Mo Lips---

3/7/10 ….no “mo” lips’ stories. I’ve learned my lesson.
Have you ever made a serious sensitivity faux pas? Recently Larry and I (under duress) had our picture made for the church directory. It was relatively painless except Larry said I needed to relax so I wouldn’t look constipated. You get the idea of the trauma I was under.

After our couple pose, the photographer wanted to do a single shot of me. I, (with my"cancer mouth" surgery scars) less than graciously, declined.  To make matters worse, we then went back out to the “holding” area to wait a turn to preview the pix. I and my big mouth (1/2 of it is big, anyway) preceded to announce that I declined to take the individual shot. “Why would anyone want a single picture of this old lady?” I asked in a somewhat deprecating manner. I guess I could use it as a coffin picture I jokingly said. Then I looked across the aisle at a precious, godly widow who no longer had someone to join her in her photo. I wanted to crawl under the chair. Where was my sensitivity? This world doesn’t revolve around my face and my surgeries---a mind’s eye photo of self-preoccupation loomed large and ugly.

That emotional shock really came home to me last week as I received the 8x10 picture in the mail. (At first, it loomed large and ugly to me.) I even saw Larry wince as he looked at it. But, it’s not about my semi-incorrectly aligned mouth any more. It’s about gratitude. I’m grateful that I don’t need a coffin picture yet. I’m grateful that God forgave my insensitivity faux pas. I’m grateful for life lessons taught by a loving God and embraced by a forgiving widow.