Decent night’s sleep last night in Cory’s Suburban. 😊 Were it not for the gas mileage, I’d keep a big vehicle as my Utah vehicle.
Much more comfortable night’s sleep. 🙃
Of course, If I just spent a little more time working on making my Civic comfortable, then it would be a lot better, but I haven’t taken the time to do that. So there’s that as well.
If I haven’t explained previously why I like staying in my car, it’s mostly the freedom and reduced pressure it allows. I can just sort of go anywhere and do anything and not worry about inconveniencing anyone or adding stress to anyone’s life. There’s also an appreciation for the opportunity that it gives me to remember and recognize how lucky I am to have the abundance I enjoy.
Anyway, I chatted with Cory this morning for a little bit before heading back to Utah County to spend the day with one of my brothers. I think it was on my drive down to my brother’s place that I got a notification on my phone that I wasn’t expecting, and as I was checking the notification, I accidentally clicked a link I didn’t mean to click that shared some of my personal information I wasn’t intending to share. 😅 I was able to undo the sharing immediately, and I’m grateful that was easy and quick to do.
Anyway, after getting to my brother’s place, I spent the rest of the morning, and all afternoon talking with him, and that was really good. We worked through some things that came up for me, and that was hard, but it was really good, I think.
After our long talk, I was very grateful for my brother’s offer to shower, as I have not yet rebuilt my waterfall up the canyon 🙃, and having not had a shower in like 5 days, and having been wearing the same clothes every day the entire time, I was a bit… ripe. 😅
So it felt really good to be nice and clean again. 🧼🚿🫧
After that, We both headed over to our other brother’s place for dinner. I left earlier and got there quicker and hung out with that brother for a little while, and then my mom and aunt and uncle showed up, unexpectedly to me, at least, and we all had dinner together. That was lovely.
After dinner, and after one of my brothers and my aunt and uncle had left, I stayed helping my other brother work on his house remodeling project. We didn’t make a lot of progress, but we did make some, and though I didn’t make the project go a lot faster, I was able to help it go at least somewhat faster than if he had been by himself.
After that, I drove back down to Orem, to stay the night at one of my normal spots.
Update on my friend who’s been going through such hard challenges… It makes me happy to see her strength as she fights courageously through some of the hardest things that she could ever face. I’m proud of her. 🏋️
Life can… ask everything of you.
As for me, God keeps giving me what I ask for: I’ve wanted with all my heart to overcome my pride and have it all be replaced with love, and little by little He’s giving me the experiences I need to help me chip away at that mountain of pride that is part of who I am.
There’s a lot to chip away, and it’s hard to see the parts of me that I long to change (the pride) while also seeing myself clinging to that pride at the same time. The internal battle is extraordinary.
And right now, as I watch potentially significantly life-altering events unfold, some under my control, some not, I find myself in desperate need of my heavenly father. Not that I’m ever not in need of him, but I need him so much right now. In one particular area of my life, there is fear and pain and struggle no matter which road I can conceive that my journey will take.
I want to learn to rely on the Lord in everything. And boy, is he giving me the opportunity.
[deep breath]
Love and hugs, my lovelies. 😊
On we go. 💪
Lift the world.
~ stephen
Lift the World 