What was she going to do?! She leaned against the kitchen sink and gazed disconsolately out the window, her brow furrowed in dismay. The fresh green foliage of the firs she saw refreshed her a bit, helped her to step back and think; to pray.
She'd had an awful time keeping restraint on her own tongue, but to lambast Mrs. Tittle-Tattle, that would only have served to add fuel to gossiper's fire. She thanked the Lord for helping her keep calm, yet to confront the woman.
Poor Tilly. Her husband off at war for the past two years and now missing in action. Her daughter Mindy in hospital having chemo for leukemia and now the brunt of a jealous minion of the devil's verbal graffiti wrecking havoc...
As she looked out the window she saw the rain had sprinkled diamond-like water droplets upon the tree branches. The sun must have just poked through the clouds, as the 'diamonds' sparkled and winked at her. Seemed like God had just given her a hug. OK. She could pass a hug on. That's what she would do. Bake some muffins. She knew Tilly loved blueberry ones. Ah-h, yes, she had some fresh frozen. Then, she'd see when and where she could visit Tilly. No doubt Tilly would have gotten wind of the rumors - soon, at least - if not already. She'll be devastated.
Suzy recalled an adage about gossipers she'd come across at a youth camp long ago. It really said it in a nutshell.
"A gossiper is a person with a sense of rumor."
Mrs. Tittle-Tattle's tale is just that.
Suzie already knew Tilly had to take in boarders to make ends meet. She also knew that Tilly's boarders were much older gentlemen. Another thing was that Tilly was firmly in love and committed to her Tom and to Biblical principles. She would not foster herself out by any stretch of the imagination. Why would Mrs. Tittle-Tattle insinuate such evil things?
Like her Mom used to say,
"Don't judge another by what you do yourself."
Was Mrs. Tittle-Tattle actually speaking from her own malicious and spurious behavior? Well, she'd best hang up on that train of thought, herself, and get on with her plan, Suzie schooled herself.
She was so glad for this window-helping scene and even though there was still that awful taste of unchoice morsels in her mouth and mind, Suzie hummed the hymn, "Wonderful Words of Life," as she concocted the muffins.
If she hurried, she could make it to the hospital while it was still visiting hours' time where she'd likely catch Tilly. While she hummed and baked, she prayed for Tilly. Prayed for wisdom to speak with Tilly. Also prayed for Mrs. Tittle-Tattle to be "arrested" of her rumor-mongering. Even as she prayed, that the woman would be halted and stopped from spreading her poisons.
Maybe Mrs. Tittle-Tattle needed to be added to her prayer list, Suzie thought, even though it turned her stomache to think of it. "OK, Lord, I'll add her. I know she's a miserable person but You love her. She's miserable and wants everyone else to be so too. What's a body to do with this sort?"
Suzie shook herself again, trying to purge the phone call. Ugh - the flattery she'd used to get Suzie to listen. Of course Suzie knew not to accept such deceptive manipulative words. How they rankled!
"Oh Mrs. Tittle-Tattle, I'm going to pray for you, like you won't know what hit you! Ha! I'm going to gossip to God about you and see what He'll do for you! Watch out, ma'am!"
There. Suzie popped, the muffins into the oven and began to wash up her baking bowls and utensils. She grinned and began to pray, looked intently out her window, up above the treetops towards the sky, and began her story to the Lord above.
Finally, Suzie mused, now she felt purified of the devil's telephone call. She'd fully hung up.
The muffins would soon be done so she set the cooling rack on the kitchen counter and took one last slurp of morning coffee, washed her mug, took one last look out her window, and said,
"Til next time, Father".
Off she went to get ready to go out.
~ERC November 2021~
Sing, Wonder Words of Life, along with Islington Baptist Church.
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