A Broken Heart And A Contrite Spirit

I awoke fighting mad this morning. I was ready to take on the giants who were conspiring to steal my daughters' innocents and noble feminine identity.

To keep the children engaged, I let Fifi practice to her heart's content for the concert that is coming up tomorrow, I made the occasional appearance outside to admire the snail habitat that Dumpling made, and advised Cuddlebug on diet options for the roly-polies and caterpillar that she was adopting. "Mommy, are Caderpillars and woly-polies fends?" (Which is to say, "Are they going to each each other?")

Then I made a lot of phone calls, Googled a few names, stated my case more than a couple of times and waited for return calls. And waited some more -- mostly in vain.

I learned a lot today as I pursued answers and accommodation from my local, #1 selling grocery chain over its check-out stand placement of a strikingly offensive Vanity Fair cover featuring the Sopranos:

I learned that rich grocery chain presidents don't have email addresses.

I learned that their managers will not return phone calls for which their secretaries have taken note and implied a promise.

I learned that otherwise respectable, professional young women -- even some with children -- do not recognize lewd behavior when it's staring them in the face.

I learned that Se% Crimes Vice Detectives are very kind and compassionate as they articulate the shallow standards by which their hands are tied to protect our society's most vulnerable citizens.

I learned that it is against the law to bare a female breast in front of a child.

I learned that it is NOT against the law for a person to cut a strategically placed, 15-inch-diameter hole in the back of their pants and expose themselves anywhere, at anytime, to anyone.

So, I think that means that nursing mothers can be charged with lewdness for nursing their babies comfortably in their own home,

And that we'll be seeing much more of our teen-aged neighbor's anatomy than we ever wanted to in about a generation's time.

I learned that all this craziness boils down to sloppy, negligent lawmakers who have not bothered to establish a community standard that will help the police protect our children.

"Ma'am, it's just that there's isn't any one person who can establish a community standard...."

And the Still, Small Voice of God inside me said, "The Lord establishes the standard."

And my heart broke into a million little pieces; and I sobbed great big, gasping cries on the phone with the sergeant.

I surprised myself by my reaction, but I didn't care. I wasn't embarrassed.

I learned that the grocery store president, and his managers, and his secretary...

The young woman in the check-out lane, the store director, the cashier...

The publisher, the photographer, the actors, the models...

The subscribers, the police...

The neighbors, the children, their friends...

The feisty driver in the next lane, the thief, the murderer...

All the children in the world: red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

And they are blind -- so terribly blind.
They just cannot perceive the wrong they embrace.
Many will not know that they have built their houses on sand until the waters of death tear them apart.

And it will be too late.

They will no longer be blind. They will bow the knee and confess that Jesus is Lord, and then they will be cast into darkness and into the fire.

Forever.

Never, ever ending.

No relief.

I am burdened for the Lost more than I have been in many months.
The feeling is both excruciating and exhilarating.

And I remember this morning's prayer and am amazed at His
Faithfulness.

And He let me share the Gospel with someone new today. And now I trust Him to grow the seed according to His will. And that will be enough.