Living Water -- True Dream Water!!

Standing behind her in line, time warped for a moment.  She with her basketful of a few items, I with one in each hand stood waiting, separated by a few steps both in line and in life.  Flesh hung in folds like wind-empty sails from her tired shoulders.  With no small effort she removed from cart to counter a package of Poise (adult diapers), and two boxes of Tylenol PM.  As quickly as she could bend and pivot, she in slow motion laid her items on the scarred counter to be rung up.  Ebony curls, parted awkwardly by her pillow, swirled out from an exposed patch of snowy scalp.  Purchase totaled, she hoisted a large wallet from her well-worn handbag and flipped it open revealing her checkbook.  Carefully she penned the date, drugstore name, dollars and cents, and finally her signature.  Minutes ticked on a low-battery clock as she produced her license.  All the while I watched resisting impatience, while she transferred the weight of years from counter to cart handle, preventing her collapse.

A nurse, I’ve learned to make note of small details.  While doing so in line, I replayed the scene I left moments before.  Bedroom of a dying man, calming blue, shag carpet preventing rolling of wheels, tension of final breaths, year-long seconds, the three of us standing just outside heaven’s door.  Indescribable details!  I left behind beautiful daughter laboring hard to usher with honor Dad into new realm.  I saw full circle – parent who labored to bring child into the world, lying silent helpless, as child labored to release parent out of this world into life without limits.  There I stood in line, mascara tear-mingled, stinging and ringing my eyes, seeing myself clearly behind patient and drugstore patron, separated by a mere vapor of time.

I’d started the day paying bills, a chore I’ll not miss!!  Discovering an incorrect charge on my statement set in motion a chain of frustrating events.  Keeping my focus, like scaling Mt. Everest, took more energy than I possessed, as did keeping the flood gates securely fastened.  So here I stood in line, issues unresolved, hospice nurse with an understanding of the brevity of life, emotionally and physically spent, peace-longing!!  All-Knowing God timed my waiting.  Minutes dragged, and I turned from the woman in front of me to the bin beside me.  Dream Water, 2 for $6, filled a display.  I strained to read the fine print, tickled!!  (Directions for use:  Drink a bottle to help deal with that energy drink you had earlier, a loud neighbor keeping you awake, and general stresses of everyday life…).  Happily skipping around the bottom of the cute little container were unemployed sheep.  Please understand I’m not debunking or endorsing this product – rather the timing and message spoken through both the woman at the counter and this sleep aid informed me undeniably of God’s Presence with me, and gave me a merry heart which doeth good like a medicine by bedtime that evening.  You see, I figured my bad hair day wasn’t so bad after all – next to bed-head due to the aches and pains of old age, having little time to go get a haircut seemed a good problem to have.  And while the world promotes drinking an artificial shot of energy and then later an artificial shot of peace, I’ll take the old school remedy, please!!  The woman in front of me had a different set of issues in her season of life, but surely we shared in common the desire for renewed strength (as of youths and eagles) and rest from toil (peace).

Open to God’s counsel in my weariness, I left the drugstore for a dear friend’s house where we watched the Breaking Free Session Six video.  Heart riveted, God spoke, plunging me deep into well of living water, filling bone-dry vessel with refreshing drafts of His life, at the same time satisfying Himself in the act of fulfilling me!!  He used John 4:1-18 to address my thirst for more, to point out why I had overreacted earlier in the day, beginning with paying the bills, fretting, feeling “robbed,” deceived, grappling for control.  He reviewed with me my unsuccessful attempts at refueling and refilling my tired and thirsty soul lately.  He exposed the true cost of impulsive behaviors, of earthly excess – no matter how seemingly harmless and acceptable.  I repented and agreed, and then He revealed the lies Satan repeatedly hooks me with as well as the weakness of my own flesh prone to settling for low-calorie, all natural ingredients, quick fixes to emptiness and weariness.  God comes to give abundant life – rich and filling, high in calories (fuel to burn), supernatural, with present and everlasting benefits.  I’m not only speaking of food and drink here!!!  Certainly you’ll agree, Dream Water is a far cry from Living Water, HE WHO FILLS AND SATISFIES US SO WE CAN REST.

The Lord capped off a wonderful night’s rest with dessert this morning served up in the following Scriptures:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  John 10:10

“You have made known to me the path of life; You will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.”  Psalm 16:11

“Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”  I Peter 1:8      

I pray my older sister back at the drugstore knows INEXPRESSIBLE JOY, and that with each step toward heaven’s door she and I both grow to love and believe Him more.  Then and only then will we be truly filled, our thirst quenched!!!

 

Drinking Deep In His Shadow,

Terry












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