The Makeup Counter

I know that this isn't a makeup counter--but it is a counter of sorts. I'm running this picture because today, I actually went swimming for the first time in about a month and this is supposed to be a blog that talks about swimming as a metaphor for living life in the liquid joy of forgiveness. Now I have done some swimming this year, but have been to busy to blog about it. Now it just feels good to be posting--as good as it felt to get into the water after almost a month...I can't even remember how long ago it was when I last went for a real swim.

It felt good to get into the water--I could feel some of the stress and tension flowing out of me as I kept going forward with steady strokes. Part of me wanted to be lazy and just do a little bit and coddle myself, but I kept saying, OK, just get over yourself, already! Keep going! It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be--not quite an hour, and 30 laps, so I was pretty happy. I didn't loose too much ground, at least I didn't think that I did. If I had been able to do a full hour, I think I could have done a whole mile...and hopefully it won't be another month till I get to try it. We are headed into a very busy season, and my head is already spinning.

I had various friends and loved ones react to my "catching fire" event in various ways. A few were incredibly sympathetic, but were quite honest in telling me that there was an aspect to the whole thing that made them, giggle, laugh, guffaw, snicker and otherwise have some sillies spill out of them, even though they tried hard to suppress them. Hey, who could blame them? This whole episode has been simply ridiculous, and a grace from God all at the same time--just another thing to help me get over myself. It wasn't the first by a long shot, and it won't be the last I'm afraid. I'm a pathetically slow learner at times. "Through many dangers, toils and snares I have already come, 'Tis grace that brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home." The truth is that God is trying to etch into my heart and mind and soul the kind of math He does as He adds and subtracts from my life. The most important equation to learn is this: Jesus + nothing = Everything!

There's nothing I can do to add to what He's done. He's done the work, and I need to rest in it, and as I rest, put forth my best effort to live for His glory as a thank offering, as that living sacrifice. And whenever that living sacrifice tries to crawl off the altar and run out the door, I'm determined to grab it by the scruff of the neck, and by His grace, haul it back there where it is supposed to be in the first place, because He loves me.

OK, now let's get to the makeup counter. I have to be honest with you--the day I had planned to go with my friend CC's support turned out to be a very wet and nasty day--and we had a very early (4:30 AM to be precise) distress call from Mom and Dad--and I was pretty convinced that I was going to need to make a trip out to the East Bay. So, I called and said, "Girlfriend, I'm sorry, but under the circumstances, I think I'd better hang here, just in case, to be available. But my hubby said he'd go with me on Saturday, so that's the deal."

Well, my dear friend was so excited. Hallelujah--another example of a husband loving his wife the way the Messiah loves His bride! "Take pictures," she said. "Before (without eyebrows) and after (when you are all beautified and your eyebrows are perfectly shaped and gorgeous)."

I have to be honest with you. She wanted me to post them. Well, problem one is that I don't think my pictures are going from my cell phone into the "cloud" whatever that is and my phone is now charging and off. I have to get my son-in-love the computer genius to help me figure that cloud business out at some point! So, I'd have to send the photo to my computer from my phone because I have no idea where they are on the computer, and I'm too tired. But since I won't have my computer for a few days, I won't be able to post--and I don't want to keep you in suspense.

Truth be told, I did take pictures--but my before picture looked hideous to me. My eyes were so puffy and swollen in the aftermath of my flame up. I looked about a hundred-thousand years old (don't you hear my father's voice in the background: "I've told you a MILLION TIMES not to exaggerate!"). At least I felt that when when I looked at my photo. The after picture was a bit better, but believe me--some sights are better left kept under wraps!

So we did our walk by the beach (this photo shows a place where we tend to stop and look at the waves and watch the pelicans fly in formation), and then headed to the mall. Hubby had an errand to do at Eddie Bauer--and he said, "Go to Nordies and get started and I'll meet you there!"

ULP! Holy Moral Support, Batman, you mean I have to do this myself?
So I texted Bex.
"Hon, where should I go, MAC or Clinique?"
"Go to Clinique, they're way nicer!"

Okie dokie--so now I had a place to go. I was absolutely unadorned, in all my "glory" not a drop of makeup anywhere. No eyebrows either. The counter was buzzing, and they weren't even giving away anything at that point. I contemplated forgetting the whole thing. I was very self-conscious of being in my walking clothes and not a "shopping outfit."
There were a boatload of people interested in getting beautified. I was just hoping to come out of the experience looking normal!

A cute gal named Amy finally came over and asked if she could help me. I took a deep breath. "I have a very strange story about why I'm here today, and I'm hoping you won't laugh...."
With that introduction, she was all ears. Amy turned out to be very kind, in addition to being perfectly made up. She also seemed very, very young...I have to tell you, I think that I have some sox in my dresser drawer that are older than she is...but she was so sweet. She was horrified when she heard about the flame up, and had a deeply concerned look on her face in all the right places as I told my story. When I was done she sighed. "Oh, I'm so glad you are OK! It could have been so much worse!" She was so sweet, so sympathetic, that if I had the money, I would have probably been tempted to by one of everything there, because she was so very kind. Good thing that the budget was limited and that my hubby came along shortly after I was seated in the chair, and she was making me eyebrows. That brought me back to reality. (No Virginia, there is no Santa Claus. And if there were, he'd be too poor to buy you the entire Clinique skin and makeup line today!)

I have to say that Amy's a good teache, so if you need faux eyebrows, she's your gal! Amy created one for my left eye, showing me step by step, and then it was my turn to apply the powder over my right eye and create the arch. My first attempt was clumsy and I felt a bit like the bride of Frankenstein on the right side. Amy helped fix it, and we tried it again. It was a little wobbly at first, but by the time I was done with attempt number two, I was fairly happy with it and so was Amy. So I brought the brow powder and a brush to go with it, and was ready to face the world.

As for my husband--I think that he was relieved that I went to Clinique instead of MAC. Some of the men working there looked seriously scary to him, and I'm not sure that he was willing to trust my face into their hands. Or get much closer. Me either. To top it all off, the music emanating from their general direction was loud and obnoxious.

So, when I got do do lunch with my friend CC that next Monday, she took a look at me and kindly said, "You'd never know you caught fire...you look great!"

Ah, what a priceless treasure a faithful friend is. You may look like something the cat dragged in, you may be bedraggled and in need of a major refurbishment and sorting out, but a faithful friend will look past the outside, be very kind about what she may see, and make you feel beautiful and loved and cherished. She'll remind you with a grin, that it won't matter in a hundred years, and you'll laugh, and be thankful that you are the age you are right at the moment.

The same day we did lunch, it occurred to me that I ought to check in with my eye doctor. I'm afraid to tell you how slow on the uptake I am! My doc was horrified, on one hand, but also had trouble trying not to laugh at the fact that I was more worried about my vaporized eyebrows than my eyes. Turns out my eyes are fine, and I just need some liquid tears for a few days so I'm comfy. Don't worry, she said, the brows will grow back.

We have an early flight tomorrow, so I'm going to post this now.
And my daughter was right--they are way nicer at Clinique...