I Deserved Cousin Eddie

The other night one of my besties had a birthday. She invited several of her friends out for dinner. Picture: Nine of us...pullin' up in mini-vans. Empty car seats. Dressed to the nine. Well, I was dressed "to the eight." I don't own "to the nine" clothes at the moment. I really need a wardrobe update.

Anyway, nine of us....at dinner. No kids.

One word....Conversation.

I was in adult heaven. No interruptions - except for a server asking to serve me. I could have hugged her. It was so fun. SO SO fun.

Let me warn you of something... If we are ever in a dinner setting together and you are NOT in the mood to talk soul deep, please don't sit near me. I just can't help it. I love people. I love hearts. I love hurts. I love soul level.

Just warning you. :)

So, low and behold, I sit by a dear acquaintance. We have been together several times on similar occasions. She is a kindred, sweet spirit. I just adore her. Beautiful. Sassy. Classy. Smart. Funny.

And she starts to share with all of us about stepping out into the dating scene. After a divorce. At almost forty-years-old. It has been difficult for her.

Sweet her. She loves the Lord and is pursuing him. And He is growing her.

But she shared that she feels as if the type of man she would love to meet would not be "into her." A good, Godly man. I think she feels as if she has a black mark on her folder reading DAMAGED GOODS.

Well, I don't know all her details and I don't need to know. But what I DO know is we ALL should have a metaphorical black mark on our file reading DAMAGED GOODS. That is what we are. Damaged. Broken. We deserve strikes against us. That is what we deserve.

But, in Christ, that is NOT what we get.

In Christ, we receive compassion. We receive abounding love.

Grace.

I said to her, "Oh girl. That is not how it works. God does not treat us as our sins deserve. He adores you. As far as the east is from the west, he has removed our transgressions." (Psalm 103:10,12)

Pause.

Yesterday, I was sweeping my floor while listening to Pandora. The song Agnus Dei came on (playing now). It is one of the most worshipful songs to ever grace my ears. I walked down the isle to this song (not Third Day's version, but you get the picture).

I met my future husband to this song.

I did not deserve that.

I did not deserve a beautiful wedding and an amazing groom.

I deserved to walk the isle to Metallica. I deserved some poorly tattooed, smelly Elvis preacher/impersonator reading me my vows. I deserved marrying Cousin Eddie from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. I deserved honeymooning in a swanky RV campsite. If that nice.

THAT is what I deserved.

But instead. God gave me a Godly husband. Three precious boys.

Instead, God gave me His great love.

He gave me His Name.

Unpause.

I wanted to tell her more about this Psalm. But I couldn't remember it all. I wanted to tell her that His plans for her are good. Not to harm her. To give her a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Pursue Him. The rest will fall into place.

So friend, if you're reading...here it is. This is God's love letter to you.

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
Slow to anger, abounding in love.
He will not always accuse,
Nor will He harbor his anger forever;
He does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
as far has the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
As a father has compassion on his children,
so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.
But from everlasting to everlasting
The Lord's love is with those who fear him.

Psalm 103:8-14,17

Be mindful today of his Grace. Love you all...