Gee, Your Blog Smells Terrific

Do you remember that shampoo from the 70's? (I think that's when it was from---some time many moons ago in my childhood.) I remember my older cousin having that shampoo and I thought she was so cool. She also used Close-up toothpaste and drank Tang and Nesquick. These were not brands my mother purchased. This cousin also had Barry Manilow records and bell bottom-ish pants. Maybe this was early 80's. I don't really have anything time wise to relate it to.

Isn't it funny the things you remember about a person?
I mean, it's not like this cousin is walking around today with all those items always on her person. "Excuse my extremely large purse. I have to always
have close at hand my Close-up
toothpaste, Tang, Nesquick, and
Gee Your Hair Smells Terrific shampoo.
I never leave home without them."
She would probably laugh if she knew
I associate these things with her.

Those advertisers know what they are doing though,
don't they? Planting catchy phrases and jingles in our heads.
I thought of one the other day
that I had not thought of in ages.
Remember the old commercial for some kind of margarine
where the lady would say
"It's not nice to fool Mother Nature" ?
I don't know why Mother Nature was mad about
the margarine, but she was.

Okay--enough of the trip down Memory Lane.
I want you to take a deep breath.
Go ahead. Lean towards the screen and breath deeply.
Do you notice anything?
Like, perhaps, the absence of The Big Stink?
Because it is gone!
Praise the Lord, it is gone.
Now yes, there is a lingering odor. That will leave gradually
as we get some more fresh air flowing through our lives.
A stink like this is bound to leave something unpleasant
behind, but I have to tell you what, as unpleasant and
stinky as The Big Stink has been, it has also been a precious
time in our lives. God has used this time in our lives so much.
I wouldn't even know where to begin to tell it.

I got to thinking about the words to a song we sang
at church tonight. (Do you ever have to just stop singing
and read the words on the page and
let them sink into your heart?
Even if it's a song you have sung all your life, it's like all of a
sudden, it means so much more to you.)

I'll share the lyrics with you. It's an old hymn called
"He Giveth More Grace" written by Annie J. Flint.
I looked and looked to find a version of it sung by Al Smith.
That's how I always think of this song---the perfect version
of it in my mind would be sung by Alfred B. Smith as
I heard it in my childhood. But I couldn't find that anywhere.
So I'll just share the words with you:

He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,
He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;
To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,
To multiplied trials he multiplies peace.

When we have exhausted our store of endurance,
When our strength has failed ere the day is half done,
When we reach the end of our hoarded resources
Our Father’s full giving is only begun.

His love has no limits, His grace has no measure,
His power no boundary known unto men;
For out of His infinite riches in Jesus
He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.

So here's what I am thinking about this time

we have spent under the stress and pressure and all the

problems that have come with The Big Stink---

It has caused us to have extra grace and strength

lavished on us from God.

I am so thankful for that.

"He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater."

That has been my experience in this unpleasant time.

Am I glad it's over? YES.

Do I wish it had never happened? YES.

Am I still a spoiled rotten child of God

who has every reason to only ever

praise, praise, praise God? More than ever.

So go ahead. Say it.

Gee, your blog smells terrific.