LET THERE BE PEACE

I really was not looking forward to today when I woke up.

With all the infighting at every turn for the past 6 months, I expected a hell day all day long.

I dressed mentally prepared to do battle: cheetah print to emphasize confidence, nonconformity, and empathy with those willing to work for the benefit of the whole; makeup to emphasize a confident, pointed, and definitive end to the bitter discussions that seem to be stuck in a competitive looping cycle that favors the tyrannical bullies (that was going to end one way or another by day's end!).

I was going into the lion’s den – I was geared up 😉

‘Gentle’ for brow highlight; ‘Mic Drop’ for lid color; sparkly black for lid accent & ‘liner’.

‘Soft Brown’ Brow Gel, ‘Glam Black’ Mascara, & ‘Coral Ember’ Blush.

‘Confident’ Lipstick & ‘Coral Crave’ Lipgloss.

 

Bring it on!

Instead, Elohim was already working on a peaceful solution to the issues at hand 😊

The first battle pretty much fizzled out the minute I began to speak: the peace of Yeshua was in the details. Even when I started the convo with, “I’m not here to compete in a popularity contest: I really don’t care who {feels offended} by what I say or do. I’m here on assignment … how you feel is on you. It’s not my job to make sure you feel good about what you hear from 11 AM to 1 PM, Mondays and Tuesdays. Things are a mess here, because there’s been waaaay too much kid-glove treatment concerning things that need tough love management. If you feel offended, figure out why – and deal with it as a responsible adult. But don’t blame your discomfort on me, or anyone else. I will shut down the blame game in a hot second. You are here today because you chose to be here: you won’t be held here against your will. You are free to leave at any time. But if you stay here, you will be expected to behave, and own any {discomfort} you may feel.” Then we got down to business, and no one left in a huff; things progressed well, and what was said was well received once it was understood that nothing would be candy-coated to “go down easy”, and that we would all benefit if – and when – we started working together for the whole.

The discussion actually bled over into the 2 PM timeframe … and everyone was chiming in, and making the gathering an enjoyable experience. It is very encouraging.

I had a two-hour lull between that first gathering and the second.

So, I drove into town to grab a quick bite of lunch 😉

Lunch at Country Folks Deli downtown before the Community Meeting.

Roast Beef Sandwich & Vegetable-Beef Soup; perfect for a cold day.

It’s the time of year that Christmas Cactuses start showing up in stores: so, I stopped at Lowe’s on my way out of town to see what they had. I was looking for a lighter pink shade – as well as an apricot blossoming cactus.

I spotted one of them … and I’m still searching for the other.

Christmas already ... and the Thanksgiving Turkey hasn't even been plucked.

A light pink Christmas Cactus; this is a rarity. Still looking for an apricot one.

I picked a friend up on my way to the Community Meeting (she’s a little banty hen ‘for the cause’, too 😉), and off we went to defend the castle; and snatch the scorched earth out of the hands of the bully tyrants who have set themselves up as god-judge-and jury.

Again, Elohei was in the details … and the whole thing went off without a hitch: the wicked witch stayed home, and her flying monkeys behaved. The dreaded ordeal flowed smoothly, and ended on an up note 😊

Though I had been selected to take the witch and her monkeys to task – I didn’t have to engage in a full-on battle; what I said was said peacefully, and gently. And it was received without rancor.

I was very pleasantly surprised, grateful, and very – very – thankful.

To God be the glory. Amen.