ALABASTER FLASK

Today is the day of my first ever book signing. I am super excited. And I feel under-prepared. And I'm nervous. What if nobody shows up? What if a bazillion people show up?

I love meeting new people. But for this quiet, introverted home-body, "putting on my extrovert" is always a little scary. How do you prepare for something scary?

Thankfully, I have a Father who knows my weaknesses and fears, and who loves me so very much that He himself is smoothing the path ahead of me.

Last night, towards the end of his sermon on Job 1:9-12, Brother Billy read the last several verses of Romans 8. Job, you see, was God's man - just like I am God's woman. And Satan, Job's adversary, was very interested in taking him down. What do I need to remember, when I am facing scary things? nasty things? unsettling things? I need to remember...

That nothing can separate me from the love of God. Not my insecurities. Not my fears. Not my weakness. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. (If you, too, need to be reminded of this truth today, go read Romans 8:31-39.) In Christ, I am loved and I am eternally safe.

God spoke such beautiful, strengthening words to me - again! - last night, timely comfort to soothe away my rising anxiety.

Helen, she scrounged around in my closet yesterday among my ratty t-shirts and too tight blouses, and she put together an amazing outfit for me to wear to meet the public. Dressing for any kind of "event" majorly stresses me, because I just don't have much to work with - but Helen, she did some kind of magic, and, amazingly, I feel dressed for the part I will have to play later this evening.

God told me He loved me, and He clothed me in purple - literally.

I've begun working out at a small fitness studio on Troy recently. This morning, I attended my first "Gentle Vinyasa Yoga" class. I love yoga, and I had really wanted to attend this class last week - however, circumstances prevented me. God prevented me. Because He knew that today - today, the day of the book signing - was the day I needed to first enjoy this class. Stretching, breathing deeply, quiet music...everything orchestrated specifically to speak peace.

At the end of the class/practice, as the group of ladies lay quietly on the hardwood floor relaxing tense muscles and breathing slowly, our instructor, Erica, came around to each one of us. She stretched and pressed the last dregs of tension out of my shoulders. She stretched my neck and spine. Athen, as I lay there in the silence with eyes closed, Erica rubbed this amazing ginger-scented lotion into the back of my neck and the base of my head.

I immediately thought of the woman who anointed Jesus, who broke open the alabaster flask and poured expensive ointment of pure nard over his head and feet (Mark 14:3-9). Some around Jesus were shocked that Jesus would allow such a sinful, worldly woman to touch him. Others were disgusted by the extravagance - wouldn't the value of the perfume have been better spent on helping the poor?

As I lay there, I got to thinking how we are all like that woman - sinful, broken, weak, sometimes even despised and ridiculed by others. And we are all like that expensive perfume, bottled in alabaster flasks - we are the extravagance of God's love, to be poured out onto each other, into one another's lives, to anoint and bless the sons and daughters of God.

God told me again last night how very much He loves me. He dressed me in purple. And He anointed me with perfume.

Once again, I am overwhelmed by the goodness and sweetness of God's love.

(A good morning to listen to this favorite hymn! - Thou Lovely Source of True Delight)