Mama said there'd be days...

        Those of you who know me personally, or follow this blog, know well that I am not a bad mood kind of a gal.   But once in a blue moon...

  Last Friday, the moon was a particularly lovely shade of cobalt.

       The night before had been a "popcorn" night.  (Look for an earlier blog entry about "noogies" to locate the definition of "popcorn nights".)  I finally got to bed around four.  I missed the alarm... which means Lucy missed the bus.  I quick grabbed (sorry for wording things like a six-year-old sometimes, we read a lot of "Junie B. Jones" in this house.  It rubs off on you.) my husband's ball cap and jacket and flew out the door with both critters.  Fortunately, I got her to school on time.  As I pulled up to the school, the gym teacher, Mr. K, chivalrously opened the door for her.  He greeted me as well, just before he said, "Say goodbye to your dad, Lucy."  Nice. (Ok, the good news is that even on bad days I don't offend easily.  After a few moments, I saw the humor in that incidence.)
  
     Did I mention I had severe cold?

     I watched a little CNN.  Seven people were shot at an airport in Honduras - names to be released..., 18 people were killed in a Honduran factory, a hurricane was flooding Honduras, Mudslides were sending cars down mountains in Honduras...

   Did I mention my husband was in Honduras?

Deep breaths... "why are you downcast o my soul... He puts His angels 'round about... The Lord is my Shepherd..."

     I turned the TV off.

I'd been hired to face paint (dressed as a cartoon character) at a birthday party which was to take place the following morning.  I had been needing some very specific supplies, and hadn't been able to find them.  So, I ventured out to search for them one last time...

   Six stores later, and still no luck... (Come on Holy Spirit!  I've begged you to show me where I can find this stuff! )

Deep breaths... "If God is for me... Ask and you shall receive... Seek and you shall..."

   Did I mention I was menstruating?

I decided it was probably time for some retail therapy.  Aha! At last I could see some light at the end of the tunnel... My favorite shoe store had posted a ginormous sign in the window. "ENTIRE STORE BUY ONE GET TWO FREE!!!"  Except... they only had one pair my size...

At this point I had to actually go outside the store for my deep breaths, because I knew if I didn't, I was going attack the salesman, who, had called me, "Sunshine" a few too many times.


And since this is getting too long, and I've an inkling I've already lost half of you, I'm going to try and wrap it up.

I found my way to a friends's house that evening, who, upon seeing me in an unnatural state, sat me down on her couch, put on a delightful movie, served me a cup of tea, and fed me a dinner so delicious it made my knees wobble.

I apologized for my unChrist-like demeanor, and explained to her how I was just a bit tired and frustrated because I couldn't find such-and-such items at any store, and... the love of my life was MIA several thousand miles away.

Do you know what that crazy woman did?  She left me (and who could blame her?).  Actually, she went to the store.  She brought back supplies to create the very things I lacked.  She also brought chocolate, and more importantly, her mother.

These two master craftswomen, worked late into the night, CHEERFULLY EVEN, making the very things I had hunted for.  Halfway through the project, they called me into the room.  They embraced me and prayed that Michael would be able to contact me, to inform me he was safe, and they prayed that the party would go smoothly.  Astounded by the love I was surrounded by, I cried a little... maybe I cried a lot.

I left that night, absorbed in a simple truth... Jesus cares about me, He wants to give me the very best, even when I feel so unworthy of it...

Happy deep breaths...

"For it is by free grace (God's unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ's salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God."

                                                                                       Ephesians 2:8 

Know what?  He wants that for you too.

Love,

Me

PS.  The party was FANTASTIC.  Thank you  - Gloria, Michele, Sandy, & Judy.  I love you dearly. 


PPS. - I happened upon four pairs of shoes that weekend... $10 for the lot - less than I would have paid at the "buy one, get two" sale.  

PPPS.  I checked my email when I got home that night.  Michael had sent me a message at the very same time those heaven-sent women prayed for me :) 


PPPPS.  I'm picking him up from the airport in an hour.