When I was I was born I went to live with my aunt and uncle, on their ranch, in a small small city of Golconda, NV. 15 miles east of Winnemucca. You know, I wouldn't even really call Golconda a city, it is more like, a sneeze on the map. When my aunt and uncle moved, they were one of 3 homes that were there. It is a desert. Miner country. (and why they chose that land, my uncle worked in the mines) My uncle purchased 40 acres of dirt and developed it over the years. 26 years later Golconda has grown. It now consists of about 100 people, a post office, and a bar. However, that ranch, is beautiful. A windbreak of trees, a horse corral, a beautiful home, a huge shop. It will always be a place I call "home". However, 26 years ago...desert.
Now that I have laid out the landscaping of this long ago "home" for me. I will say, you can imagine what free time for a toddler looked like there. Your typical things, catching lizards, crying at the sight of a snake, getting EXTREMELY dirty, and lots of bath times. We had a beautiful golden retriever named Josie. Josie was my "protector". From the moment I moved there, she never left my side. She slept by my crib. When I cried, she was right there. And when I started walking, she went EVERYWHERE with me. The poor thing was the most patient pup. When we were outside I would pick up rocks and feed them to her and she would carefully take them in her mouth, just to please me.
One of the family favorite stories to be told (always by my aunt) is the "Powder Nose Joe" story. After my many hours of playing outside I would of course have to be thrown into a bath. When I was a clean kid again, I instantly left behind my snake chasing, lizard catching, boy ways behind, and became a girl! I begged for the powder to be taken out. After my aunt had powdered my face in the most dainty of ways, the routine was for me to call for Josie. He was my side kick after all. So naturally, I had powder, she needed powder too. So I would make my call. "POWDER NOSE JOE!" and wait. One more time. "POWDER NOSE JOE!" I never had to guess if she would show up or not. Soon enough Joe would come around the corner. She knew what was coming. But she never failed to show up. She never had a look of dread in her face. She just faithfully came. She would walk up to the counter. Sit down in front of me and wait. I would take the pad, fill it with powder, and POOF! One hit to the nose! Suddenly my beautiful dark golden retriever was as white as a sheet. She would wag her tail and leave the room. And she would continue to show up, day after day, and let a this little toddler who she loved, powder her noes.
Day after day it was just as messy, just as annoying, but she loved me.
Faithful one.
This morning I recalled that story being told at Thanksgiving this year. And I smiled. However, this morning, I was reminded of the story in a different light.
I saw the scene in my head.
The little Amanda walking out of the house. Dirt flying because she is just learning to walk and her feet drag a little. Tiny rocks being picked up and stuffed into Joe's mouth with no complaint. Just gentle eyes watching me as I told her she needed to eat. Being pulled away when there was a snake near by. The cup to the mouth to carry my voice as I called her to have her nose powdered. The puff of white snowy colored powder. And a loving white faced dog, wagging her tail to tell me she just enjoys her time with me. Still wagging her tail and she leaves the room.
This is what I heard:
"Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day. Nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday." --Psalm 91:3-6
Powder Nose, oh faithful pup.
When I think about my childhood and what growing up was like, I see nothing but the divine grace and beautiful redemption of God. His faithfulness is beyond anything I could every hope, dream, ask, or wish for. In that moment, seeing the memory unfold, being narrated by this verse. The Lord gently reminded me how he has been "my Joe" my entire life.
"Surly Amanda I have saved you from the enemies snare, and from deadly pestilence. I have covered you with my feathers, and under my wings you have found your refuge; My faithfulness has been your shield and rampart. You do not have to fear the terror of the night or the arrow that flies by day. Nor the pestilence that stalks you in the darkness, or the plague that destroys at midday."
Read it with your name my friends.
In the moments that we were learn to walk and can barely lift our feet. With each trip, each fall, and each scuffed knee. He is there. Walking beside us.
In the moments where there are snakes and snares we are unaware of because we are to busy exploring life. He is there. Protecting us.
In those moments when things seem so right to us in our small minds. When we try to convince the Lord that our way of thinking is correct and that surely we know best. He does not spit the rocks out of his mouth in front of us. (all the time anyways) and gently allows us to learn from our mistakes. And then continues walk with us.
In those moments when we call. Oh friends, when we call. When we call for the same things over and over again. The hurts, the pains, the struggles. When we have washed ourselves clean of the dirt, only to dirty ourselves again. Those moments when old habits have died hard and we are have found ourselves coming back to those old routines. When we cup our hands to our mouths and call out for him to come. He comes. No questions asked. No second thoughts. He comes. Knowing who we are, knowing where we are going, knowing the choice we will make the next day. He continues to come.
Powder Nose, oh faithful Savior.
There are so many times were we look back at times in our lives and see the hurts and pains, but fail to see that we were not alone. So often we do not remember that as our heart breaks, so does his. As we rejoice, so does he. I encourage you to remember friends that whether we choose to acknowledge or not, we never have been, are not, and never will, walk alone. We will always have someone there beside us.
Sometimes we are to "young" in understanding to know exactly what He is doing. Or to wrapped up in our own thoughts and plans to see what is in front of us. And sometimes we just flat out ignore the reality of what we are choosing, however, he will faithfully comes.
Who am I Lord that you should be mindful of me?
One of my favorite things about the Lord is that despite how we see ourselves and despite where we allow our decisions to take us. His faithfulness sees JUST us. Purely us. Not our "junk"...just us. The way he created us. His reflection. His pride and joy.
No matter how many times we call for that "powder nose" moment. He will come.
What in your life right now needs that moment with the Lord? That unresistant moment of presence with Him?
Cup your hand to your mouth my friend.
He can't wait to answer.
