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May 2009

Redefining "Normal"

Five years ago, a 'productive' day might mean that I just got finished with a Tony Schumacher design or put the final touches on the paint scheme for the Checker Auto Parts drag racing team cars. Today, being productive probably means that I had enough energy to clean out the fish tank before my afternoon nap.

Not many days go by that I am not asked "how are you?" More times than not, I answer with the same word I used five years ago... "I'm fine".... "Fine" is my word for "normal"... "parr" .... Not great on the scale of all things and not horrible. The difference now is that the scales have changed.

"Great" five years ago meant that finances were trouble free, I had a job that brought me satisfaction and was not in jeopardy and my health was energetic without pain or complication.... "horrible", (five years ago) might mean that I did not get the raise I had hoped for, or I was having issues with a co-worker and my health was 'temporarily' not good with a flu or other virus, "Fine" would rank somewhere in the middle.

Today, my "great" might mean that I have just enough money to pay the cable bill, the house got cleaned and I did not wake up with a headache that would keep me in bed for the rest of the day. "Horrible" would be recognized by me selling off possessions too buy groceries, Not being able to clean or even having the strength to take a shower and feeling so ill that even a day in bed with my meds can bring me comfort. "Fine" lies somewhere in the middle of this.

When asked "How are you?", I am often caught with the urge to say "crappy!". but for me, "Crappy" is most likely normal. And as long as the day is not one of my "horrible" days, I must be content and grateful to feel 'crappy'... So I must redefine "normal" and reply with "I am fine".

I must never judge my scale of life with others. God does not give us more than we can handle, so if I meet a friend that is having a "horrible" day, I must not react with "That sounds like a GREAT day in my world!".. I must know that their day is horrible for them and put aside my issues and take time to comfort them. I must do this because I know that I will meet others that could tell me about there Great days that make my Horrible days seem trivial.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.