking spot – got it fixed, then dimpled the bumper a few weeks later but decided not to turn it in on insurance so I inherited the dimple.  My brother Jim (RIP 2009) had HUGE dimples….Ok, back on track.  So I ordered a new plate deeming her "Dimple." 

 

She gets better gas mileage than commuting in a mini van with only me in it so this saves me $$ every week!  And it is sentimental in that my Dad picked it out….like my first car.

I’m thinking the dimple will make people go “oohhh, see that bumper – be careful of that driver!”  “Don’t get close to her, she doesn’t care because her car is dinged anyway!”  - you know, that mentality people have when they see a “rough” looking vehicle and they are driving in some stylin’ wheels. It is sort of like people, when we judge a person by their looks without looking inside at who they are and seeing their heart/soul.  If they dress nice – they must be nice.  Wrong. 

Lately the talks about “words” to others regarding name calling and bullying have been subjects we seem to be forced to deal with a bunch at home.  I preach “don’t call names!” to the kids…but they do.  One got “clocked” the other week for calling someone something inappropriate and it doesn’t matter that they called you it first!  Trying to pound this into teen heads is hard.  Another got into a fight defending her siblings from someone who was calling them names.  Still – don’t’ get pulled in!  Be the bigger person, turn the other cheek.  Lessons Jesus holds us to live out.  So….our work continues on.  Dimple and me – we know lots of things and are OK with the way we are ~ flawed but forgiven and loved regardless.

 In Nature there's not blemish but the mind; none can be called deformed but the unkind. Virtue is beauty, but the beauteous evil. Are empty trunks, o'er flourished by the devil. ~ William Shakespeare