Friday, December 26, 2014

The Summer of the Ugly Car



Christmas, at our house, encompasses many things and one of those is the gift of remembering. Somewhere after my husband's feast of roast pork cooked on the outdoor smoker, the conversation meanders to tales from the past. These stories usually start with, "remember when?"

This Christmas we joined in a lengthy account from childhood that had nothing to do with fruitcake or Santa, but rather, when my brother, parents and I drove across the United States from L.A. to Richmond, Virginia. The 1970 green Ford Maverick my parents purchased in California was any car owner's nightmare. The used car salesman must have known that my jet-lagged missionary father was a prime target for a car that had been on his lot for much too long. It seemed that from the moment that my brother, parents, and I set out in this vehicle to tour this great country, one disaster after another happened. The worst was when the transmission froze coming down from The Rockies.

Eventually, the ugly thing with the hole in the back floor and no rear windows, did get us to my grandparents' in Virginia, but not without a series of unfortunate events. I recall that summer of 1974, as the summer of swimming in motel pools while our car was being repaired. I think I remember motel water slides much better than I do scenic views of the Grand Canyon.

Stories make our times together traditional and it's fun to watch my children's reactions as well as my husband's. "Did you really almost drive off the Rockies?" "Did you really get told by a policeman that you weren't allowed to have a picnic lunch by the side of the road in Arizona?" "Is it true you threw your suitcases away and had your clothes in trash bags?" That question inevitably gets asked by my husband. He finds it most amusing to hear that we had to abandon our suitcases since they wouldn't fit into the car's small trunk. Mom brought trash bags and we crammed our belongings into those and packed them in the trunk and two had to be placed between my brother and me in the back seat.

To entertain ourselves as we drove through long stretches of scorching deserts and placid wheat fields, my brother and I either fought or listened to cassette tapes on my Sanyo tape player. The melodic voices of Simon and Garfunkel and Neil Young traveled with us.

There are other memories we share, but lately, that trip is one of the most peculiar and fun to recall.

I hope everyone had a festive Christmas and are continuing to gather with family and friends to celebrate, to enjoy, and to remember.

~ Alice J. Wisler is the award-winning author of six novels. The most recent, Under the Silk Hibiscus, is about a Japanese-American family interned in a camp in Wyoming during World War II. You can read more about it here.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Where is this “ugly” car now? It actually looks great! Too bad you can’t say the same with its performance. On the other hand, it did gave you those amazing road trip stories to tell your children. I bet they’re quite amused with your tale of driving off the Rockies. Cheers!

Mario Newman @ Miles Ahead Donations

Unknown said...

In the name of Allah,the Most Compassionate the Most Merciful.

Say, "O People of the Scripture, come to a word that is equitable between us and you - that we will not worship except Allah and not associate anything with Him and not take one another as lords instead of Allah." But if they turn away, then say, "Bear witness that we are Muslims [submitting to Him]."
O People of the Scripture, why do you argue about Abraham while the Torah and the Gospel were not revealed until after him? Then will you not reason?
Here you are - those who have argued about that of which you have [some] knowledge, but why do you argue about that of which you have no knowledge? And Allah knows, while you know not.
Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was one inclining toward truth, a Muslim [submitting to Allah]. And he was not of the polytheists.
Indeed, the most worthy of Abraham among the people are those who followed him [in submission to Allah] and this prophet, and those who believe [in his message]. And Allah is the ally of the believers.
A faction of the people of the Scripture wish they could mislead you. But they do not mislead except themselves, and they perceive [it] not.
O People of the Scripture, why do you disbelieve in the verses of Allah while you witness [to their truth]?

Holy Quran 3:64-70

https://vimeo.com/121374870

http://fragrantbreeze.blogspot.com/

Steve Finnell said...

THE MAJORITY HAS NEVER BEEN RIGHT BY STEVE FINNELL

When the subject of Christianity has been debated the majority has never been right.

The majority of first century Jews rejected Jesus as the messiah.---The majority has never been right.

John 4:25, 26 The woman said to Him. "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things."
26 Jesus said to her. "I who speak to you am He."(NKJV)

The majority of world rejects Jesus as the only Savior.---The majority has never been right.

Acts 4:10-12 ...the name of Jesus Christ.....12 "Nor is there no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."(NKJV)

The majority of those who claim to be Christians believe the false doctrine of original sin. They believe that because Adam and Eve sinned that all men are guilty of spiritual sin at birth. They believe in inherited sin.---The majority has never been right.

Ezekiel 18:20 "The soul that sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself. (NKJV)

No man has inherited the guilt of Adam. Men will face spiritual death because of their own sins.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned---(NKJV)

Death spread to all men because all men have sinned.

The majority of those who claim Jesus as Savior believe that modes of water baptism are sprinkling and pouring---The majority has never been right.

Mark 16:16 Whoever trusts and is immersed will be saved; whoever does not trust will be condemned. (Complete Jewish Bible)
Mark 16:16 He who has believed, and has been immersed, will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (The Better Version of the New Testament by Chester Estes)

There are no translations that translate Mark 16:16 as such, "He who believes and has been sprinkled or poured shall be saved."---The majority has never been right.

The majority of Baptist believe that water baptism is not essential to the forgiveness of sins and that once you are saved you can never be lost---The majority of Baptists have never been right.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NKJV)
Galatians 5:1-4.....you have fallen from grace.(NKJV)

The majority of those who claim to be Christian believe that their church denomination is the final authority when it comes to faith and practice of the Christian faith---The majority has never been right.

The word of God found in the Bible and the Bible alone is not only the final authority, but the only authority for mankind.

THE MAJORITY WILL NOT BE GOING TO HEAVEN

Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.(NKJV)

If the majority were always right there would be many who find life eternal, however---The majority has never been right.

Luke 13:23-24 Then one said to Him, "Lord, are there few who are saved?" And He said to them, 24 "Strive to enter the narrow gate for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.(NKJV)


YOU ARE INVITED TO FOLLOW MY BLOG. http://steve-finnell.blogspot.com








Posted by Steve Finnell at 8:11 AM No comments:
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dgfdgfgfgd9@gmail.com said...

شركة نظافة عامة بالدمام
شركة تنظيف بالدمام
شركة تنظيف مكيفات بالدمام
شركة تنظيف قصوربالدمام
شركة تنظيف فلل بالدمام
شركة تنظيف مجالس بالدمام
شركة تنظيف كنب بالدمام
شركة تنظيف شقق بالدمام
شركة تنظيف منازل بالدمام

ركن المثالية said...

شركة فنون المثالية للخدمات المنزلية
شركة تسليك مجاري بالاحساء
شركة تسليك مجاري بالدمام 
شركة تسليك مجارى بالقطيف
شركة تسليك مجارى بالجبيل


الشرق دوت كوم said...


فروع جنيد للعطور

فروع زهور الريف للعطور

فروع الدخيل للعود

فروع صيدليات جدة

الشرق

ahmedseo said...

يتمتع الجراحون المصريون بخبرة عالية في إجراء عملية تكميم المعدة فى مصر لذلك يمكن أن يطمئن المرضى أنهم يتلقون رعاية جيدة من المتخصصين ذوي الخبرة. علاوة على ذلك، نظرًا لأن عملية تكميم المعدة أصبحت شائعة بشكل متزايد في مصر، فهناك المزيد من خيارات العلاج المتاحة بأسعار معقولة. بالنسبة لأولئك الذين يتطلعون إلى إجراء تغيير دائم في وزنهم وصحتهم، قد يكون تكميم المعدة حلاً مثاليًا.

CLADING2222 said...

بعض العوامل التي تساهم في حدوث الجلطات العميقة هي:

1. النشاط الجسدي المحدود: عدم القيام بالحركة لفترات طويلة، مثل التمديد في المقعد لفترات طويلة أو الراحة في الفراش لفترات طويلة، قد يؤدي إلى زيادة خطر علاج الجلطات العميقة.

2. عوامل وراثية: تشير الدراسات العلمية إلى أن هناك بعض العوامل الوراثية التي يمكن أن تزيد من خطر حدوث الجلطات العميقة.

مؤسسة البناء و التشييد للمقاولات العامة و اعمال الغاز said...

your article is so great keep going .I had nice time reading it

Nawal said...

افضل شركة سيو