Strands of Hope

The saleswoman asked if she could help us. My daughter said, "Those blue strands on the Christmas tree there...do you have more of those?" The saleswoman searched but couldn't find any but those on the tree.

"I am trying to move my mom beyond a pure white and clear Christmas tree," Asherel confided, "Last year I got her to get blue flowers, and now I have talked her into that blue strand, but ..."

"I understand," said the young saleswoman, "I want purple hair but all I can get away with while working here is this. [ a reddish orange gold]. I'm slowly easing them towards the purple. No way could I get away with my lip ring though."

"But you're rocking all those earrings," Asherel said. (She had about 4 pairs adorning her ear lobe.)

"They won't notice if I just add a little at a time," the saleswoman said.

"Like boiling a frog slowly," I  said, "They'll never know when you transition to outrageous."

"Right," she said. "Listen, I'll just take these blue strands off this demo tree."

"I don't want to ruin your demo tree..." I said.

"Not a problem! Good job moving her into some blue," she said, winking at Asherel, and handing me the strand of blue.

This morning, I will join 4,000 other people for the last of Love Life's prayer walks around the street that loops Charlotte's busiest abortion center.  I volunteer on the sidewalks of that dark place each Monday, offering hope and help to the abortion-minded mamas.

The Love Life prayer walks started small, but each weekend, different churches joined in. Today is the last walk. Little things like strands of blue on a white Christmas tree begin to infiltrate, and you never know what the end effect might become. Small voices lifted in single strands in the chilly blue morning become a thundering, joyous profusion decorating the path of destruction with the Hope of Heaven.

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Asherel didn't push me on my yearly clear crystal ornament tradition though. She picked out an unusual one that we both loved after searching the whole Christmas store.

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Join us for the Prayer Walk, from 9-11:30 today. Info HERE. And afterwards, come say Hi to me in the Cities4Life tent. You never know what color it might add to your day.

Matthew 18:20 

For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”