Morning Drive

What an absolutely PERFECT morning. Have you ever been so inspired on your drive to work that you just can't wait to get there and put pen to paper (well, fingers to keyboard...) and write about it? That's how I felt this morning. First of all, my music choice for the drive could not have been better. Rascal Flatts "Feels Like Today" album is just amazing... I'm pretty sure it's scientifically impossible to be in a bad mood while listening to that CD. :-)

The sun was up! Just after sunrise has got to be the most beautiful angle for light across landscapes, and this morning was just STUNNING. The fields have been growing so they are like carpets of bright green, and when the sun hits them it is like they light up from within, like each leaf is glowing the most vibrant green you can imagine. The sky was an incredible shade of blue with wispy cirrus clouds that looked like they had been sculpted with a paintbrush, like the ethereal paintings we saw in Rome. One shortcut that I take through a small town takes me past a playground and soccer field lined by tall trees, and this morning the sun was filtering through the trees so that you could see each individual ray of light falling across the playground and field, lighting up the grass and reaching out towards me. It was so gorgeous I actually found myself holding my breath, and then bouncing up and down in my seat with joy and excitement just thinking about it.

I wished I had a camera, but the incredible thing about this scenery is that I am so blessed to live here and experience this beauty every time the sun rises. You know, there are some days I'm not thrilled with the bumpy, muddy farm roads, cars parked in the street in the small towns, and the 35 minutes it takes me to drive to work. But then there are mornings like today where I wouldn't trade my drive for the world. For those 35 minutes, I am part of a painting, part of this landscape that transcends time, part of these villages and winding roads traveled by people for centuries before I became a speck on this earth. It's like finding a part of myself, a dream I didn't even know existed until I found it.

I LOVE England. I may never be able to explain why, even to myself, but I know I have never felt so ALIVE, like the world held so many possibilities, like every day held the chance to be inspired. I think I lost sight of that over the last couple months, and I don't want to do that again no matter what happens. Martin told me a few times that he was worried I was letting the situation at work change who I was, and how I approached life. I hated hearing that, and I hated even more that I was afraid it was true. Maybe God showed me this morning that his gifts have been here the whole time, and that's what I should remember when times are bad, that God is always good. When I was enroute to Louisiana with dreams of Germany shattered, God was already planning the joy I would find in England. While I spent every minute outside of work the last few months dreading the next workday, God was planning this morning's sunrise.

But I think the most important lesson is that I found joy in Louisiana, too, once I let God show it to me. So what joy have I missed out on over the last few months? How much of that can I rediscover now that it's over? This is such an exciting thought, to view every person and every moment as a form of beauty, a part of my life story.

And, no better day than today for... a Good List! :-)

Good List:
1. Martin. He deserves a lot of credit for putting up with me over the last couple months, for encouraging me even when I was too frustrated to listen, and inspiring me to set goals and go after them. He is TDY in Spain this month, but thanks to Skype I still get to "see" him almost every day! :-)
2. USAA. Not only do I have a new credit card gaining airline miles, but they provide travel insurance so I can get my money back for an airline ticket if I get deployed before going home in May.
3. American Idol. I have NEVER watched this show before, but I watched the top 24 perform last week and am now hopelessly addicted. I actually had a dream last night that I met Scotty McCreery and told him how much I wanted him to win.
4. Random hilarious office conversations.
5. Girl Scout cookies! Martin brought home a box of Samoas one day before he left... they were gone by the next day. Oops.
6. Sunshine.
7. This video produced by neighboring RAF Mildenhall's wing staff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBbi1jsoSMg If you're not in the Air Force, you probably will not think it is funny, but I laughed my butt off. The best part? The tall Col is the leader of my OCF Bible Study!
8. Travel plans. I was talking to my friend Laura yesterday about our plan of attack for Dublin next weekend. Must-sees are the castle and a tour of the Guinness factory!
9. Cracked Pepper & Olive Oil Triscuits.
10. Amy's blog. Yes, I would love to go running in Carlisle with you! ;-)