A Son At War #6

For those who don't know me I am a professional clown aka Maggie Mae. This particular morning I am going to perform for a senior group at a church so I am in make up and costume. It takes a lot of time and work to be that beautiful! This morning has been focused on what I am doing and I am ready and walking out the door. The phone rings. The debate begins, do I answer or let the machine get it?

I get the news that has been leaked through the family lines, Garrett's base has been attacked. The problem with leaked news is you don't usually have details or at least the correct details. So then you start to imagine all that could be, I cannot go to pieces, Maggie Mae has to perform. It's hard to describe what I was feeling. I some how knew Garrett was okay, well not some how it was the Holy Spirit. Yet there was an anxiousness as I am wondering if  everyone is okay and trying to imagine the fear Garrett must have felt. I'll have to wait till later to get more news so I'm out the door.

I drive to the church with what I imagine the attack would have been like playing through my mind,it's not pretty.The Pastor is waiting for me outside and I tell him about my phone call, I ask him to pray that I can keep my focus. Once we get in and are ready to start he does pray, not only for me but for my son and all soldiers.As my head is bowed and my eyes closed I fight back the tears that are trying so hard to fall. I've got a job to do, a message to give about the same God that is protecting my son. I cannot lose it, and God is the glue that holds me together.

I do my program and my mind is relieved as I concentrate on the task before me. Maggie Mae takes over and the fun begins, for the next 20 to 30 minutes the magic that is Maggie Mae is enjoyed by all.

Then there is the drive home where I am again wondering about the events of the night before at Garrett's camp. I think about each soldier and pray that they are all okay. I need to get home, get out of Maggie Mae and then maybe I can focus on finding out some more details.

I back into the garage, grab Maggie Mae's props and race into the house. I change clothes and stand in front of the mirror to take my make-up off. I am horrified at what is staring back at me, then comes the laughter. When the Pastor prayed and I fought back the tears, Maggie Mae's mascara had run and I had two big black circles under my eyes! No one had said a thing and I went through the whole program that way! I hoped they didn't think Maggie Mae always looked like that! Oh well just as God helped me focus on the message I gave about Him I'm sure He helped them focus on that same message and not Maggie Mae's raccoon eyes!