Saint Paul, next 3 exits.....

This week I followed exits that took me to new places; some exits ended good some not so good.

On Sunday I discovered an easy route down to New Prague, MN where I had spent many summer afternoons as a girl while my parents golfed. The weekly pilgrimage took forever from the backseat, but it's funny how now that I'm in the driver's seat, I see it's just an easy 25 minute drive. The exit into town was rewarded with a great chatfest over lunch with a good friend.

I confirmed my address and the exits leading to my house on Monday. This allowed an appraiser to arrive and do his magic for my anticipated Refi. But, unfortunately, that didn't happen. I found out that my house is average (hey, average is still good) but due to the low-priced home sales in my area my house is upside down - financially speaking. My hopes for a Refi took an exit, stage right.

On Wednesday, I rode a big yellow school bus with the fourth grade class to the St. Paul Science Museum. We learned about the famous mummy who had been encased in glass even before I was in the fourth grade. This funky dude was embalmed by his people with the hopes of being transported into the netherworld to live in eternity with the gods they worshiped. Well wouldn't he be surprised to learn he only made it as far as St. Paul, MN.

And lastly, the exit I took tonight led me to the jr. high for day 2 of wrestling practice. My son is trying out a new sport and I'm on the sidelines soaking it all in, trying to understand why 2 hot sweaty guys want to chase each other in a circle just to slam each other ferociously to the mat. I finally shook my head and asked the dad next to me what the fascination was with wrestling and he answered, "it's all about domination and proving you have the strength to take down your opponent." I guess I'm not the dominatrix type. I've never been a fan of WWF so it will take some getting used to if my son becomes the next  Stone Cold-Steve Austin or John Cena.

I've started to think differently about exits. Leaving the highway isn't an end for me anymore, it's more of a warm welcome as I trade the speed of the 4 lanes for the scenery of the 2 lanes. It's great to be in the rat race at times but when the sign reads next exit in 2 miles, and I know it's my exit, I can turn off expectantly to find my lovely upside home still waiting for me all cozy and warm. Of course John Cena, a.k.a. my son, may just be lurking behind the drapes ready to take down his mom but I've been paying attention at practices and I'll razzle dazzle him with my finesse and use my triple threat of hugging, kissing, and tickling to whup his behind. Nobody messes with this mama jama!

Chased by the Cops

Last weekend I watched the classic chick flick, Thelma and Louise. I remember being so shocked by the undoing of these suburban women in the film. They evolve from being tightly wound Stepford-like women with no voice into strong-willed independent women who can stand on their own. Unfortunately, their transformation also includes guns, murder, robbery and being chased by the cops (small details, LOL).

Thelma lets loose her inner vixen and flirts with a new breed of men - Brad Pitt being one of them and who can blame her? Along this path of broken hearts, broken laws and miss-adventures they find their courage and their power bolstered by their deep friendship. In the end they are cornered and forced by the cops to be taken captive dead or alive -- and the most powerful moment of the film is when they decide it won’t be either.

It kind of makes you think about your friends and you wonder – which of my friends would be there with me driving triumphantly over a cliff in a blue mustang?

I have this friend, I’ll call her Junie, and she is every bit as powerful as Louise and every bit the vixen like Thelma. Junie has been to hell and back watching the men in her life disappoint her and lead her astray by their lame example. But Junie had the inner resources, the gift, of reinventing herself at critical crossroads in her life. Junie seems to find the strength in herself and the faith in her Lord to pull herself through each impasse to carve out a new corner of the world that beckons her to move past, to move forward, and to do better.

After supporting me through my divorce, rescuing a co-worker from domestic abuse, and offering her home to some hard-luck adults with questionable rental history she has proven the critics wrong by empowering us all, this ragged lot of vagabonds, into standing tall, into rising above our crises, and showing us by example that we must pay it forward.

Junie is moving on this month. She’s trusting God to move her life in a new direction thousands of miles from here. I’m anticipating the stories she’ll post online of her new adventures, her new men, and her new outreach to her community. Junie has changed the dynamic of her past by blazing this new life of reaching out to others. Her example of paying it forward goes before her and will light the path for her future.

If I ever find myself in a blue mustang with the top down I’ll honk my horn and blast my radio for you Junie – you’re my Thelma and Louise package deal! Have a great ride!!