So too shall the Baptist Minister and The Mormon High Priest have lunch at my mother's house with Love in their hearts and carne asada on their plates.
And how could anyone feel anything but Love in the face of my mother's famous carne asada fajitas?
When my dad told me my cousin, Dr. Jim Smyrl The Baptist Minister, would be joining us for Sunday lunch I worried. I don't know Jim well. All I know is he preaches to a congregation of 8 THOUSAND and the last time I saw him I was a child dripping sticky ice cream treats in the Carolina steam all over him and the interior of his car. I didn't know what to expect.
Would he be one of those bible-bashing-hell-and-brimstone-be-a-Baptist-or-perish type of guy? I've met that kind of Baptist before.
Perhaps he was concerned we would have a set of Mormon missionaries and a Book of Mormon hiding in the pantry to jump out and assault him with our religious stance. Maybe he was worried we would pin him down and read to him from our Doctrine and Covenants. I've met that type of Mormon before.
None of those things happened. This blog post would be far more exciting if they had. And for that, I apologize.
None of those things happened and I'll tell you why.
I was in the presence of Men of God.
There is nothing that impresses me more than an intelligent, funny, kind, peaceful, Solid Man of God. The Man of God is Powerful. Has the highest power available to man lent to him by the very Creator of Heaven and Earth. The Man of God is aware of his natural fallen state within and has risen above. Jim is such a man. My father is such a man. My husband is such a man.
I'm not concerned with a specific religious sect or denomination. Love is Love, folks.
The spirit felt at the table today was uplifting and beautiful. Light and happy.
I could feel Jim's positive Light immediately.
I want to be that kind of person. I want you to meet me and immediately feel a calming peace. I'm not there yet. That feeling can't be faked with a smile and great designer jeans paired with an awesome top from Nordstrom, 5 inch red stilettos and some super fab chandelier earrings. (Although I would be sooooo cute in that outfit!)
The feeling I hope to exude someday simply IS. It is because of Who I am inside this earthen vessel.
And so it was at lunch today that the Mormon and the Baptist let their Light so shine before [one another] that they may see their good works and glorify their Father, which is in Heaven.
**************************************************
In other news, I've started weight lifting again. I'm done running like a rat on a wheel for a while. I've realized that running without weight training just makes me a smaller, flabby version of my larger flabby self. Weight training sculpts and tightens and I knew that but I was sick of that gym rat smell.
I lifted hard this week. Every muscle in my body SCREAMS at the slightest movement.
My husband thinks it's funny to pinch and poke my tummy, legs, arms, back and ...um... *cough* ...pecs. I cry out in pain (and a little pleasure). Then he laughs. It's SICK! He's a SICK SICK man! (Apparently I dig sick men.)
Here is me attempting to dust my furniture today. I realize I am slightly dramatic about things... But this is REAL! I ain't cryin' wolf here. No sir.
See how I am lame? (And also how lame I am?)
It's a good pain. Hurts so good, ya know? Every time I stand up, sit down, sneeze, jump on my bed or flap my arms, I am reminded by the shooting pain that my muscles are ripped to shreds and in the process of recovery. Soon I will rival Arnold in the years when he was really sexy. I will be the female sexy Arnold. I'll be baaack...
Wow. That was lame. How I quoted Arnold. See how I am lame and also how lame I am?
I think I'm pretty funny. But also I'm laughing because my it hurts to breathe and I feel pretty silly about that. And I ache so much I kinda want to cry a little. Instead I'll laugh.
PS My skirt is a Mexican fiesta. It dances good. VIVA!
