A Pleasing Fragrance

As I opened the mailbox, a lovely fragrance wafted out. And then I spied the package. Without a doubt, I knew what it contained…bath salts…a gift from my daughter. When those salts are dissolved in the bath water, the whole bathroom is filled with a pleasing aroma. And I get to choose…lavender…warming balsam fir…tranquil chamomile.

 

Not all odors are wonderful.

My husband and I used to own a business located in the basement of a dental office. At lunchtime, my husband would heat some brussel sprouts in the microwave. He discontinued that practice when the assistant from upstairs complained that it smelled like someone farted in their waiting room.

What kind of scent do you exude?

I’m not talking about body odor…although that can sometimes be an issue. I’m referring to the fragrance of your life. Does the essence of your being radiate a pleasant ambiance? Or do people avoid you?

“Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God…” 2 Corinthians 2:14 (MSG)

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Chicken or Eagle

A folktale handed down through the years is of an Indian who found an eagle’s egg. Unable to find the nest it came from, he slipped the egg in the nest of a prairie chicken. When the eggs hatched, out came several chickens and one eagle.

But it didn’t know it was an eagle.

So it scratched in the dirt, pecked for seeds and fluttered its wings to fly a few feet above the ground. Occasionally it would raise its head, spot an eagle soaring high in the sky and wonder what that would feel like.

But it was a chicken, so it would lower its head and return to pecking in the dirt…never delighting in that glorious feeling.

I grew up in a chicken pen.

Due to a combination of older age, too many children and religion, my mother filled my head with rules and judgments that kept me scratching in the dirt and eating seeds. At school I would see a group of children…laughing and playing together…and wonder what that would feel like.

But I was an obedient daughter and a Christian, so I would sit alone. It was my lot in life to stay true to God. There would be no soaring for me.

How grateful I am for the people in my life that saw my eagle’s wings and asked questions about why I wasn’t using them. What a surprise and delight to discover God had endowed me with the capability to soar.

“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

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Another Passage

Back in the dark ages…growing up in Kansas…going to movies was a BIG sin. The doctrine of our church denomination said it was of the devil. If you gave money to attend a movie, you were helping Hollywood encourage the degradation of the world. Those men and women kissing on the screen weren’t even married to each other.

We did not go to movies.

I married and had children. Since my husband was a preacher of that same denomination, the dogma remained. No matter how badly one of our girls wanted to see a movie…even a children’s movie…they were denied.

My husband left…I became a person…and sorted through my beliefs to decide for myself. In my early 30’s I chose to take my children and go to a movie. They probably enjoyed it. I waited for the roof to fall on me.

We lived.

Attending movies became a delightful way to spend time with the girls. As they grew and went their separate ways, I continued to take myself to movies. It was such an enjoyable way to spend an evening. When I married again, we set aside Friday night as our date night. Many times we chose to go out to eat and then see a movie.

We went to a movie last night. I sat with my eyes closed through most of it. My nausea lingered on for an hour after we came home. As I waited to be able to open my eyes, I pondered my choice. I could continue to go to movies…get sick…and wait to get better. Or I could decide that going to movies was no longer an option for me.

It was a hard decision.

I have a problem with my vision. If there is a lot of sideways movement, my eyes do not track together. Thus, the nausea. Many times I’ve been able to just listen to the show and know what occurred. But last night much of the conversation was in a different language with the words on the screen. Too bad for me. My husband tells me that Captain Phillips is a very good movie. I’ll have to take his word for it.

Life is full of choices. This passage has brought me full circle…no movies.

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FaceTime

My iPhone rings with a different sound. Not sure what it is, I look at the screen. My husband, John, is requesting FaceTime. I have no idea where he is calling from or who is with him. But if I accept his request, then he can see me and where I am…in the bathtub.

I accept, but hold the phone real close to my face.

I’ve done FaceTime on the iPad and the computer. I’m still not clear on how to call someone else and request FaceTime with them. But it is available. Suddenly someone else is there with you.

All of that FaceTime stuff makes me think of God. We can have FaceTime with Him whenever and wherever we are. We don’t have to understand how it works. We say His name and He’s right there with us.

He always accepts our request for communication with Him.

“Answer me when I call to you, my righteous God. 
Give me relief from my distress; have mercy on me and hear my prayer.”  Psalm 4:1 (NIV)

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