Hot Rocks and Swiss Rolls

Ladies, this one is for you. The hype of the Valentine’s Day season usually ends with all the disappointment of real life compared to a romance novel. In light of that, maybe this will be a balm to your wounds.

Do you remember how it was to be about 16 years old? Maybe that was the official “car-date” age for you as it was for me. Leading up to this monumental freedom was a period of time where your girlfriends were your all in all. There was nothing better than time with your best-friends, (besties or BFFs in today’s language). You giggled and laughed. You shared deep-dark secrets and swore to never tell (and didn’t, imagine that). You cried about the mean girls and exchanged everything from socks to hairstyles. There was nothing you didn’t know about each other and you knew that nothing would ever separate you. Then came car-dating.

Remember how it was? From across the class room, or basketball court, or chess-board (OK probably not), you saw him. He glanced at you. Your knees turned to jelly and your heart was set ablaze. You could think of nothing else, talk of nothing else, and your besties were kind enough to indulge your fantasies of true love. Then he asked you to go to the movies and the romance began. Remember what else happened? You dropped your friends like a handful of hot rocks.

Yep. We all did it. Even if we didn’t intend to do it, the focus of our lives shifted from lip-gloss to lip locks. And let’s face it ladies, lip locks win out every time. Yeah, we probably felt some remorse, and when our beloved was not around, we longed for a good heart-to-heart with our best girl friends, but we were willing to make the sacrifice for true love. My point? Well, it might take some explaining so bear with me.

When I was about seven and a half months pregnant, I ate an entire box of Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. The entire box. In one sitting. That’s 6 twin packs, or (count ‘em) 12 Swiss Rolls. I ate them sitting in my car in front of the Target store where I had stopped to buy…you guessed it, Little Debbie Swiss Rolls. I could blame the episode on pregnancy, but truthfully that would just be an excuse to cover up what was really going on. I was scared. I was unbelievably insecure in my ability to be a good mother (And stuffing twelve Swiss Rolls through to my unborn son was a great start, don’t you think?).

I wanted to have a complete emotional flip-out, but needed, for the sake of my own sanity, to cram those fears and insecurities down as far as I could get them so that I could remain in control. Twelve Swiss Rolls did the trick, and in the way all best friends do, they soothed my tears, patted my back, stroked my hair, and whispered reassuring words to me as I cried in the dark.

You may not have the same best friends that I do (and I have more than one, because I am very popular in this regard) but I bet you have a handful of your own. As women, we tend to be drawn to friends like say, romance novels, dishing-the-dirt, and shopping. Maybe your best friends include sleep that comes from a pill or a bottle, TV, exercise, or compulsive work. Maybe your best friend is your great big house and all your pretty dishes, or the fancy car you drive. I don’t know your best friends, but I certainly know my own. I love them. They make me feel good. They make me feel safe, and accepted, and loved. They give me security and identity and a sense of power. They will be my Best Friends Forever!

Until I fall in love. I don’t mean settling for a car date with my BFF in the back seat. Christ, my beloved, is coming for me! He is riding on His white horse and His name is “Faithful” and “True”. His eyes are blazing with fire, and He has come to take His bride to the banquet. Be still my heart!! Be quiet my besties!! I don’t need you anymore, for my True Love has come. He will never leave me or forsake me. He draws my eyes away from everything that has been His shabby substitute. He has captured my heart, my mind, my soul. He leaves no room for thoughts of others, leaves no open invitation to other friends.

He completely satisfies me with His great romance. He will never leave me with a sugar headache and guilt (or an extra two pounds). He will never leave me trying to find a new anesthesia. He will never leave me alone with my friends crowding around clamoring for attention, demanding I descend from my “high” so that they can build me back up. “Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a)

Oh wait! That’s my best friend’s ring tone…I gotta get… “How beautiful you are my darling! Oh, how beautiful!” (Song of Solomon 4:1)…never mind, I’ll call her back later. Maybe. Now what was that you were saying, my love?

Like I said ladies…a handful of hot rocks!