Redemption Stories and Sister-Friends

What’s your redemption story?

This month, we’ve been focusing on stories, writing, sharing, living, and reading them. One of my favorite summer stories is one of redemption, pretty birds and bird poop, and authentic sisterhood.

The story I remembered involves three moms I have shared stories with for over 20 years. We have walked together through both pretty bird and poopy bird stories and seen God’s redemption story working through them all. I pray this simple story compels you to share your stories in community as a radical reminder of God’s wild and glorious ways.

My Redemption Story Part 1: Pretty Birds

Early on a humid Saturday morning, I was enjoying a vigorous workout walk on the beach with these three dear sister-friends.

Conversation meandered from the mundane,

“I wonder if it will rain later,”

to the musing and a-musing:

“How did we go from discussing diapers to dating without any signs of personal aging:)…?”

Sister-friend one spotted a flock of birds in formation and practically clapped her hands in delight at God’s creation, “Look how pretty the birds are!”

My Redemption Story, Part 2: Bird Poop

And I said….
I said…
Yes, well, I’m ashamed to say, I said…

“Until they poop on you.”

Yes, that’s what I said.  I don’t know what came over me.  Well, I sort of do.

One kind sister-friend burst into laughter and remonstrated gently, “ELIZABETH!!”

With her response, I too wondered at myself.  Why would I rain so liberally on my first sister-friend’s delight?  What was with me?

Redemption Story Part 3: Seeking Truth in Community

Though it was sort of a silly moment, I could not shake it from my mind.  God had been tugging at me lots about my cynicism and negativity.  I felt alternately sad and shocked at my remark.  The memory of the moment followed me for the rest of the day.

Later that night, I was talking with one of these stalwart sister-friends who had the grace to be shocked at my cynicism. We were discussing our fierce desire to put our toxic-tongue-disease behind us.

I said, “It’s like the comment I made this morning.  It seems like God is frequently revealing this tendency toward negativity.”

She explained, “What struck me about it is that you are NOT a negative person.  I don’t think of you as cynical.  It just seemed so out of character.”

And together we wondered about it.  She’s right.  My nature is to be an encourager.  But I do have a long streak of cynicism and a sin-natural bent toward criticism in me.

God is knocking on my door, saying, “Enough.”  With frequency, the Holy Spirit sneaks up on me and shines the light on my sin and shouts, “That’s not who you really are!”

I am grateful.  Grateful for the Holy Spirit who grabs my heart when I envision ugliness like bird poop dropping on a happy day. Grateful for friends who say, “But that’s not who you are…”

And most grateful for an odd God who sometimes in fact does allow bird-poop to drop on a sweet girl enjoying a sunny day in the park.

One good redemption story leads to another…

For indeed, part of what I was thinking about when I made my poopy comment was of something that had happened recently to my daughter.

She was in London for a Serge internship. Enjoying a sunny day sitting under a tree, she was sadly surprised when a bird rained on her parade. Somehow, my delightful daughter found a way to laugh at the insanity of it all! In fact, it led to an opportunity to share the gospel! But that’s another story – and it’s hers to tell!

Photo Credit: Frank McKenna, Unsplash