contentment + carousels.

Do you ever get an idea in your head that just won't leave and keeps building inside your head into a huge spiderweb of thoughts and it won't leave until you write it all out?

That is how I feel right now.  Just warning you.



On the web, we can look at each others lives and see all the things that other people have in their lives and get jealous or covetous...or sometimes even spiteful.  Perhaps we wish to have a perfect and orderly home, or go on grand travels, or take fantastic photographs, or be beautiful and fashionable.  Or all of the above.  Sometimes maybe we may even think we are better than others.  It's way to easy to compare ourselves to everyone else.



I have a problem with remembering that most people on Blogs and Facebook share all the good stuff that happens to them.  Who shares on Facebook that they just had a fight with their husband, or just spanked their child?  Not many.  Most leave out a lot of the bad stuff.



There are a few exceptions to that rule.  Some people some share their trials and how they have learned from them.  Some share the humor in the bad things that happen to them.  Sometimes sharing the sad or mad or bad, can be uplifting.  In the right context.  But, not everyone's life is perfect  It's good to try and remember that everyone has as many downs as they do ups.  Just like I do.



I tend to set super high expectations of myself.  Sometimes I also set high expectations of others.  Sometimes, I remember that I am not doing so well in living up to others expectations of me.  I try to do better, but I know that I fall short in a lot of areas.



But, I can feel down on myself or I can be motivated to be a better person. Setting goals and trying to achieve them is good.  And anyway, it's God's opinion of us that matters most.

 

I can look at life with "a glass half empty" or "a glass half full".  It's crazy what a difference an attitude makes in a day.  It's up to me to decide how I view the world each day...how I view myself.  Will I look at things as they really are?  Will I be content with the things I am allotted?  I can take a specific look at my own setting in life make it seem horribly bad, or completely wonderful.



In all honesty I can't say I choose to be happy and content in every situation.  But I do think it's up to us to choose.  And I do think we will be blessed and bless others when we choose contentment.



We decided to take a drive to Mansfield, Ohio.  We wanted to take a ride on the carousel there.  I thought it was just an half hour away, but I looked at the drive time on Google Maps wrong.  It's actually and hour and a half away.  Anyway, we were more than halfway there and I hear Hannah say "Uh-oh! Uh-oh!"  in a very distressed little voice.  I looked back to see her covered in throw up.  (Aren't you glad I spared you any photos of that?)  We cleaned her and the car seat up and decided that we were halfway there anyway and continued on. 



We went to a Wal-Mart in Mansfield where we picked up an extra $5 clearance outfit for Hannah to wear, so she wouldn't only be wearing a diaper.  We then continued to the Carousel Park.  Which was not everything it was cracked up to be online.  We rode it.  This time I was the one who almost lost it.  I guess I'm getting to old to do the spinning thing.



We were hungry and decided to go to a little diner in a train car, we drove around for about an hour trying to find it, then decided to give up and headed to a place called Porky's.  I was not impressed.  The $5 hamburger was not even a quarter pounder and was flatter than a pancake.  Hannah was all over the place, she wouldn't eat, and my booth seat wobbled the entire time.  I was not in a very good mood when we left.



You see, I could say that the day was a flop, that it was not what I had dreamed and expected and that with all the throw up and the nasty hamburgers, it was not worth the trip.  But...



The drive to Mansfield, despite the barf experience, was fantastic.  We were cruisin' down some back roads to get there, listenin' to the music, you know...livin' the dream.  :)  We saw some cool old barns and houses.  For some reason, we were laughing during the whole throw up situation and it's one that we will remember for sure! 



We enjoyed two fun, nostalgic little rides on the carousel, which Hannah loved!  She cried when we had to get off.   Oh, and she did not get sick again, which we were a little worried about.  While driving around for an hour looking for that restaurant, we saw some beautiful countryside and even some horizon!  Let me tell you...that was worth it. 

And the fries and homemade root beer at Porky's???  To die for!  Sooooo good.



Anyway, I guess the whole point of this is that I had several reasons to say the day was a flop, and several to say it was great.  All in all, it was a just a mediocre, somewhat eventful day.

And a day to be content with.