On Kinship

                                                         

 

I am blessed to be surrounded by people who love me and even like me. My list of what I call casual friends is long but a similar list of true heart-to-heart soulmates would be very short. (You know who you are.)  We need those people in our lives who love us no matter what; who hold us accountable to live up to who we say we are; who seem to know just when to reach out to us when we think our heart cannot bear one more rip, one more attack by the Enemy, one more sadness, one more piece of bad news. The joy comes in not only having that compassionate friend but also in being one. Sometimes the best things kindred souls can share is a heartache.

There are dozens of books, cards, signs, magnets - what have you - that attempt to define that special bond, but the best one I've ever seen is simply this:

                         ~~~~~~~~  Compassion is your hurt in my heart. ~~~~~~~                                                     

I heard a story about a little girl who went next door to play with her best friend and was told to be home in time for dinner. When she wasn’t, her mother phoned the neighbor and asked that her daughter be sent home immediately. 

The concerned mother gently scolded the little girl and asked why she had deliberately disobeyed.  “It wasn’t d’libertly,“ she said.  “Isabella’s doll was broken.” 

Mother asked, “Well, were you fixing it?"  Shaking her head and blinking through thick, wet lashes, the little girl said  “Oh, no, mama; she can’t be fixed.  She’s broke real bad.”  Surprised, her mother asked, “Well, then, honey…what were you doing?” 

The little girl paused and then said softly… “I was helping her cry.”

 “…the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.” I Samuel 18:1a (NASB)

            

Cheer Up - It Could be Worse...

So I cheered up and sure enough...it got worse...

  Some day this is all going to be very funny – today is not that day.  It has been Murphy’s Law from the time I opened my eyes and ears to a noisy blackbird at 4:30 a.m.  Blocking out his obnoxious sounds with a pillow over my head, the next noise I heard was the DJ saying it was 6:18 – nearly an hour later than my usual rise and shine!  Oh, God, please let this be a good hair day.  It isn’t……will anyone notice that my panythose have a hole above the knee?  Not if I wear a long skirt…..is that the ONLY thing that didn’t get ironed…..shall I go back in and get my raincoat?….nah-h-h-h, it’s stopped – should be ok.  Half a mile down the road….please tell me that it’s just a heavy mist on my windshield…..uh oh, my badge – where is my badge?  In my purse of course…it’s always in my purse…..except when I put it in the pocket of the slacks I wore yesterday.  No problem – get a visitor badge – fill out the form – what do you mean you don’t know me? What do you mean you have to call security?!  Well, guess what – I don’t know you either – where’s the other guy?  Well, if you don’t know my name does that mean I don’t need to be here?……ok so you don't appreciate my humor...neither do I about now…..is it significant that MY system has shut down three times before 10:00 a.m.?  What’s with all these weird calls and requests?  Is there a conspiracy?…..ok….take a breath – take a break – go out for lunch – run some errands – head for the elevator – uh, oh…starting to rain….no, stay in…..get some lunch here…..no cash…..get some cash….ATM is down….better yet – go to the gym and use the treadmill…..what a surprise, says she sarcastically; visitor badges don’t open the gym door….ok, get some popcorn and go back to work….why is THIS the day the cafeteria closes early?  No prob – get some from the vending machine and put in the microwave….costs 75 cents and I have 87.  God is good.  How long do you pop this stuff?  Says 2-5 minutes – I’ll do 3 1/2.  Oh, hey, there’s Rebecca!  How in the world are you and what’s new in your world, blah, blah blah….what’s that peutrid smell…..burned popcorn….really, really burned popcorn.  Plan B – I have a can of pop and three stale graham crackers in my desk.  Remove it carefully from the desk drawer so it doesn’t fizz or anything – too late; what lovely brown spots – not on my lap or the carpet but on my white top…in the front…in the middle.  Grab a napkin and dab it with some water from my bottle …..what’s the red?!?  Lipstick from your water bottle…red and brown and white do not a pretty color make.  Will I be too warm if I put on my sweater to hide it?  No choice…I’ll just turn on my little battery operated desk fan…..the one whose batteries are dead and the only person who has them under lock and key is out all week for a funeral.  Somehow I think she has had the better day…..need to run;  I’m going to be late for a haircut…..thinking maybe I should reschedule.

 REPORTING FOR DUTY

The little angel was so excited!  After all, this was his first mission as a Christmas reporter and he was anxious to do a good job.  Accuracy, that’s what his Master was counting on.  “See how they observe my Son’s birthday,” He had said.

His first stop was the church on the hill with the white steeple.  He opened his log book and began taking notes.  Such beautiful music!  He couldn’t help but compare the harmony to heaven’s choir.  The music stopped and a man stepped forward and began to read….yes, yes, he had the right story.  A tear or two was perhaps a sign that some were hearing it for the first time.  The little angel hurriedly made his entry.  ‘The warmth of this place is refreshing, almost like home.  Some people are clothed very nicely, some very poorly; but they all have twinkling eyes, bright smiles and happy hearts. They're singing about you and to you.’  Anxious to see more, he closed his book and smiled his biggest smile since the Baby was born.

The next stop would be that house where smoke was coming from the chimney and a delightful smell from the kitchen.  And while he had never tasted that thing called gingerbread, the scent could only be described as heavenly.  It didn’t take him long to know what to write about this place.  ‘Warm hearts and hands abide here.  Boxes of something called goodies are lined up to be delivered.  I heard her say she’s sharing food and Jesus at a shelter tonight.’  Again he closed his book and smiled, pleased with what he would have to report.

On to the shopping center.  He chuckled when he saw all the lights and thought to himself, ‘They aren’t half as bright as ours. . .and ours are free!’   As he watched the shoppers, his joy began to fade.  He began writing, but this time a little slower.  ‘The mouths are smiling, but the eyes are impatient…much grumbling…shopping carts full of plastic toys…short  tempers…advertising…enterprising…27 shopping days till Christmas…Frosty on the radio…jingle bells…sugar plums.’  Sadly confused and with much less enthusiasm, he closed his book and shook his head in disbelief.

Last stop – an office Christmas party.  Never could he have imagined anything like this!  Surely this couldn’t be in honor of the Baby!  Maybe he wasn’t ready for this assignment after all.  Slowly, he began to write.  ‘I see lots of tinsel, fake trees and phony happiness…blurred thoughts…no sign of our Savior.  How did they change it to this?  Sir, I regret to report ...it appears that, for many, Bethlehem and Baby Jesus have been left behind.’

                                     The little angel closed his log book again…and wept.