Especially Fond of Me

I am fairly certain that God created this evening simply because he is especially fond of me. It's not because of anything I have done or could do or will do. It's simply because the Creator of the Universe is also the Creator of Jamie and he is just plain delighted with me. He's smiling because I'm smiling and I'm smiling because he is. I do a million stupid, exasperating, rebellious things every day and sometimes his perfect and loving plan is to let me experience the consequences of my actions. But tonight was all about his fondness. And it was beautiful. What amazing love.

I went to yoga and simply enjoyed moving in my skin. It was only my second practice in the last 12 months, and I was worried that I would leave feeling... fat and clunky. But that's not what my especially fond God had in store. Instead I simply got to enjoy moving and breathing and bending and being inside of my skin. I got to experience, marvel at the wondrous design of my body.

And then - what a fabulous surprise he had planned for me - the prettiest dress in the whole wide world was on sale at Ann Taylor! For forty dollars, before my coupon! What an amazing hug from him to remind me that I am not only God's daughter, I am his beautiful princess. And he can dress me in dip dyed plum silk and even do it for a reasonable price.

Then I went to Borders to pick up a baby shower present for my beautiful sister, Kristen, and wouldn't you know that a fantastic jauntily-striped journal was on clearance, with lines on both sides of the page, just like I like it.

And then I picked up my favorite southwest chicken wrap from the little cafe next to Ann Taylor and came home and sat in our backyard in the crisp fall air, watching the sun set on my mountain and the stars come out, eating my chicken wrap and drinking a glass of red wine and smoking a clove (yes, smoking is bad, but I'm fairly certain that I'll die of a hundred other things before my 2 cloves every 6 months catches up with me) and simply marveling at my sweet and beautiful evening. It was a love letter from my Creator, just for me, and I am so very grateful for it.

What's next? I don't know... maybe I'll pull out the banjo and sing some crazy banjo love songs to my God. It's been too long since I've done that. And we'll have a good chuckle together at my not-so-skillful banjo playing. And I think that would make him smile. And that would make me smile.