New Music and Perfume

 Yesterday I went shopping. I decided I needed to get out of the house. The last 6 weeks have been rough with my Dad’s death, then weeks of pain and sickness and the bustle of 12 days with Janelle’s family with us. I’d had over a month of intense stress. I was also a little down in the dumps. Janelle’s family moved away on Monday taking my little grandbaby munchkins with her, plus I’d been sick again for the last 6 days - two in so much pain I could barely move. Thursday, was the first day I even felt like going anywhere.

I decided I needed to go to the Christian music store and get a new CD. Music has always been one of the mainstays in my life, and I figured a few new songs might give me a better outlook. I wanted to find a Matt Maher CD. A few weeks earlier, Matthew and I kept hearing a song on the radio we both liked but didn’t know the artist. So we googled it and figured out who sang it. It was Alive Now, so I thought that would be a great place to start.

As I browsed the selection, I choose the Matt Maher Alive Now CD for $13.99. Then I looked at several others and picked up a Sanctus Real for $9.99 and a 3-CD Songs for Worship for $15.99.

Holding three in my hand I thought, “Gee, I shouldn’t get this many.”

I added up the total. $40. How long had it been since I’d bought a new CD? Years. I figured I was going to make the splurge and get them all. I walked up to the counter and then remembered that I had a coupon - 25% off my next entire purchase. I dug around hoping to find it. I did. When the clerk took my purchases and added them up, she said my total was $23.91. Evidently, some of them were on sale, too. I walked out with a smile on my face at purchasing five CDs for that amount.

My next stop was Victoria Secret to spend a gift card a piano students’ family had given me. It wasn’t a store I shopped in, so I was a little apprehensive about walking in there. Normally I wouldn’t have gone there because I don’t like their commercial ads. However, I decided to go in and see if I could spend the $25 card.

I browsed the store, by-passing a few of the specialty items. I decided I wanted a new perfume. Something light, woodsy or musky would be perfect – nothing too fruity or flowery.

 I started smelling scents. Confusion took over, so I asked a clerk for help. She came over and started spraying perfumes on the little card sticks to help me make a choice. (At one point, two were helping me. I guess I was a high-maintenance customer). Finally, I decided I wanted the one called dream angels wish. I took the largest size for $59. Hey, why not? How many years had it been since I’d bought myself a bottle of perfume? Too many.  I usually settle for hand-me-down bottles that no one likes or ones my family give me for gifts.

With my gift card in hand, I waited in line. It was really my lucky day because the perfume was on sale for 50% off, too. (That did play a little into my choice.) By the time she totaled the order and subtracted the gift card, I walked out paying $6.23 for a $59 bottle of perfume!

When Dale arrived home, he saw the bright pink and red bag, took a peek inside, and looked at my expensive perfume. I told him my story assuring him that I really didn’t pay full price. Otherwise, he might have grabbed his bottle of antacid tablets.

So – for about $30 I got five CDs and an expensive bottle of perfume. I think the Lord must have been trying to cheer me up because he loaded me down with plenty of new music and a fresh new scent to spray on myself. I needed some cheering up. Thank you, Lord!

“O Taste and see that the Lord is good. Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him,” Psalm 34:8 NIV.