So, Steve and I talked (and talked and talked and talked) about what to do. Once we decided the dream of a Hummer was exactly that and would stay a dream, we had to choose a course of action. We went auto shopping. We didn't know what we were going to do. The only for sure plan was I was happy with my 6 year old SUV. Were we getting Whitney a car, or Steve a car and her the Camaro.
Steve totally surprised me by picking a Ford Fiesta. Brand new, but still well within budget, 40 miles to the gallon, very economical insurance wise. And all were happy. Until a week into this. Steve told me he missed his Camaro. And Whitney wasn't crazy about the stick shift and the power of his beast. And the second week of school someone hit the back of the Camaro in the school parking lot. Rite of passage, every one of my kids was in a fender bender of some sort in the Heights parking lot. Except in Whitney's words "but I was the only one that did it in Dad's car".
That day Steve took the Camaro back, gave Whitney the 6 year old SUV, bigger, taller, stronger car, and I have the Fiesta. Makes the most sense, Steve and Whitney both drive less than 5 miles to school and work while I drive 15 one way plus run errands on the way home, etc. I'm okay with it, now, like it more and more the longer I drive it. And when I drove to Lawrence (and back) for $45 in gas, I really was okay with it.
And the Camaro went into the shop for restoration. It's needed some body work for 2 and half years. It was hit in a parking lot in a hit and run and also I had to push it out of a snow drift with the SUV around the same time which messed up the front fender. Both of these are associated with bad memories for me. They can and have triggered some rough spells for me. I am quite happy to get this car back to it's former glory. Steve - well, what can I say. His favorite material possession is his car. He is emotionally attached to it. Not in an unhealthy way, I find it comforting (and kind of sweet) how much he loves this 13 year old car.
Restoration is an awesome concept. Webster's definition "the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc."
God has done so much restoration in my life, I love the similarities here in something that was not beautiful being brought back to its original beauty. Just like we were willing to spend what it took to make it whole again, time and money, God has been willing to expend what it takes to make me whole. Restore me. Make me beautiful.
I've always thought of restoration in the sense that it's not as good as new. But after this experience I realize that it is as good as new. It is the same as new. Because Steve's car is as good as new. It may have replacement parts and some repairs done, but once the replacement parts are put on and the repairs are done and the new paint is put back on, it's show room beautiful again. No one who didn't see it damaged would know that it has been damaged.
I believe, in a lot of respects this is an object lesson for my life as this mirrors my life.
I've been restored. Unless you saw the broken, you wouldn't know about it. The repairs are made, replacement parts put in place, and the fresh new covering blends them in and shows that I am whole. I am good. I am not inferior, I am not wrecked.
I went back and read this, He makes me new.
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