Tribute

This is a tribute to you, Arizona. To a state that welcomed Mike and me with cacti, sunshine, mountains, adventure, friends, and a place to call home. To a place with an ostrich festival on my birthday, though the ostrich burgers seemed a bit inhumane. To the Arizona Diamondbacks who gave me my first bobblehead. I shall proudly display it on any desk I may work at.

To you, Arizona, for teaching us the joys and humor in birdwatching. For your beloved Camelback Mountain for bestowing upon me the value of hydration and/or air conditioning during 120 degree summer days, but also that the view is worth the climb. For your rolling northeasterly forests and their quiet escape on our first anniversary. For your Grand Canyon- blowing my mind and dominating my feet.

To you, Arizona, for having friends for us- shout out to First5- you know who you are! For friends who have rock band, who can find lava tunnels, who eat froyo, who watch Jimmy Fallon, and who love to laugh. Friends who throw dimes, grill meat, hike, and play Mario. Friends who come visit us in Iowa (hint, hint).

 This is a tribute to the Arizona Coyotes (and Minnesota Wild) for showing me what a hockey game looks like, fights and all. To the 101 for showing me how not to participate in rush hour. To In ‘N Out for my first hamburger in a long time (and most likely for another half decade). To your many baseball fields for hosting spring training games. To your proximity to San Diego in all its beachness.

To you, Arizona, for giving us a reason to drive over 1500 miles last New Year’s with whatever we could stuff in a van. A tribute for the mattress we tied to the roof of our vehicle, to the huge mirror that doubled as a door, and to the pool with a conveniently located TV. For having the funnest Bingo hall ever. For making me tan and more agreeable to mornings. For your many mini golf courses. And for being a place that people wanted to come see us.

A tribute to the perfect place to grow a marriage. A perfect place to figure out what the heck ‘full-time job’ means. A perfect place to have an adventure and learn what life is all about.
   
Arizona and all you stand for, we only had you for a short time, but you hold a very special place in our hearts. We shall return to you someday for a visit and another taste of friendly sunshine.

Cloudy Days

Arizona has a couple clouds a month. Every once in awhile one may leak a bit of precipitation (that may or may not ‘flood’ half the state). I guess in other words- Arizona doesn’t have clouds. Every single day is a glaringly blue sky. Mike and I only lived there ten months but it didn’t take long for us to yearn for clouds. Any cloud. I would even have to resort to finding people’s pictures on Facebook of the clouds back home to get a fix.

This is a groundbreaking statement. If you know me, you know that I love the sun. I hate being cold and I could be in the sun all day. Yet in Arizona I felt like a traitor to myself because I was wishing for a cloudy day. It was a selfish wish-  I wasn’t even just wishing for the sake of Mike’s fair (and/or red) skin. I legitimately was tired of the same old sunny blue sky.

We are a people of variety aren’t we? We get tired of the same old things, as much as we praise routine and normalcy, we still wish we could be unique, have metamorphosis. Is it possible to have too much of a good thing? Red Stripe claims there is. Well I feel like it’s agreed upon that too much of a good thing leads to complacency. You don’t appreciate the sun as much when you get it every day. Clouds promote the sunny days. (Or vice versa if you’re like Mike and clouds are your sun).

I am thankful for the cloudy days in my life. They make me realize my need for the sun. Clouds can take away the glare that often redirects my attention or causes me to look away. Cloudy days bring a washing of rain. A washing away of pride and selfish distraction. The combination of cloudy days and sunshine bring streaks of colorful light- signs of promise and hope. Of faithfulness and divine power.

Downhere recently wrote a song called 'Thank You for the Heartbreak'. I think it touches on this  principle. Here is a snippet:

Thank You for the pain
Thank You for the sadness
On the gloomy days of rain

Thank You that the hard times
Have a reason and rhyme
Thank You that the healing makes the beauty shine
Thank You for the heartbreak

Similarly, I believe A.W. Tozer sheds light on how God uses ‘bad’ for good: “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply.’ God is made great in our weakness. We find we need him and listen to him most when we are on our knees, broken. And that is when he speaks to our hearts and lifts us up.

I need cloudy days in my life because if I didn’t, I would never be grateful for the sun.