Perfect Love

Finishing my sandwich and salad, I handed my empty dishes to the waitress, and she refilled my coffee cup.  I looked over at my friend, and she was only one-third of the way finished with her lunch.  Oh my!  How did I devour that so quickly?  She laughed, and said "Wow!  You eat fast when you are angry!"   I laughed back and replied, "Yes, but with a righteous anger!"  I realized then just how much the situations in my life we were discussing, were affecting my day.  I shared with Sue how disappointed I felt in people that I love and care for very much.  She in turn, shared some wisdom with me, through a situation she had experienced similar to mine.  And then, we changed the subject.

I had dropped in on the tail end of her Bible study this morning before we headed to lunch.  The preacher was talking about the trust that the stranded coal miners in South America had to have in order to get in those capsules to pull them out to safety.  She talked about the fact that God was with them.  And then she said that God is with us too, and that we can trust Him.  Sometimes, He asks us to step into uncomfortable situations.  Other times, He leads us out of our comfort zones and into the unknown.  But He is with us saying, "I'm here.  I'm with you!"  After having prayed about direction overnight, and having felt as though God was leading me out of my comfort zone very clearly, this was just absolute confirmation for me.  I love when He does that!  And I love how He comforts me with reassurance that He is not sending me alone.

We sat for two hours catching up on our lives since we had not seen each in couple of months.  I shared a story with her that really belongs to an old friend of mine from years back.  She has a 26-year-old son named Tommy with Down Syndrome, who has a 26-year-old girlfriend also with Down syndrome.  They have been dating for many years and have decided that they would like to be married.  Coming from a large family, they have attended several weddings, and were excited to begin planning theirs.  So they were busy planning for an outside, backyard wedding with a big BBQ, at which all the people they love would be in attendance.  Last week, Tommy and his girlfriend were busy sitting at the kitchen table discussing the details of their plans, and Tommy looked up at his mom and said, "After the wedding we would like to go to Paris, France, to see the honeymoon!"  She looked into her sweet son's eyes and asked, "Tommy, do you know what a honeymoon is?"   Tommy replied, "Mom, EVERYONE knows what a honeymoon is!  It's a very, very, very white moon!"

We both got teary eyed.  How can you not be touched by the innocence?  The absolute pure love that this young man shines, and I have never met him, yet am so touched by??  I believe Tommy and his girlfriend understand love in a way I never will.  I'm so thankful that my friend shared with me a glimpse of God through her son's innocence.

Sue then grabbed my hands and said, "Dear friend, This is God!"  I looked at her puzzled.  She then pointed out for me, that in the midst of what I am struggling with, wrapping my brain around the disappointments in those I love and admire, God gave me a story of unconditional, perfect love.  I'm a story reader, and a story teller.  (I'm Irish, so it's in my DNA!)  So, how appropriate that God would show up in a story for Rita.  He IS with me, even as He sends me into the unknown, out of my comfort zone.

Man will ALWAYS disappoint me.  God will NEVER disappoint me.  Never.