How Sue got her joy back

Two years ago I was in a rough place. I was a new Christian and my life had dramatically changed. Everything I knew was no longer. In light of everything I had decided to take a couple of days away, jump on 95 North and spend some time with God. I packed a toothbrush, some random books, and my bible. People talk about God "showing up". Its a weird concept if you haven't experienced it, I certainly can tell you there is nothing like it. I was sitting reading next to the ocean and read a excerpt on joy. The author said that women are like opals in relation to our connectedness with God. When an opal is in a drawer, hidden from any light it has no shine to it, no luster. When it is brought into the light it shines brilliantly. Are you following?
Ok, the reason an opal is so brilliant is because it is filled with cracks and imperfections. Read: I was a cracked, imperfect mess and only being in the "light" would I be able to shine.
I smiled and suddenly found myself feeling joy after years severely lacking in it. God used a simple metaphor to speak into my heart in astounding ways. I wanted to get a piece of opal jewelry to remember the weekend by, but try as I did, I couldn't find a thing.

On my drive home I stopped in at the house of a woman who sells bunnies. I had one growing up and had been thinking about getting another one. She showed me around and down in one of the bottom cages a little white bunny with grey spots was on his hind legs begging me to pick him. I told the woman I wanted him to which she replied "oh no. He's imperfect. He would need to have at least 10% of his body covered in grey spots to be perfect" (I won't even GO into detail about this. Suffice to say the woman showed bunnies for a 4h club as a living)
"But I really like him, he's the one. I like that he's not perfect"
"The coloring is called broken opal"
!!!
"I'll take him"
When people make fun of me for having a pet rabbit I smile because I know he is a literal gift from God. A real, tangible, cute, sweet and funny bunny.

Abe is seriously the man. He comes out of his cage every morning, plays for a while in the living room, eats his green apple and then sprawls out and lays down next to whoever is in the room with him. When I was home, every night I would say goodnight and lean down so he could give me "kisses". I'm not kidding, he would lick my nose after I kissed his forehead. He loves to be loved.

Today I got a message to call my sister right away. My roommate said the message was that Abe is sick. My stomach dropped as I dialed the phone, I could barely ask the question, is he ok?
Turns out he has a parasite that is common in bunnies, probably has had it all his life. After a trip to the doctor and 4 prescriptions later, he is home being watched over by my family. We laughed about how they had to give him medicine twice a day for the next month. I cried thinking about him having trouble walking (The bug affects his central nervous system so he is constantly dizzy). I really let the tears go when my mom told me this;
"The vet was really sweet. Abe let her do whatever she needed to. He didn't jump or squirm at all. She made a comment about how he must be held a lot at home" If she only knew...
Roll your eyes, laugh, call me crazy, but this made my heart ache. This bunny is one loved animal.

My roommate and I laughed about how she too was crying while I was on the phone. It seems silly, but for those who understand you know what I am talking about.

I went up for dinner and sat with a friend who works in 'D'ward (read: lots of ridiculously cute babies and children). I realized I needed something cute to hold, a little 'baby' time. We were walking and as she offered some comfort I said "no offense, you don't have black velvety skin OR fur, you won't cut it". Within minutes I had a perfect, fuzzy haired baby in my arms giggling and cooing back and forth with me. He was the perfect fit for the part of my heart that was still aching a little. As the mommas on the ward broke out into singing and clapping (at random, this IS Africa) I heard God whisper

This is joy, I am your joy.

Of course my joy doesn't rest on a rabbit. I swear I'm not that crazy. He is a sweet reminder of a very special day in my life. He is a living symbol of the day I got my joy back. It hasn't left since I was brought out into the light. Tonight as I held baby Rolin and kissed his face I realized that day two years ago was the beginning of something very big in my life. Something much bigger than me.

When I was thinking about names I did a search on 'light' and 'joy', and Abe was one of them. I pray he'll be ok. I smile knowing God, in all His power and might, cares about me in such an amazingly personal way. A couple of years ago I found comfort in a small, oddly colored rabbit. Today I stood and held a beautiful baby, in a ward, on a hospital ship, off the coast of West Africa, listening and dancing to worship sung in a foreign dialect, and felt the astounding familiarity of pure joy deep in my soul.

Of course I have to include pictures of him so you can all see how perfectly "imperfect" he is...just like me.



Of course with everything, there is some real humor in this situation. Earlier I got to hear the ooh's and aahs of my mom and sister giving Abe his medicine which he took like a champ. I suppose when you mix it with applesauce what rabbit could resist? The one coming in the mail will be banana flavored according to the bunny pharmacist. Oh my, what a day.