Aroma.

Have you ever felt it? Like really felt it? Like felt it so much that it was absolutely undeniably so?

Have you ever felt the hands of the Lord kneading, molding, sculpting your heart in a way that couldn't be described as anything other than divine?

You know I only ask because I'm feeling it. Feeling it like I never have before. I'm feeling it so much so that I have to take deep breaths to make room for His hands, so much so that I have to hold the hand of whoever is closest to me so that they might feel it to, the reverberations of His work, of His irrefutable love, trickling through my fingertips.

Today was a magical day. Truly. Just when it seemed like we wouldn't get off work until 6 or 7 pm due to the daunting amount of cleaning we had to get done...we got off at 4:25. It really was like magic as toilets got cleaned, beds got made, cubbies got dusted, and carpets got vaccuumed. Time stood still as our busy hands produced glistening countertops and pretty porcelain potties. We won't talk about how many hair strand casualties there were. Strands of all sorts.

As soon as we got off work we headed to town for my intern event.

At the beginning of this year the interns were locked in a room and told to devise a mission statement as well as a list of non-negotiables for our year at camp. One of our non-negotiables was that once a month an intern would plan and execute an "intern event" in which every intern must be present. Our non-negotiables have sorta fallen by the wayside as time has gone by due to exhaustion and other unfortunate variables...so this month I grabbed the reins and invited everyone to Dairy Queen for a beautiful celebration of the sugary Sunday kind.

And everyone came. All 11 interns were there...and one intern leader even joined the festivities. It was quite astounding. We all rendezvoused at Taco Bell where we got plenty of icy stares as the 12 of us devoured dirty tacos, whilst laughing and shouting. Poor poor Taco Bell staff.

Then we popped on over to the DQ, which is only about three blocks down the road.

And praise the Lord, Janet was working.

Janet is wonderful. She is beautiful. She is delightful. Humble. Graceful.

She's been working at Dairy Queen for 9 years and she will soon be celebrating her 70th birthday.

As we sat in the corner booth at the Dairy Queen, all 12 of us, we laughed together, took pictures together, and indulged in countless calories together. And then we invited Janet over so that we might dwell in her presence. Fortunately she was on her lunch break. At 7:30.

She laughed with us and told us stories about when she was young. She flattered us with unnecessary compliments, telling us how tremendous we were and that she really enjoyed our company.

And then after we had a few photos with her, she had to go back to work, but before she turned away she got teary eyed and talked about how God is so powerful. I had no idea that Janet was a Christian, but Sonia and Daniel and I have had such a potent bond with her since the moment we met her months ago. She reeks of the Lord. So when she started crying and telling us about how God just wants us to crawl up into His arms and love Him the way her 16 month old granddaughter does, I knew why I was initially drawn to her.

So folks, please know, that even if your words aren't necessarily boldly speaking of the Lord, the aroma of Christ emanates from you. Let others bask in it. As I sat at the feet of Janet tonight, I felt like I was sitting in the presence of Jesus Himself. Her pungent aroma drew me in and her words this evening were affirming, comforting, heart-warming, and life-changing.

Thank you Janet.

Thank you Dairy Queen.

Thank you interns.

And thank you Jesus.

For the ways you sculpt my heart into the masterpiece that you long to gaze at.