THIN HIDES AND CAMOUFLAGED LIES

                "Good morning ma'am, thank you for shopping Edenland Grocery.  Did you find all you needed today?" Cashier Beth Ann smiled.

                "What kind of stupid question is that!" Peggy Pagon slung arrow of error, pierced Beth Ann heart.

                Standing behind Peggy in checkout line, Merci sighed; saw the hurt of arrow in Beth Ann eyes; wondered if the effort to be Peggy's friend was worth it and why had she gone shopping with such a dragon mouth.  Merci bit her tongue till in the scorching summer concrete parking lot, till seated on the hot leather seat of Peggy's SUV.  Before Peggy could turn the key to air conditioned heaven... "Ya know, Peggy," Merci took breath, "that chip on your shoulder ain't wood."

                "What?" Not quite at blast off mode, Peggy contemplated pushing the launch button. "Just exactly, what are you saying, Merci?"

                "It stinks..." Merci braved.

                "So..." Peggy's shoe tapped not lightly on floorboard. "So you are saying I have what on my shoulder?" Peggy seethed thru sow pursed lips.

                Merci folded arms, answered with a little mock floorboard toe tapping of her own. "I'm saying you have a thin hide, Peg." Merci did not flinch.

                Peg's eyes flared, mouth breathed fire, "Get out.  Get your butt out of this vehicle right now!  I hate you!"

                "Camouflaged lies," Merci looked Peg straight in the eyes.

                "What?" Peg blinked.

                "Thin hides and camouflaged lies," Merci shook head, softly continued, "do not hide what ails Peggy Pagon.  Like smoke to the eyes, so is the veil of self told lies."

                "Here we go again," Peg puffed that smoke, "burn me at the stake for non-conformity."

                "Just the opposite," Merci down cheek shed tear of living water, "to keep you from burning."

                Peg huffed an almost let it go, "You really believe that, don't you, Merci?" Peg teetered twixt bluster or muster. "I get the thin hide thing.  I admit that I am a grouch.  I just don't feel good and I take it out on innocent folks.  I admit it, regret it, makes me even grouchier; but what do you mean by camouflaged lies?"

                "Exhibit A: You just said you hate me, your best friend since seventh grade at Moody Jr. High.  So, do you?" Merci sighed.

                "Do I what?" Peg evaded.

                Do you hate me?" Merci trembled.

                Peg saw the tears well anew in the eyes of Merci. "Don't you cry, Merci Grace." Too late she repeated, "Don't you cry no more."

                "Jesus," Merci breathed, "Jesus hopes to be your friend too.  He loves you even more than I do.  Can you even imagine the tears He shed for you?" Tears danced down the cheeks of Merci.

                Transfixed, Peggy fell into the eyes of Merci.  She reached out, touched that living water on Merci's cheek.  And for a moment, a moment of eternity, Peg saw His eyes. "What is happening to me?" It was as if the tear she touched had entered her, now filled her eyes, cascaded, danced down her face as well... and Peg prayed, "Please, dear Jesus, never let this end."

                And it came to pass, Peg held the hand of Merci Grace as they walked across hot concrete parking lot, back into the cool air conditioning of Edenland Grocery and straight as a righted arrow to the checkout line of one Beth Ann...

                ...Beth Ann, who before Peg could apologize, opened her arms, said, "I see an answered prayer."

                Merci Grace sorta summed it up, "Everybody is going to checkout sometime... The paradise of cool air conditioning and warm hugs is a real good option..."

Note: This author kept wanting to change the name of Peggy Pagon.  Every effort to do so met the no of a still small voice.  And so it stayed, but I wondered why, as the parable progressed, I felt compelled to shorten the name to Peg.  Peg... as in the hands of Jesus.  For we have all pierced the hands of Jesus... yet He holds out his hands to us... and when we take His hand... we remain in His hand forever...                

Romans 3:23 KJ, "For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God... 6:23 And the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

John 10:28 KJ, "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." Also found in Isaiah 49:16.

The hands of Jesus are mercy and grace... so should we all be also...