A Holy Whoopin'

Tonight I was listening to Hillsong United which got me thinking about David Crowder and his fall concert at the House of Blues. And that got me thinking about who I want to go with. Perhaps I should go alone since I have every intention of channeling my inner college student and jumping around like a 19-year-old. And that got me thinking that I should just go ahead and put my hair in hot rollers and bust out my old Abercrombie and Fitch clothes. Which got me thinking about the time I got in big trouble for shopping at A&F. So I've got a little story for you, Ags! (Midnight Yell, anyone?)

Texas A&M was and is a very casual school. I spent a little time on the Baylor campus one spring and it was enough to know that not all schools are casual. I saw girls wearing panty hose and skirts to class. Thanks, but I will stick with my flip flops and jeans. I spent the bulk of my wardrobe allowance at Abercrombie. It was a good fit for where I was. Keep in mind that this was before everything they made was very, very tiny. Things started to get a little crazy at Abercrombie. I couldn't shop there without feeling convicted about their disgusting advertising campaigns and promotion of teenage promiscuity. A friend showed me their catalog one day and it had disrobed teens riding an elephant together. Are you kidding me? Promiscuity isn't even the right word. The Lord was clearly directing me to spend my money elsewhere and stop contributing to the madness. But I loved the clothes so much! Why, A&F? Why did you ruin a good thing?

I did really well for about a year. Then I found myself back at the A&F counter. I had found a replacement for their jeans and t-shirts, but not for their sweaters. And I needed sweaters! We were heading to the snowy mountains of Wyoming for Thanksgiving and Abercrombie had the best, warmest, most durable wool sweaters. And they weren't too ugly either. A thought crossed my mind like a lightning bolt. I wonder if God is going to let my luggage get lost? By His mercy, my luggage did not get lost. I got everything home and it was all good.

A few weeks later, my sister and I hitched a ride up to New York City with our mom for a speaking engagement. We ain't too proud to beg when it comes to NYC. She was speaking at Times Square Church and that place is just heaven to us. Truly, every tribe, nation, and tongue are represented there. We stayed in the church's guest house for the weekend. Please do not think for a minute that the Moore girls were not packing all their favorite clothes for NYC. We have to be at our best when we go to The City. Jeans and flip flops really won't do.

On the last day I was all packed and ready to go. Mom was trying to fit everything in her bag, but she had been given so many presents that it wouldn't all fit. She started to leave behind a really pretty tea cup, which broke my heart because she loves those. So I volunteered to stick it in my bag. That is when I removed a large amount of clothes - my favorite clothes - from my suitcase to make room. And, you guessed it, I forgot to squeeze them back in.

Upon arriving back in Texas, I realized my error. I immediately contacted the church and explained that I had left some clothes - some of my best clothes - in the guest quarters. The clothes would be shipped to me a.s.a.p.

When two weeks passed by I started to wonder. I called the church and asked about the package. I'm sure the angels around me and those around the sweet secretary I was speaking to began to chuckle. Perhaps a good silent laugh. I was informed that she had sent a missions intern over to the guest house to retrieve my clothes. The missions intern, God bless him or her, got a little confused.

The Lord did not give me a holy whoopin' by letting my A&F sweaters get lost in some airport. No, that would have been wasteful. Instead, He took the choicest items of my whole wardrobe - my NYC-worthy clothes - and shipped them right off to the mission field.