Bloopers to Blessings Devotionals

Burnt Bellies & Unmentionables At The Office

       Many years ago, when we were still raising our family, my husband worked for a company that insisted on ‘ white shirt suit and tie’ business apparel.  That meant that even with some perma-press shirts ( that always needed some touch up back then) I spent considerable time ironing.  At first, as a young bride, I tended to resent this pastime. My dad had been a scaler who rolled and measured logs out on the log booms in the Frazer River so that they could be sorted into their best use once they entered the mill. He certainly didn’t wear a white shirt and tie to work; but did on Sundays. That made life a bit easier on my Mom.  But to get back to my story, I soon discovered that ironing provided a great time to pray and to memorize scripture.

    My husband worked for that company for more than 37 years, so my experience was lengthly.  I still have a small scar on my tummy where I mistakenly burned it with the edge of the iron when I carried the beautiful cargo of my daughter Melody.

   One morning in particular stands out in my mental album of Bloopers.  It was the morning rush hour at our house. We’d finished breakfast, and I was bagging lunches. My husband darted by, kissed me quickly with a “Have a good day”, and grabbed his brown bag lunch while  reciting his reminder words “Lunch, keys, pager, glasses, briefcase.”  While racing for the door, he began squirming into his suit jacket while switching to free appendages from all he carried.  It was then that I gasped.  Really gasped, and out loud too!  There, tightly ‘static clinging’ to the back of his nicely ironed shirt was a pretty pink pair of my unmentionables. The jacket went on and he was  getting nearer to the door when I yelled “STOP!”  He stopped and turned with a kind of freaked out look on his face. I ran to him, plunged my fist down under the back of his jacket and yanked out the stowaway drawers. “Oh that would have been great!” he smirked with a smirk that contained both relief and the foreboding of what could have been, then quick walked to his car and was gone. 

  My heart slowed down a bit and I returned to finishing lunches. My creative mind headed to his work place. .... He’s getting ready to do a computer fix in an upscale business office.  He sets down his briefcase, and begins taking off his suit jacket.  First there are the giggles of the female office workers and then the men start guffawing.  He stands in puzzled wonder.  Then, a secretary comes over and with a quick swish of her forearm, and great flourish, presents him with the pink undies. The world stands still.  He can’t help but show some amusement, but inwardly he is deeply embarrassed and knows that he will hear about this for months, years, maybe even for the rest of his life. ....  I knew that it wouldn’t have gone away for me either.  My memory of the situation attests to the impact that it could have had- humorous or not.

       It’s amazing how things can hide in our lives and hearts. We may not be aware of them, but them the Holy Spirit draws them to our attention. He won’t grasp them and pull them out of sight to protect our reputation. And yet, when they are made public, as  happens with all sins big or small, they will delight the enemy of our souls by scarring or destroying our reputation as a Christian. 

     Be sure your sin will find you out. Numbers 32:23 

  My husband certainly wouldn’t have wanted to stay in his state, but the sins that we conceal may be there because we rather enjoy them: secret habits, unholy thoughts or imaginations, or even forbidden relationships.  We know they are there, and, we know that they must go, for the sake of relationship with both God and man.  In some cases, if we are knowingly and purposefully sinning and flaunting God’s grace, our very eternal souls may be in danger.

Are you concealing ‘unmentionables’ where no one can see them?  God sees!   With God’s help, Rip them from their hidden place, and repent. God has a wonderful Moving company for his children. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.  Ps 103:12 

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Heb 12:1                                                                                                       

~Rosemary