Honda CRV and Bill Murray

Dear Honda CRV, Many years ago, I was burdened with a broken car. The search for a replacement was difficult. One spring morning, I stopped by a random car dealership. My eyes fell upon your white boxy frame. I loved the contrast it had with your black tires. I felt drawn toward you. I knew you were the one for me, but I would not understand why until later. You are a vehicle who longs to be athletic. You have the appearance of youth and strength, but with that small engine, you're just not quite there. You have proved to me that even cars with small engines can have the same freedom that the big beautiful SUV's that barrel down Texas highways have. I feel a similarity between myself and your situation. Regardless of your shortcomings, they never keep you from getting where you need to go. We might be weak, but we can still see the world! You remind me that weak un-athletic things can be cute and sexy! So many hours of my life have been spent in the safety of your cabin. I can shut away the world and hide. Each day at work brings hours of running, lights that make annoying sounds, and people who tug at me from all directions. I look forward to that refreshing lunch break where I get to hangout with you. You allow me to shut the doors. I leave all the annoying people and let myself bask in the silence of the world I'm tucked away in. I'm glad that I spilled the Dr. Pepper that later acted as a gluing agent for my Bill Murray paperweight that is now permanently stuck in your cup holder. It gives you more character! When my sister gave me that homemade gift, I never expected that it would end up being a part of you. I love to look down and see Mr. Murray smiling up at me. It's a small feeling of happiness that I get daily. What more could a girl ask for? You never judge me. You never complain. You don't mind the music that I listen to, and you've never left me stranded. But out of all of those, nothing compares to the fact that I can be myself around you. I am content and relaxed and it's such a relief. I feel happy when I see the small sand particles etched into your beige floorboards. No matter how many times I clean you, they still surface. The sun glistens off them and I am reminded of the beach that they came from. I remember the feeling of dirty feet and sandy hair. I was exhausted from swimming for hours, but filled with elation as I drove away from the sunset and back to home. Some people might be annoyed with dirt stains and muddy floor boards. To me, they are memories made because I had the freedom to make them. That realization reminds me of how grateful I am for my life. Each dark stain has a story to tell: a beach trip, a lake trip, a kiss in the summer. It may seem strange to imagine that you are who you are from dark circles in the floor. But like life, sometimes good things come from the darkest of times. I am a person who sometimes feels lonely. When that happens, the best thing to do is drive home to the people that I love. You are the cure for homesickness.

Abraham 3

This week's insight came from Abraham 3. There are so many things that we learn from it. David J Ridges, a CES teacher of thirty-five years, explains it best. He points out how Abraham is talking about the universe. Bro. Ridges states, "Abraham will provide a background and setting for us, using the stars and planets as examples, emphasizing that they are well organized and that some of them govern the others. Using these examples, he will lead us to the fact that some spirits in pre-mortality progressed more rapidly than others, becoming great and noble. He will teach us that just as there are grand, governing planets, such as Kolob, so also is there a grand, governing being, namely, God." He illustrates that Abraham paints a picture of the universe. You have earth and above earth is the moon. Above the moon is the stars. This process keeps repeating until you reach God. In verse 16 Abraham states, "If two things exist, and there be one above the other, there shall be greater things above them..." Verse 17 "Now if there be two things, one above the other, and the moon be above the earth, then it may be that a planet or a star may exist above it..." What I learned from this was an understanding of God. I had never stopped to think about God being a supreme being at the top of the universe. I understood this but never painted a picture in my mind of planets and stars going on for forever. I felt a comforting feeling as I studied this chapter. I was able to realize that if God, the creator of the universe, is able to create and control all of these things, then certainly He can heal parts about myself that are broken. We can truly be healed if we turn to Him. I also liked the symbolism of the planets leading to God. It's symbolic of how I learn. Gaining knowledge leads to more knowledge. Small steps lead to bigger ones until eventually we have a greater understanding of things.