The purse. The Red purse

I just have to brag on God about this.

This past week was EHC's 65th Anniversary.  With 150 international directors, countless conversations and airport rides, updates from continents and multicultural intercession, it was truly an amazing time.  I did not want it to end.  I still don't.  God is moving mightily all across the earth, and I felt incredibly honored to meet some of His favorites (you are, too, you know).  I need to let things settle internally a bit more before I attempt to write about it.  But it hit me like a typhoon.... on a beach.... with sand and crabs and coconuts flying.  just process THAT.

 So I'm NOT blogging about that, but AM writing about a tiny little thing that just shows God's kindness.

There was a missionary boutique for the internationals, and after the conference it became open for IMs (Intercessory Missionaries) to shop there.  Used/new clothing, purses, belts, etc.  I had grown up getting my clothes from these yearly boutiques in Taiwan, and also from large garbage bags of clothes that families would give us in the US and in Singapore.  I don't know how we got all these clothing connections, but people always seemed to give us clothes!  Maybe they were trying to tell us something. :)  

Anyhow, they're lots of fun.  Much less draining than shopping at strip malls.

I have been casually looking for a red purse for maybe five years.  Didn't want to spend a lot of money on it, and always seemed to find other ones that I liked.   And I knew exactly what I wanted; was very picky about it.  I'm kind of a mystic about these things, and knew that I would know it when I saw The Purse. 

So I was leafing through sweaters and activewear when I noticed a stack of bags.  Lo and behold, under a couple of rather pathetic totes was my red bag. 

Now I was completely exhausted and as sick as a dog, so I unemotionally added it to my collection and took it home.  Later that weekend, I looked at it more closely and recognized that it had EVERY detail that I had ever been looking for.

Jesus is so so kind.  I found all kinds of warm sweaters that I could have never afforded, and the perfect Red Purse.  He doesn't give us just enough, He lavishes.  May we live like that, too. 

Today there was a chorus that sang, "What is on your heart is on my mind," and I felt the Lord saying that to ME.  Which totally ruined me!
He really loves us, you know.  And He knows even about silly things like purses.  Xie Xie Ye Su

a very not-deep post. about time.

It's a blogging day. ;0)

This post is going to be entirely girly and not well-thought out, very not-deep and rather silly. Are you ready for this?

SHOOOOOOOPPING!

I've never been that much of a shopper. 98% of my clothes up until the age of... 17? 19? have been given to me or occasionally from a thrift store. Which actually has always been fun. We'd get huge garbage bags of clothes from various sources which my sister and I would voraciously rip into with all the joy and wild desire of Christmas.

At one point I needed a black skirt, really wanted one, and knew exACTly what kind I wanted. So I asked God for it and sure enough, in a garbage bag a few months later, there was the very skirt. Two similar ones, in fact.

Whatever desire I possessed for shopping was further destroyed when I, for the first and last time, shopped on Black Friday. For 10 hours. In a city were there are beautiful beaches. Oh the insanity!!

It was fun to hang out with friends, but I gained no love for lines or florescent lights. They give me migraines.

BUT very occasionally, if you can kind of afford it (or if you've already blown your budget and figure, 'what's another $20 or $30 bucks? no good, people. no good), shopping is fun. I went to Plato's Closet and got a pretty dress and necklace and earrings and chatted with other shoppers.

It's fun... clothing stores are kind of like modern day harems where women congregate and do girly things and chat about all things girly. Without the whole concubine thing.

Advice about color and style is readily given and received, and women lament the size of their feet or thighs in sympathetic (and also lying) company.

All this has made me realize that your frame of mind is critical when shopping. If you're having a crappy day, don't you cross the threshold of a store and think that trying on skinny jeans is gonna make it better. ARE you insane??

You need to go in like a queen, on the search for that lucky piece of clothing that will reveal just how gorgeous that body of yours really is. um... but not too much.

That's my shopping philosophy, anyway.

Women are so interesting when they're in herds. :)

Like at Wisdom, it is a rare bird that can buy a slice of apple pie without saying she shouldn't, asking if she should, and saying that at least half if is for her husband. I've become quite an expert on womankind from 30 to 90 from working there... it's pretty fascinating, endearing, and just sometimes a little bit scary.

Now I'm not one to be down on women. Not at all! They're a wonderful breed, and have many lovely qualities.

But I can empathize with the men who are scared off by a group of them. The noise that emanates remarkably resembles hyenas.

I just hope that as I grow older:

~My wrinkles will be laugh, not crying or frown, lines.

~I will be filled with grace, patience, and compliments for the people serving me. I get so many little compliments from middle-aged women. It's kind of sweet. I think they think I'm 18.

I vacillate from looking 18 at Wisdom to (hopefully) looking 25 or 26 when I teach. The transformation? Lipstick, a skirt, and sometimes heels. And eyeshadow.

~If I'm going to get a dessert, I'm not going to apologize for it.

~I'll wear pretty things and cool jewelry.

~I will exercise. And eat good food that includes, but is NOT limited to, salads.

~I will have amazing things to talk about and only stay the most beautiful things about my family and kids and husband.

~I will NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER get botox.