Strawberry Salad on Thursday Mornings

“Dear God, thank you for friendship and strawberry salad on Thursday mornings.”

Thus began a four and a half hour lunch date with a dear friend whom I hadn’t seen in over a year. We started our time together with homemade potato chips and ended it with pepperoni pizza. We had salads, sandwiches, and coffee in between, and we talked and talked and talked, both laughing and crying along the way.

Shortly after we parted, I called another dear friend with whom I hadn’t actually spoken in months. We’d been playing phone tag and sending quick texts here and there, but we hadn’t actually talked, and I was feeling the void left by missing our talks.

Conversation is so very important. And words are so very powerful. So for someone who is extraverted and thrives off of words of affirmation, days like today are unusually life-giving.

…

One afternoon while shopping with friends, I found myself magnetically drawn to an area of the store that my friends did not see. It was upstairs, away from everything else, and it was filled with beautiful art. Every piece of art was handmade and depicted a saying that was poignant, humorous, blunt, or wise.

After about fifteen minutes of separation, I heard my friends looking for me. I went to the top of the stairs, looked down, and happily declared, “I’m up here. I found words!”

…

I’ve written about the importance of words in my life before tonight. In fact, I think I once declared myself a word harvester after spending hours saving particularly meaningful and encouraging texts.

So when I hear positive words like,
“I believe that you have all the wisdom you need to make this decision,”
or receive cards in the mail that say,
“Your leading the music at [church] gives our worship services a special mood and effect. Sunday’s service gave me a needed lift,”
I feel very good.

But when I hear negative words like,
“She doesn’t need to speak so much,”
or have someone tell me,
“Everyone in the [group] likes you. Well, maybe not everyone, but almost everyone,”
I feel very bad.

But it’s not just that. I don’t just feel bad. I hear the words over and over again in my mind. They become a broken record that creates so much noise that it drowns out all words of good—and I dare say all words of truth. The power of positive words can be eclipsed by the power of negative words; therefore, as much as words can build me up, they can also tear me down.

Words are both my salvation and my kryptonite.

…

So it’s no wonder that I was so happy when I found words while shopping.
And it’s no wonder that my heart is full tonight after spending hours today talking with friends.
But it’s also no wonder that I’ve been struggling to soften some negative words that surfaced a few weeks ago and have only intensified since.
It’s no wonder that I’ve been struggling to quiet my mind so that I can hear
God’s words of truth.

…

I have a feeling I’m not the only person struggling with words right now.
I have a feeling I’m not the only person in need of more strawberry salad and less condemning noise.
I have a feeling I’m not the only person who needs to hear a clear word from God.

…

May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in thy sight, oh Lord our God. Our strength and redeemer. Our rock and our salvation. Hear this prayer and guide our paths, oh God.

And bless the hands that prepare our strawberry salad.