Sometimes sweet memories pop up -- I remembered a moment as I had walked into her office, right before an important meeting, only to find the Shepherd's Daughter wrestling with her leopard print boots.
"Oh I'm just putting a Scripture verse in each shoe," she said, her eye twinkling at my face. "Just a reminder for me -- walking on the Word."
Hearts were breaking, hurts were raw... and the chocolate stash was low.
Again, we sat at the Kitchen Table.
Again, I felt helpless.
If I had a Super Power, it would be to Fix Everything.
The Golden Lady thoughtfully sipped her Coke.
"The Healing Journey can't be rushed.
"It will happen when it is time... He is calling them."
---
“God never hurries.
"He has no deadlines against which He must work.
"So you can quiet your spirit and relax your nerves.”
-AW Tozer
It was late, after a long day.
I climbed the stairs, checked my Facebook, and there was a little note from the Orphan Child:
"I'm ready for the Golden Lady to pray for me."
After all these years, all the tears, all the moments,
it was time.
I sat on the edge of my bed... and the tears rolled down my cheeks.
In His time, in His way... the Healing Journey continues. Thank you, Father.
I was laughing with the Sunshine Lady.
Oh. Have I not told you about her? She works in my office area and carries Sunshine wherever she goes.
Please don't confuse this with a Butterfly Sort of Sunshine, that flits here and there, comes and goes -- That is fine and good in it's time and place, but THIS is different.
The Sunshine Lady is a steady strong stream of Sunshine -- come clouds or tornados -- she Shines.
Even when she fights, there is Sunshine; cheerful but not gonna lose.
Even in the tears, there is Sunshine; cheerful but not gonna give up.
She knows Whom she has believed in and is persuaded that He is faithful.
We chatted in the conference room the other day.
Ironically enough, we were talking about BROKEN PIECES.
whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?
It's like a THEME or something.
"I keep a stained glass cross above my sink to remind me that He makes Beautiful Things out of the Broken."
Ok.
Great.
I immediately realized I really NEED a stained glass something to hang somewhere.
Here's to Beautiful Stories. Here's to the Broken. Here's to the Master Craftsman... and the Healer.
"Dear Golden Lady, won't you tell your story?"
She paused, dish rag in hand.
"Oh, I'd love, too."
That's one thing I love about her -- she is never too busy.
The Orphan Child sat at the Kitchen Table, eyeing her warily.
The Golden Lady had nothing to prove -- she just had a story to tell.
About her Heavenly Daddy. How He is Love. About the Healer. Hope. Rest. Peace. Finally Safe. Broken being made Beautiful.
By the time it was all said and done, the kitchen was clean. Golden Lady just reached out and offered to pray for this scared, hurting Orphan Child.
Despite the tears streaming down her cheeks -- maybe it was fear? -- the Orphan Child shook her head.
I felt so helpless.
Hurt. Anger. Betrayal. Rejection.
Broken on multiple levels, an Orphan Child sat on the couch, glaring at me.
It was as if all the pain, all the fear, all the pride were taunting.
I couldn't fix it. I didn't have a magic fix. I could only tell of the Healer.
"At the end of the day, you must know Him. You must touch Him. He is waiting. When you are ready, He will be waiting."
---
I know now, Lord, why you utter no answer.
You are yourself the answer. Before your face questions die away.
What other answer would suffice?
You alone are the Answer.
-- C.S. Lewis
The Golden Lady was a Young Mommy,
living in a little cottage,
with just enough to get by...
"Oh," said the Landlady, as she brought over Things for The Golden Lady.
"I brought things for you -- I'll just something in the freezer..."
The Golden Lady didn't mind. She didn't have much to put in there anyway.
It wasn't until weeks later that she actually happened to open the freezer and found the stack of literal cold hard cash, neatly stacked... waiting for her to find it.
She laughed.
Thank you, Daddy.
The Littlest Man and I _understand_ each other.
We have Tickle Wars.
We watch vintage cartoons on my phone while everyone else rushes about.
We both love to sing songs from Donut Man Club.
One of the current favorites is "Walking and Leaping"
Peter and John went to pray,
they met a Lame Man on the way.
He asked for alms,
And held out his palms and this is what Peter did say:
Silver and Gold have I none, but such as I have give I thee:
In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth RISE UP and WALK!
He went walking and leaping and praising God,
Walking and leaping and praising God -- In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazereth RISE UP and WALK!
Of course, for the full effect, you must do ALL the motions,
most especially the 'walking and leaping.'
I came home one evening, tired and worn and almost sick.
But there had been three snow days and the Littlest Man was raring to go with pent up 4 year old energy.
"Lisbeth! Lisbeth! Let's SING!! PETER AND JOHN!!"
How can one say no?
"Ok. I'll lay here on the couch -- I'll sing. You do the motions."
So we began:
"Peter and John went to pray...."
and then
"He went WALKING! and LEAPING! and PRAISING GOD!"
Around the coffee table, over the Legos and airplanes, and amid the Crazy Kitten trying to join in, the Littlest Man walked and leaped and leaped some more.
And then we sang it again. And again. And again.
In the middle of the 6th time, it was almost as if I heard Him whisper,
"I'm in the Healing Business, remember? That's what I do."
_WALKING and LEAPING and PRAISING GOD!!_
"Yes, Father. I just needed to remember."
The Lame Man had no hope, he was doomed for life, he was Forever Broken.
Then the Healer came.
Here's to Forever Broken, Plot Twists... and Beautiful Stories.
Just as Christmas can't be crammed into one day a year,
Love is even less able to fit into a day of the year.
So we're spreading it out.
The Golden Lady's clunky old car was growing more clunky everyday.
A couple times she called her Financial Coach who had taught her how to save pennies,
'I think I'll just go down to the dealer, pick out a car and settle on $200 a month payments.'
And every time, he said,
'I guess you're telling me because you want my opinion: You can't afford those payments. Why don't you just trust God?'
So she kept clunking along until one day, after church,
someone came up to her, and placed a pair of car keys in her hand.
'These are the keys to the car God told me to give you.'
She laughed. And handed the keys back.
"Oh don't worry! God will take care of me..."
Her sister grabbed the keys and placed them BACK in her hand, saying, "You say THANK YOU -- God is providing RIGHT NOW!"
And thus her Father sent her a Non-Clunky Car. With no payments.
Amen.
Recent Comments