The Art of Racing in the Rain
A Novel by Garth Stein
http://www.garthstein.com/


I really enjoy curling up in my snug comfy recliner with a book in one hand and a warm aromatic cup of coffee in the other. That’s why I was enticed by my mother’s offer to borrow the latest book she had been reading. I almost declined because lately I haven’t had much personal time for the ‘fun’ stuff. However, I was intrigued by the title, not quite comprehending why mom would find the concept of racing very interesting, rain or shine. She also mentioned it was written from a dog’s perspective and my mother is not necessarily a dog person though she definitely knows that I am.

There is also the possibility that I was drawn to the title because I am convinced that people here in San Diego don’t know how to drive in the rain. I’m sorry if that sounds rude or judgmental but I know for a fact that when it rains they drive faster. The best reason for accepting the invite was that a good story always relaxes and excites me and it often provides an opportunity to view life from a higher perspective. I made an excellent choice because The Art of Racing in the Rain is an exceptional story.

Okay…I don’t believe that when our dog dies he can be transformed into a person and we will meet him later. However, it does seem that a dog can often teach us a lot about being human. I believe the true character of either man or beast can be seen in what they do and is established when we look through their eyes into their soul and see the size of their heart. The heart is where we find the unconditional love that extends mercy and is willing to put the needs and comfort of others ahead of our own... Sacrificial love grows in someone who has received kindness and mercy from another. It produces a benefactor who is willing to underwrite our success through their own trials and tribulations. Without action, love is only an empty sentiment. Pure love examines the needs of others and is willing to sacrifice, sometimes even their own life, for another.

Garth Stein did an incredible job of weaving throughout the story, a plethora of events and circumstances that touch many of our lives. We see a snapshot of how much our soul longs for support, honesty and loyalty from those around us. Instead we often face discouragement, deceit and betrayal. When you add the poor choices we make to life’s unforeseen dilemmas and tragedies, it’s not surprising that we often find our life skidding out of control.

The Art of Racing in the Rain raises some poignant questions about life, love and death. Where does the strength come from to deal with the heartache of loss and betrayal? How do we move forward? Can righteousness prevail and our dreams come true even when it defies all odds? Most important…does our life matter and what happens when it comes to a close?

The theme of Garth’s message is summed up in the following quote. “That which you manifest is before you.” That statement made me evaluate my own vision. Am I focused on the lemons…or making lemonade? Making lemonade requires sweetener. Life is about love, forgiveness and reciprocity of mercy, and it’s love that adds sweetness and value to everything we touch.

What did I learn about racing in the rain? Look towards the prize and keep your eyes on the road. Break into the curves, accelerate out of them, and maintain a solid but relaxed grip on the wheel. Focus on the finish line and remember, “The car goes where the eyes go”. And don’t forget if you take your dog driving, “two barks means go faster” especially if you live in San Diego. Also, if you find yourself navigating precariously through the desert places don’t be surprised if you find a bit of rain…and Frost.

The Ultimate Christian Living

Look inside for my story A Place For Love
Author contributor:
Valerie J. Frost

The
ULTIMATE
CHRISTIAN
LIVING

Faith and Fellowship Celebrated through Stories and Photos
Todd Outcalt
Pastor, Calvary United Methodist Church


Celebrating the presence and meaning of Christianity in your life

Life can be a challenge in many ways, and those who follow in the footsteps of Jesus have a message to share—one filled with hope, faith, charity, and devotion. In The Ultimate Christian Living, you'll find solace in the true accounts of service to others, challenges faced, and overcoming through faith. Stunning color photographs complement these poignant and heartfelt stories, and you'll discover marvelous insights from church leaders and laypersons on living a Christian life. Members of some of the largest congregations in America share their thoughts in essays on Christian tenets such as keeping faith alive, knowing and loving God, and living the Golden Rule.

Anyone seeking to live a rich, joyous, and spiritually fulfilling life will treasure The Ultimate Christian Living as it showcases ordinary people who endeavor to live the word of Jesus.

Todd Outcalt is the pastor of Calvary Methodist in Brownsburg Indiana. he has written for many magazines and is the author of 18 books, including The Best things in Life are Free and The Healing Touch. Read more about him at
www.toddoutcalt.blogspot.com.

Desert Rat

I have never met anyone besides me who really appreciates places like El Centro California or Yuma Arizona. I’m sure there are others who love those desolate desert places…I just haven’t met them.

What more can I say about the desert, except that I love it. I love the sand, the heat, and the wind; the way it blows through my hair and kisses my cheek. I love sitting on a balcony or patio of an elegant hotel, my husband holding my hand as we sip coffee or iced tea and watch the palm trees gracefully bend in the warm dry caressing breeze. This is my perception of the perfect priceless get-a-way.

My husband Terry not only understands this love but has been gracious to indulge my obsession and allow me to pursue my passionate love for the desert. I know that secretly in his heart he probably refers to me as his Desert Rat but he seldom complains. However, I do remember a testy response to my question as we ate our lunch on the Patio of the restaurant at The Westin Mission Hills resort in Palm Springs.

“Why does everyone keep asking us if we’re okay out here?”
He couldn’t contain that slight look of amazement as he wiped the flowing perspiration from his forehead.

“Good grief Val, it’s 105 degrees. Haven’t you noticed we’re the only ones out here? They probably think we’re crazy.”

In defense of my erratic behavior, I will point out that I grew up in Phoenix Arizona. Many of those days hit the triple digits but I don’t recall doing much complaining. Perhaps the emotional trauma due to my being transplanted to San Diego California around my 15th birthday has slightly deranged my perception of desert life. Well, that’s always been my excuse…and I’m not changing it now.

My brother Bob knows I love the desert. He and his wife Terri have been on their “Lost in America Tour” traveling the country in their beautiful, huge coach for the last couple years. Recently they sent me a great book called
Vanished Arizona: Recollections of My Army Life, the story of a New England Woman by Martha Summerhayes (Author), Dan Trapp (Introduction)

I found this a fascinating read on the personal history of Martha Summerhayes during the 19th Century in the American West, the recollections of her life on the Frontier and Arizona. It includes some wonderful black and white illustrations of historic scenes of Arizona and some personal letters and correspondence. It a Softcover. 307 pages. Measures 5 1/4 by 8 inches.

Thanks Bob & Terri…See you soon…!Your sister…The Desert Rat

"Good dog...Bad dog"

My Good friend JoAnne mentioned that the two furry members of my family are not on my blog. Well…actually I am lacking in several areas there… I’m still trying to play catch-up when it comes to blog content. However, since it was mentioned, I thought I would plug in a few lines about our two Jack Russell terriers…commonly known in the Frost household as “good dog - bad dog.” Look at the picture I bet you can figure out who is the good dog. The eyes are definitely windows to the soul for our Daphne, commonly known as Daphodile, the baby, sweetness, baby-pie and Rocky, Aka the Rocket, Rockodile or Beelzebub.

Daphne can commonly be found gazing adorably at her mom and dad or feverishly licking their faces trying desperately to do what is good and right in their eyes. The Rocket, on the other hand, can be found anywhere you don’t want him to be… for instance perched on top of the 4-drawer file cabinet in the office or dismantling the table so that he can get the chew-stick that he shoved under it so he could ─ dismantle the table.

In the morning when I get ready for work Daphne lays contentedly in one of the two doggie-beds in the bedroom. One faces the bathroom with a view of the shower. The other is next to my make-up table. The one Daphne gets to lie in depends on where I am at the moment. If she is in the one facing the shower when I go in, Rocky moves her out so he can keep tabs on me. So she moves to the one by the make up table. Later when I sit down to blow-dry my hair suddenly he’s standing over her willing her out of her spot with that stony gaze. She often turns her back so she can’t see him look at her. That’s when he gets pro-active and will actually step into the bed between her and the wall, place his feet firmly on her body and then lays down as he stretches his legs until he shoves her out of the bed on to the floor. I try to keep him from bullying her but the second my back is turned in the shower or head upside down blow-drying…he gets his way. Poor baby!

The bullying is exactly why I insist that they have separate rooms at the Bates Motel.
Okay…for clarification the “Bates” is what we call the doggie care center where they stay when we go out of town without them. My hubby feels really bad when they can’t go with us and always apologizes. “Poor little guys…daddy’s sorry you have to go to the Bates!” It’s an okay place but we do hate to leave them…though it is sometimes nice to get a rest. I don’t think Rocket and Daphne appreciate being left but the kennel keeps coming up with new and innovative ways to make us more comfortable about their stay. The last time we left them was for my High School reunion in Phoenix.

While hubby was in the shower I checked my email. There were two separate emails from the Pet resort; one from Daphne the other from Rocky. Each read. “Since we can’t call you, we thought we’d send you a picture to show what a great time we’re having.”

I must admit I could barely stop laughing. Whoever took the pictures did a great job of catching the personalities and the attitudes of these two sweeties. I’ll let you judge for yourself…good dog…bad dog. Can you tell?

Please Save Me

Help me please...Norman is scary!!!

I'll Get Even for sending Me to the Bates

Oh Norman...Norman...where are you??? Heh...heh...heh!

Staying On Course

“One of my favorite quotes is sometimes God calms the storm…Sometimes God lets the storm rage and calms the child.” ~Author Unknown


Read Matthew 14:22-33

I heard a story about a man who grew up with a passion for flying. His fervor drew him through many areas of skill. He was a test pilot, and a military pilot who flew the latest in jet aircraft technology. One day while he was in the air he received a call from the controller. There was a young pilot in the air. He was in the clouds, lost, disoriented and very scared. The controller told the seasoned pilot that the young man was in serious trouble and he was the closest to him and asked if he could help him. He immediately turned in the direction of the small aircraft, and pulled along side bringing his craft to a crawl next to the tiny craft. Locating his frequency He identified himself and said “look to your left”. The terrified pilot looked and saw an amazing sight hovering at his left wing, a beautiful, modern sleek fighter jet, flaps up, landing gears already lowered and locked. The fighter pilot saw the tears of relief flood the young face. Then he spoke to him in a calm, authoritative manner.

“I’m going to pull in front of you and I want you to do one thing and only one thing. Keep your eyes on me. Follow me… do everything I do. If I…turn you turn. Wherever I go… you follow. I’ll go slow and keep an eye out that I don’t lose you.” So the Jet pulled in front of the Cessna and they headed through the clouds together. Soon they dropped through the clouds Ahead right below them was probably most beautiful site that scared pilot had ever seen– the runway. The emotional meeting on the ground made a great impact on the old pilot. He realized that at that very moment of their meeting in the air he held the words of life and death. God had given him the ability, the knowledge that allowed him to lead someone safely on a path towards home. Could his entire life’s training and purpose have been directed to save one life? Could that be our purpose…?

This story stands out to me one, because my hubby is a pilot…two, because of an event that happened at the company he flies for occasionally.

A young pilot had completed his training and was scheduled to go to Los Angeles to take his test for his pilot’s license. To do that, they go on a solo flight. The instructor briefed him on all the flight protocol needed for him to make a safe flight and pass his test. Part of the procedure is checking the weather details and watching for unsafe conditions. Flying up the coast he ignored an oncoming weather pattern that was a flight hazard. He flew into a fog bank became visually disoriented and crashed into the ocean. The people who lived in the crash area said that one moment it was clear…the next you couldn’t see your hand in front of you. The short sad truth is the pilot didn’t follow the guidelines that his instructor had given him on when to proceed, when to change course…or when to turn back…it cost him his life.

It’s the same in the spiritual realm…we have the bible…the instructor…but too often we’re following our own plan. For the unsaved…the wrong plan is a matter of life and death…eternal life. Following our own plan is just as detrimental for us even as Christians because we’re out here in the midst of the storm barraged by waves of disaster sinking in a sea of problem. The fog settles in and the only way anyone gets through it is by following our Savior. Even working at a church where most people think it should be safe we find Satan is often lurking. We know the devil will sneak in everywhere he can and if we let him he can bring that storm in so quickly that it surrounds us and we’re lost. I need to follow my Savior Jesus daily not just at that decision moment but ongoing every day so I can stay on course, especially with all the storms going on around us now.

I need to remember that the entire purpose of my Savior coming to earth, teaching, suffering, dying on the cross was so that I would have a clear direction and path toward home….even through the storms of life.

Matthew 14:30
“But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out saying ‘Lord save me’.”

I can close my eyes picture Jesus saying these words to me “Don’t worry…keep your eyes on me. Follow me… do everything I do. If I…turn you turn. Wherever I go… you follow. I’ll go slow and keep an eye out that I don’t lose you.”

Jesus saved me. Even when I’m off course He is there for me.