My car is paid for. Troy's truck is paid for. We have become gloriously accustomed to not having a car payment, and are willing to put up with some interesting quirks of the vehicles. The one where my car will start and then die is less amusing than some, but so far it's been fairly harmless.
Last week my car developed a new quirk. Some sort of sensor has been thrown and after you start the car and all of the other dinging, etc., has gone off it will start dinging. Loudly. Five sets of five dings, with about 15 seconds between sets. It originally didn't bother me too much, but started the day before we went to Dallas last week. We have since learned that sometimes after an hour or so the car will burst forth with another 25 dings, grieving that it has been running so long without dinging. Neither Troy nor I really enjoy repetitive loud noises, but Troy really did not enjoy the new quirk of the car. So I decided that it's all in your attitude about the dings. The dings are simply our car reminding us, "I have served you well for many years. Do NOT take me for granted. Just a reminder..."
Troy didn't really appreciate this new outlook, either. I decided that the dings could be my reminder to think of 5 things I'm thankful for. I shared this new philosophy and insight on the way to church Sunday morning, shouting my idea to the kids over the dinging and Troy's yelling at the dinging. I proceeded to list things I was thankful for as the car dinged away.
I have continued to be thankful as my car dings. On my errand day and I had opportunity to be ultra-thankful as I started and stopped the car at least 5 times, giving me no fewer than 25 opportunities to be thankful (and 125 dings in my ear, if you're doing the math). That was the day that I was the bug, though. Finally, later in the evening, REALLY not happy about getting back out of the house, we all piled into the car -- minus Troy, who had other obligations. As the car began dinging, Riley asked, "Mom, what are you thankful for?" I HAD come up with 25 things earlier in the day -- but I was completely out. I wanted to shout, "NOTHING!!! I am not thankful for one darn thing in this day!!!!" Realizing that wouldn't be a very good example, I simply said, "Riley, I've got nothing."
He launches in, "I'm thankful for a warm car!!" Bless his sweet little heart. Next ding was Ashley's turn, "I'm thankful I have Expedition 56 (new group at church for 5th and 6th graders." And away we went, thankful for our wonderful, blessed lives, in our blessing of a quirky vehicle reminding us to be thankful.
We continue to be thankful with our dings. Sometimes Riley is thankful that the dings are almost over -- and that's good enough for me. If my decrepit, quirky car can be the catalyst that leads all of us to walk through life looking at the tiniest of blessings as blessings (when I leave the gym I'm thankful for a healthy body, when I leave the grocery store I am thankful for financial blessings, when I leave work I am thankful the day is over! ;-) then I need to continue my faithful relationship with John, our good and faithful mechanic. I need to keep my dinging car around for a long time.
