23 to 44

Not all that usual to see a blog entry on a Friday, let alone a Friday morning.  However, this morning is an unusual morning.  I have my last class for a class I am teaching.  Confusing I know.  I started them this summer and had four follow-up classes throughout the year.  While they were a pain in my butt all summer it was an adventure.  Sleeping in my car, early  mornings, sitting by a lake while making lesson plans, endless hours and miles put on my precious Pepa (I named my car Pepa).  All to come to an end by 3:00 today.  Whoooo hooo!!!!  
Despite the fact that I am aching to just stay home and do my usual, nothing filled weekend, I was really looking forward to the road trip that is in store for this weekend.  After driving home this week from school, with the sun blinding me I was anxious to bask in the sun, crank up the music and be by myself.  
This thrill lasted for the first 30min. of the drive.  Then the country music was getting me depressed and I was sick of hearing about Lindsay Lohan, Charlie Sheen, and Paula Abduls problems.  My eye lids were getting heavy and I was wishing I had someone to call to keep me awake.  Then. . .I remembered there is a christian radio station that gets stronger as you head east.   Change of channel, change of volume from 23-44, some car dancing did occur, fist pumping, singing at the top of my lungs, and some reflecting.  
 (Side note: when preparing for this weekend triangular trip around Iowa, I was excited to spend some alone time with God.  here is some background you should know... one Thanksgiving eve church service a man gave his testimony and mentioned he was a truck driver for several years and recently asked God to be his co-pilot/ passenger.  I was excited to have riding with me.)  
Onto the reflecting...I realized I have been in a bad mood. So some questions need to be asked.  Question. Why am I in a bad mood? Answer. I am not getting my way.  Plans are not working out how I want them to.  THEN, the song Beautiful, Beautiful by Frances Battistelli came on the radio. Answer to my problems... I can be happy because God is making my life beautiful!  No matter what happens, it's going to be beautiful because he is in control.  How happy would I be if things turned out how I had hoped last year at this time, what job would I have, who would be my new friends.  I have no clue, and thank goodness I don't have to know.  Life is good right now.  I have nothing to fear and nothing to want.  God will give me what I need.  He always has and always will.  The radio was then cranked up even louder and I jammed even harder.  AND THEN...it caused me to miss my exit.  No worries, I had the roommates GPS, although I doubt if I needed it, it was just a security blanket.  
All in all a good morning.  Also did I mention that as I was driving there was a car going a little bit faster than me...thank goodness, they got pulled over and I did not.  
Conclusion for the drive...turn the music up loud, and your mood will go up!  

"Crank up the radio, live out loud!"