Opinion

Dealing with pangs of conscious

Wednesday, November 5, 2003

I must have had a guilty conscience after all.

I poo-poohed my co-workers jabs, both verbal and visual, when my phone would ring and I would go off on an elaborate explanation they knew was a complete fabrication.

The admonitions would follow, "Thou shalt not lie" and so on, reverberating through the newsroom.

But it's for a good cause, I would protest -- only to hear the good-natured rejoinder -- oh, so you can justify lying.

It was all in good fun, and my foray into the realm of prevarication really was for a good cause. Lisa's best friend from high school, maid of honor at her wedding and second daughter to me, had proposed a surprise baby shower for Lisa during a recent trip back to Denver.

I fell in love with the idea straight away, and immediately agreed, even though I knew that planning such a function long-distance would produce some interesting challenges.

It wasn't difficult to produce a guest list, or to secure a location. We decided on a morning event which made the menu simplicity itself. The invitations went out and we were committed.

A week before the planned festivities it was crunch time to make sure we got our guest of honor to the party without her suspicions being aroused.

You see, Lisa, being a dutiful granddaughter, had already called her grandmother to let her know she'd be in town, and would stop by to visit that Sunday. Grandma, fully aware that the party was set for Saturday at her house, simply acquiesced to the planned visit, saying not one word to dissuade her.

Now I had to come up with a foolproof plan to get Lisa to her grandmother's house a full 24 hours earlier.

I thought and thought, and finally, the bolt of inspiration hit.

It was simplicity itself. Banking on Lisa's agreeable nature, especially where her grandmother is concerned, and her delight in having her picture taken, I concocted an entirely plausible although phantom telemarketing photographer who had convinced Winnie that candid family photos, in the newly resurrected technology of black and white film, was the way to go. It was a cakewalk after that, Lisa was taken completely by surprise and will long remember the day with joy. In my defense I will point out here and now, candid photographs were taken.

However, for all of my self-justification, a smidgen of guilt must have remained, because during a recent afternoon nap, I found myself sentenced to 10 days at the Work Ethic Camp for my transgression. As day one of my incarceration unfolded, my dismay grew. Just as I turned to what I assumed was a matron there and asked in a plaintive voice, "Do I really have to stay here?" my rescue was accomplished, the judge strongly admonished against his unfair sentencing, and I was released. Whew!

What a picture of grace. It was a little disconcerting to discover just how capably I invented the deception -- the latent liar briefly emerging -- but refreshing to taste again, albeit in a dream, the joy of release, rescue and redemption that are mine day-by-day in my Savior.

"For if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 (NIV)

-- Dawn Cribbs was the surprise guest of honor at two such showers many years ago, as a bride and as a new mom. What fun, what precious memories, what a blessing to continue the tradition.

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