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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmmm

This is the follow up post I promised yesterday. The one where I said I'd bear my testimony about the time I prayed to Jackie Robinson.

Don't freak out and excommunicate me from the Mormon Mommy bloggernacle. I'm not a (total) deviant. I know my deities. Ask Siana , my 2nd counselor. She'll verify. I never start or end a meeting by praying to Jackie Robinson.

I don't worship him. But I do have a testimony that he hears prayers too.

This is a totally true story.

The more my son and I learned about Jackie Robinson, the more we began to believe in magic. Stuff happened. Tingley stuff. Like one night, just before the state competition my son and I stayed up together late into the night to work on the project. The goodness and the courage of this man from over 50 years away began swirling around us as we read. It was powerful. It was, dare I say . . . spiritual. We both felt the light, like we were on to something really important.

That wasn't the only time I felt the tingles. I took a red-eye flight to D.C. to meet my son for the competition and about 4 rows in front of me in the bulk-head seating, a man stood up and reached into the overhead compartment. I swear on the Baseball Hall of Fame it was Jackie Robinson's body double. And just before he sat down he turned around and he looked me square in the eye. He didn't wink, but he could have because there was that twinkle that spread tingles across my whole body. Seriously! I couldn't sleep the whole flight because of those tingles and that light.

But I only prayed to him once. And it wasn't a real prayer. It was more of a petition.

At the time I was reading one of my FAVORITE BOOKS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD: Eat Pray Love and I was struggling to exorcise a ghost that has been haunting me for years. You know how it is. Some things are hard to get over. In Eat Pray Love the main character has a friend who tells her that we don't have to face our challenges alone. If we cast our wishes into the universe and ask specific people to help us, they will!

So she tells the universe "I NEED HELP!" and then she tells the universe what she needs help with. And then she writes a petition in her head, adding all the names of the people she would ask to help her. And then she actually asks them to help her.

It makes so much sense, right? Why wouldn't people who have already moved on, be rooting for us? Why wouldn't they care enough to lend a hand, dry an eye, send a hug?

So I followed her advice one day while I was driving and crying (because I only have the time and privacy to cry when I drive.)

I asked the universe for help and then I petitioned all the people who I respect and admire to help me. Jackie Robinson was the first name on my petition. I said, "Mr. Robinson, you rose above the hardest trials in the world. How did you do it? My trials aren't even close to that hard, but can you help me rise above them too?"

And then I swear that man reached his hand out and helped me up. I got all calm and tingley and I knew I would be able to rise above my trial (which I have for the most part, btw).

But here's the crazy part. (You must read my previous post about Rubber Cement to understand the significance of this.)

Call it a coincidence, or call it divine intervention. Laugh if you will. I did. But I also stopped dead in my tracks and said, ""What the?"

When I got home that night and started to make dinner, I opened my spice cupboard to grab some chili powder. This cupboard is located right above my crafts and supplies drawer. (This is the part where I stopped dead in my tracks and said, "What the?" )

Nestled in between the nutmeg and the curry powder was a jar of, NO LIE, Rubber Cement.

Do you have chicken skin right now, or what?

I am not even embellishing a single bit.

I know I absent-mindedly put it there. After all, I have found my hair spray in the fridge before (And hey, cold hair spray is the way to go. Not a hair out of place).

But still! What timing.

Doesn't this story deserve to go on the list of things that make you go hmmmmm

26 comments:

J. Baxter said...

I'm definitely Hmmmm-ing.

But more importantly (unless as I type someone is beating me to it) I am FIRST!! I'm never first!

What an honor.

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

Way to go Jen. Congrats on being first.

Ok this post was very field of dreamish.

I liked it. Cool beans.

And I don't know about chicken skin, but maybe sparrow skin.

Kritta22 said...

This post does make me go hmmm.... Maybe I should know who Jackie Robinson is.
Are you still my friend? I'm going to google Jackie right now.

Melanie Jacobson said...

Hmmm.

That's a nice story, but me and Jesus are sticking together.

Uh, no disrespect, Mr. Robinson.

The Crash Test Dummy said...

hmmmmm. Kritta, I don't know if I can be your friend anymore. While you're googling him go ahead and grab some ice cream from the freezer. You're gonna need it.

And fyi, ftr, btw, jic, jtc, me and Jesus are sticking together too.

But Jesus has a lot of helpers.

That's what I'm talking about.

Of course this post means no disrespect to the big guy upstairs.

Calidore said...

I look forward to reading more...I'm hmmmm-ing.

Alyson | New England Living said...

I'm loving Jackie right about now for helping my friend, Crash, out. What a cool dude! And I love the idea of praying for specific people to help you. Sounds like I need to read that book!

When I was little, I had a children's series of books about important and brave people throughout history. In these books, the main character always had a little animal friend helping them. I'm not sure why. I guess just to appeal to the kiddos. One of them was about Jackie Robinson. I can't remember who his animal "guide" was. I'm going to try to figure it out and I'll get back to you!

wv: sediva
Yes, I do see a diva when I see you!

Alyson | New England Living said...

Ok, found it! Go here: http://valuetales.com/books/courage

Turns out I was slightly wrong. They weren't all animals. They were just imaginary guides in general. Robinson's was a brightly colored rag ball.

Unknown said...

I think Jackie may be reincarnated as rubber cement and he is always stickin with ya ;-)

Barbaloot said...

Wow-you gave me tingleys while I was reading. That's so cool. I think I feel about Jim Thorpe the way you do about Jackie Robinson. What is it about minority athletes and us? :)

Heidi said...

Very inspirational! I have got to read that book--was it Eat Love Cry? Or, Eat Love Eat Some More? (I'll go back and check it out to make sure I get it right.)

Heidi said...

Actually, I think I got it right the first time because, CLEARLY, should you eat love, it's all gone which means there is plenty to cry about. Then again, Eat Love Eat Again (or was it Some More?) makes a whole lot of sense, too, since there are some who only cry in their car for the sake of privacy and are left with no other alternative than to drown their tears in more food. (Okay, I'll go quietly, now).

Sue said...

That's a great story. I like thinking that those on the other side are rooting for us and willing to give us a hand if we need it. I mean, it't not like they don't have time, right?

Eat, Pray, Love is one of my favorite books too, which I always feel kind of goofy admitting because, you know, it's not about the "regular" way of being spiritual. But since I'm not "regular" it's perfect for me.

Kristina P. said...

Uh, oh. Don't ever read my review of Eat, Pray, Love. It may have been titled Eat, Pray, Fall Asleep.

Book club thought it was overrated. I did like the eat part. Of course.

I am LoW said...

Without a doubt, those on the other side are rooting for us!!! I've only ever thought of family, but silly me, fer real, why wouldn't it be any good person??!?!

When I was little I would pray and I would ask Heavenly Father to give a message to a loved one who had passed on. I really really felt He did.

wv- dipted
I've dipted into lots of things, such as asking Heavenly Father to run errands for me... apparently. :)

LOVE this post Crash!!!

TisforTonya said...

I usually try to avoid crying when I drive... especially at night since it makes the lights go POP and I can't see!

oh, and Alyson - I read those books too! Except I think I read them to my younger cousin... which makes me feel old all over again!

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

I totally believe that others on the other side can help us.
We had a miracle adoption of our little girl just 3 weeks after my Grandpa died. I have always felt that he had something to do with it.

:astut: This post was very astute

The Crash Test Dummy said...

PHEW! I'm so happy that you guys get me. Except you, Kristina P, but you're still my favorite nasty friend, even though you get bored by awesome books and your book group is way off. DaVicni Code, now that's over-rated. ;)

Kidding ya'll. Haven't finished it yet cause scriptures are boring. ;)

Kristina, I love your book reviews so I MUST go back and find it in your archives so I can get steaming mad and send passive aggressive stink-eye vibes across the blogashere at you.

Ayson, I'm going to look up those value books. How cute you remember them. And how funny it was a rag doll that was Jackie's guide. (Raggedy Ann was my fav growing up. Maybe she was my guide too. hee hee. Kidding ya'll. I'm not that out there.)

Georgie, ha ha. you crack me up.

And Heidi, YOU silly wacky girl. Have you been drinking eggnog? You are probably suffering from a post world blog book tour hangover.

So excited to finish your book while I'm in Maui. Did you guys know I'm going to Maui next week?

But first I have to scrub my house from top to bottom so my in-laws don't bad mouth me behind my back.

Barbaloot rocks! You made my blogroll because we both have crushes on minority athletes. High Five.

I'm so happy to see Wesley's mom here. I LOVE Wesley's mom, even though I don't know Wesley. I suspect her name is Debbie, so I love her even more.

Thanks Lo and Pat and the rest of you for relating.

and T, you should really try to cry in the car. It's the best.

LBBlum said...

Hey CRASH- that is so cool you shared that story. I think when you read about people's lives.. you connect to them and they connect to you. (probably why geneology and family histories are so important.)I went through a phase of reading biographies& autobiographies about different Founding Fathers and I feel the same way about Benjamin Franklin and John Adams. ( Who, by the way, is my sons 6th grade history project. He picked John Adams because he knew I love him.)

Very cool.

Cajoh said...

I agree— you don't have to face your challenges alone. So often we feel that we are alone in this universe. But you also have to realize that everything around us is helping us along. Having that jar of rubber cement appear is very serendipitous and shows that even ordinary things take on extraordinary meaning.

I am LoW said...

By the way, I'm Wesley's mom too.

Just sayin.

:)

The Crash Test Dummy said...

Hey Swirl, my daughter is doing her History Day project on John Adams too. Maybe they could plagiarize off each other. (wink wink)

Cajoh, I like you. A lot. I'm glad you found me.

Lo, Coooooolio. Now I have 2 Wesley's mom's on board the CTDD.

Verifier says: artio

coolio AND artio

April said...

I looooooved this post!! My hero growing up was Harriet Tubman. I remember doing a book report on her in the 6th grade. Oh the memories. I must admit, I have in my prayers asked for a specific person's help....and sometimes specific people are assigned to help us during hard times(guardian angels). Thus the chicken skin when I read this post!!! Amen. ;)

MakingChanges said...

I'm gonna try the cold hairspray. I'll let you know if it works for me! I have serious crazy hair issues during the dry, cold winters of Utah.

I'm thinking this is near the top of my list of things to seriously wonder about. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

MakingChanges said...

Just so you know- I totally voted for you just now because I was really HMMMMMMMMMMM'ing about your post.

Mariko said...

JR is so my favorite Jesus helper right now.
"Plepic"
When half of your words are paralyzed.