Uh-oh! My Red Lipstick Got on Your Red Cup

It's raining, flooding actually. I've been known to hydroplane even in my tennis shoes with all the rain we've received. And I thought one could only hydroplane in a car. What did I know?

And I just dropped my oldest off at her volunteer job. I've got one other young lady who just hopped up front with me. And it's turned cold. We push those seat-warmer buttons.

"Do you want to get a latte?" I ask, smiling.

Her smile greets mine. "Yeah."

"Do you want to try the peppermint mocha?" 

"Yeah." She'll try anything. Any flavor, any color. She's brave. I'm not. I stick to the same ol', same ol'.

"One white chocolate mocha and one peppermint mocha, please."

Just what we needed to warm our insides.

"Can I try your peppermint?" I ask.

"Sure." She's so giving. I'm surprised she didn't ask me first.

"Oh, that's a bit too minty for me." I can't believe I hear myself say that. I love mint. My young lady wipes my red lipstick off her cup. Now, I know quite possibly why she didn't ask.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I didn't mean to get my lipstick on your cup."

O Soul Within, I know you didn't mean to infringe. Sometimes people don't want your blood spilled on them. 

Back up. Hands off. Let them clean it off. Don't touch their cup again. Unless you are invited.

It's probably tempting to think it's because they're so white and clean. And clearly, you're not. Never have been, never will be. Or maybe, quite possibly, there has been miscommunication, and they think you're so white and clean, or claim to be.

Oh, don't take offense, O Soul Within. 

Sometimes people don't want to jump on your bandwagon. Because they have their own bandwagon. Maybe they're comfortable with theirs. And maybe they're not quite ready to shift. And sometimes folks ride stealth bandwagons--invisible to you and sometimes themselves.

And sometimes blood carries germs and diseases, and people have enough of their own germs and diseases ... and they don't need yours. Stop trying to share.

And well, sometimes people just need to warm up to you.

And don't lose hope. Because O Soul Within, there are people who have your blood type. With your very same germs. They are just like you, and they don't mind your blood spilled on them. Not one bit. Or maybe they like studying your type--the work in progress that you are. And they'll open their very hearts to fit yours in. Come alongside you. They'll join your bandwagon or motion for you to jump on theirs. What a hayride!

And don't lose focus. O Soul Within, let it be a lesson to you. Don't worry about spilled blood. Don't worry about germs. Ditch the Germ-X. Let them pour down over you. 

Be brave. 

Don't stick to the same ol', same ol'. Ride out of your comfort zone. Hydroplane into others' lives. Because you were made for community, for fellowship, to share one another's burdens. Why, if you worried about that, you'd have missed out on the Lamb of God, the ultimate offering ... 

the One who took the cup upon Himself, who spilled His blood, letting it trickle down on you ...

so that you could be new ...

so that you could be clean.

***

Have you ever expected others to understand your situation and felt disappointed when they didn't? Or have you ever been afraid of someone different from you? Maybe someone suffering differently than you? Maybe you didn't know how to help or quite what to say, so you turned the other way? How can we love others when we struggle with fear? Any advice?

Necessity

Destruction often comes in the middle of the night. While we are absent minded. While we sleep in peace.

Going out that next morning to feed the two sheep, I noticed one sheep is without the other. That is unusual. They are always together.

The one is distraught. She stands at the trail-head bleating.

Her heart bleeding.

We know she is signaling trouble. We walk down the trail she has led us to ... and we see the other baby lifeless on the ground. Devoured.

My heart and soul fall to the ground in pain. Heart pain. I feel myself collapse into the arms of God, through fear's temptation of what may lurk.

They had always remained in the barn throughout the night. It was necessity for safety, and it was pure God-Giving instinct. But our neighbors recently acquired a few animals—goats, donkey—and walking out of safety's shelter had been tempting. They had no idea the danger that awaited.

We can only assume that a panther, or big cat, took her down [rumors of panther sightings]. There were no prints. The cat may have jumped down from a tree to attack, immediately dragging her into the leaves where we found her. And a few weeks ago, our neighbor's 50 lb. young goat totally disappeared without a trace. The predator had to be strong to jump their fence with a 50 lb. goat.

Sheep were not made to go it alone. They were made for God-Giving camaraderie. Sandy has been so needy, distraught, distressed, afraid. When I leave her to return to the house, she runs to the fence—hopped over it once—runs back and forth looking for someone, anyone, bleats. Her heart is still bleeding. She absolutely can not go it alone. She misses her sister. We miss our Bindi girl, the black sheep of our family.

We seemed to be left with two choices: (1) find her a home with other sheep, or (2) get a new sheep, a new addition to our family. A new sister for her. And that's what we did.

Meet our newest necessity, Ginny [named after Ginny Weasley].

 
We weren't made to go solo. We weren't meant to go it alone in this world.

Karalee and Katelyn

Shelli (1 year old) and her sister (3 years old)

Freckles and Snowy

Hermione and Blue

We were made for God-Giving camaraderie. Sheer necessity. The Lord is our Shepherd, our shelter, our safety. Without Him, we are running to and fro, tossing to and fro, crying, mouths bleating, hearts bleeding ... and we are often oblivious. We need Him.

Only devastation awaits outside His safety, His protection. It only takes one foot out to feel the heat of the predator, the breath of death.

Jesus is our shawl of life, wrapping us securely with His love and intention, enabling us to walk out into this life wilderness with an enduring, withstanding heart comfort. No fear. Enabling us to see with eyes wide open amidst the flakes that graze our faces.

The Shepherd searches for us, longs for us, extends Himself to us. Will we enter His gates—His God Giving, Spirit Giving, Savior Giving, Shelter Giving, Peace Giving, Trust Giving, Faith Giving, Love Giving, Word Giving, Life Giving gates—this Thanks-Giving?

*****

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." —John 3:16