{I Could Write A Country Song After Today}

*To be read in Paula Dean southern accent, as that is how I'm writing it.*

Y'all! Today was a doozie to say the least. With every new thing that happened I thought dog, this could be my long, depressing tribute to trucks, ticks, dogs, and chicks. Yes, I just went there, but I have to tell you my story before you judge me.

Today, I went to sub at a middle school looking fairly cute if I might say myself. I thought, what 68 degrees, indoors until 2:45 with kids I'm not squirming around on the floor with? Why not wear a skirt, t-shirt, light cardigan (always), and flip flops. Here's why not! Hows about this, I may not have been squirming on the floor but I was squishing in the mud. Today was Special Olympics, a privilege I was honored to partake in, but a little heads up would have been nice. So, with Arctic like winds, a field that has soaked up every last drop of rain and could hold no more, we dashed, sprinted, and catapulted our way through the day. Me in my pencil skirt and flops, flipping mud up the back of my legs, squishing saturated grass between my toes. Oh yes, my friends, this girl went barefoot for a time for fear of breaking a strap off my flip flops. Who knows what little gems lay lurking in those fields but I'm sure my mud covered feet gathered it all throughout the course of the day.

At home, I got a call from jail. Yes, a call from jail y'all where "V" is being held for the next few days. Probation broken, they're looking at 3 years in prison. I'm still waiting for the blood to come back to my face from that one.

Then, as I went to go wash my feet and legs there was an urgent knock on my door. It was the neighbor asking me to help push her car into her drive way from the street. And by help, she meant simply, to push her car into the driveway alone because she herself was pregnant.. So, in a dash I slipped back on my mud covered flops and marched my skirt covered butt to the car. Gathering all of my strength I pushed that Blazer into the spot. I stood up to pat myself on the back when the truck began rolling back on me. No, no, not today blazer, I will not give my life or toes to you today. So I squatted down and girded up more  strength  and pushed the car back, only to have another car slowly drive by seeing me in a skirt and cardigan pushing a truck. Do these things happen in anyone else's life cause I don't ever hear about it?

After washing my feet and legs I needed to get out of my house after the news of "V" and all the repercussions that would have. I went to Whole Foods, grabbed the necessities, and then sat in my car crying; crying, completely overwhelmed by the darkness, both in the clouds and in the life of "V" and family. I looked up noticing that everywhere I looked around there was bright beautiful sky, but looming overhead, was a dark cloud releasing all of it's pint up water on me. I kept looking thinking I must be seeing wrong, but there arching above the highways was a rainbow. Our reminder that He will be faithful to keep His promises. Yes, it was pouring on me, but I was confident that He would be faithful, even to "V", even now.

Then driving home from a friend's house (after crying to her of course) every road I went down was in the early process of being repaved. The top layer had been removed, making it quiet rough and vibrating my car. At one point I felt myself getting nauseous with all the jostling. But just then I hopped the line and was again driving on a smooth surface. Maybe I over-spritiualize things but it helps me make it through these days. My rough roads, "V's" rough roads, the family's rough roads will come to an end and some day soon we will be riding on smooth surfaces again. Someday.

So there's my little country song for you; mud, blazers, tears, rainbows, and rough roads. You've got the tune, I 've got the inspired lyrics.

Have a good one y'all.