This morning as I prepared for teaching, I felt quite happy. Why? Yesterday, I bought a beautiful shirt to wear to a conference I am speaking at over the weekend. Now, it is not my typical behavior to buy a new shirt when I speak, but I did this time. I really love my new shirt. It is a polyester blend that is so comfy on my skin. It has a simple white ruffle that crosses in layers over a black sheath. It is quite lovely. In fact, I put it on and looked in the mirror quite pleased with my purchase. I thought, “I look good in my new shirt!” As I turned to leave my bathroom I saw a brown spot. “Now isn’t that odd! I don’t remember my shirt having a brown logo!” I looked down only to realize that I dropped a nice fingernail sized dollop of my favorite lip paint. Yep! Lip paint! You know the kind that stays on your lips through talking, eating, kissing, and doing the dishes! I will confess to you I stomped right then and there! I stomped like a two year old and growled, too! UGH! Saying out loud, “Pride comes before the fall!” I had only worn the shirt five minutes!

I grabbed a towel and tried to press it off. It grew and smudged another spot!

Mmmh… Maybe if I used water… nothing! In a frenzy, I walked in circles…
Paint… paint… paint… What will take off paint? I know! Finger nail polish remover… NOPE, only a little fade. I ran to the utility room and grabbed the trusty Shout wipe.… nothing! Useless thing! I flung it aside. Wait, vinegar and water deactivates calcium deposits? Will it break up lip paint? Nope, I still had that ugly lipstick spot.

So, I tried hairspray! NOTHING! TWICE, I soaked my shirt with more hairspray than the ozone deserves! UGH, NADA!!! I still had that ugly stain. I started singing in my mind! I will glorify GOD to the tune of “I will call upon the LORD!” Yeah, I know I am weird. Anyhow, this is when I saw the OXYclean! Well, I might as well give it a shot. As I went to spray it I realized the pink wash clothes that I placed on the shirt to keep the stain from spreading underneath started to bleed on my shirt! YES! I now have a pink stain, too! DOUBLE UGH! I ran like a banshee to grab two white wash clothes. One for on the inside and one on the outside. I sprayed enough OXYclean to scrub my kitchen floor and took my white wash cloth and said out loud, “I WILL GLORIFY GOD, even in this!” I said it over and over! You have to know how absolutely strong and determined I was that the brown lip paint disappear. Suddenly, to my surprise white appeared under my scrub. I inhaled surprise! I looked down and it was gone! ABSOLTELY GONE! The pink was gone. Do I dare hope the brown lip paint disappeared, too? I slowly lifted my wash cloth holding my breath with anticipation and the brown lip paint was gone! It was washed as white as snow!

I am sending this out to all my beloved. Because, even in scrubbing a brown lip paint stain on a polyester white shirt, I will glorify the LORD! Please celebrate with me! HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW! (I know you can’t tell, but I am singing!)

By the way, I will wear it at the conference and next week to class just so you can see I am telling the truth! Praise GOD!