“For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 

Let me preface this by saying this is not a political post. It is meant to relate a funny experience to a spiritual lesson, something I like to do often. So if you came to this certain blog for my political beliefs, you will be disappointed.

However, please let me entertain you with this bit. 

My friend and I were walking and heard that Ted Cruz was in a local restaurant named Bella Sera (so good.. see details below.) Me being the adventurous, nosy and awkward person I am decided we should go in and at least catch a glimpse of this senator I had only seen on TV.

As we get into the car from our walk I realize something, “We don’t have a reason to go into this place… we have already ate… what are we going to do…” 

So we formulate a plan. At this point I am feeling a lot like Dwight off of The Office… 

Anyways, we know a server that is there so we go in and pretend we are going to “deliver” something. 

As we are “delivering” our item I decide I have to “go to the bathroom.” (I don’t have to go to the bathroom). I then walk by Ted Cruz and try to look as serious as possible. I actually looked like this…

As I am in the bathroom texting my mom explaining that Ted Cruz is in fact in this restaurant, my precious friend whom I love is standing at the register awkwardly waiting on my return. I owe her one. As she is standing there everyone in the restaurant is looking at her waiting for when I, this strange woman that walked into the restaurant, will return from the bathroom.

While she waits like…

After I come out of the bathroom I get one last glimpse of the back of Ted Cruz’s head while his entourage stares at me awkwardly. 

After leaving we are laughing hysterically only to realize the “package” that we thought to deliver (which was a empty money bag) we had in our hands. So not only did our plan fail, but failed in a big way.

After this we return on our walk only to be laughing so hysterically that one of the local cops stops up because he assumes we are under the influence (I’m assuming from the way I was stumbling and trying to catch my breathe- I don’t blame him I looked that way.) As he pulls up to us he says the usual, “Hey ladies, how are ya’ll?”

We small talk and once he realizes we are fine I lean my arm onto his window sill like I have known him for ten years (as my friend describes it), “Officer.. this is us sober…” 

My friend starts to walk away from the car. 

Me… embarrassing? Never… 

Which is what every guilty person says! Dang my mouth. 

But I wasn’t lying. LOL 

He lets us go. 

I have a great night of seeing the back of Ted Cruz’s head and getting pulled over by the cops walking. 

Now you may say to yourself “Lisa why do you share this embarrassing story?”

First of all, because if you know me closely… this story will not surprise you at all. Second of all, I am comfortable enough in my own skin to share most of my embarrassing stories. And thirdly, because it brings me to this- not everything is as it appears. 

That girl in yoga pants and a T-shirt and running shoes that was “going to the bathroom” in Bella Sera was just really being a weirdo who was trying to catch a glimpse of someone she had only seen on TV and had dragged her friend along with her. 

The two women who were laughing so hard they looked intoxicated, were actually fully sober. 

Aren’t we glad that God sees our hearts and not our outsides? Now, this scares me a little, because honestly my heart is not always in the right place, as we call it. But isn’t it cool that God is so powerful and so mighty and so all-knowing that He can see past our facade and reach right into our souls? 

“The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” Proverbs 20:5

He literally draws our purposes out of our hearts. He knows exactly why we do what we do, even if we don’t. He wants us to discover for ourselves the reason behind our sin and our pain and our anguish, but He already knows. We seek and He reveals. 

Our society is so caught up in appearance and what we look like on the outside. We forget that the Creator of the universe doesn’t see us as a body, He sees and made us as a soul. To be loved. To be valued. To be useful. 

As I called my family to tell them the news one of them asked, “Well did you talk to him?” I said, “No…”

After I thought about all the trouble I had gone through to get there I thought, “Ya know, I should have just talked to him. Introduced myself. Got a picture. Sat down, listened to his side.” 

I think on the day of judgement a lot of us will be standing there saying, “You know I should have just talked to him. Introduced myself. Got His picture. Sat down, listened to His side…”

After all this trouble I went through… 

All these plans we make. All these ways we try to hide from God and avoid eye contact. 

And yet He sees us and sees our hearts. We try so hard to hide our sin, imperfections, struggles and insecurities and forget that God already knows all of that. 

I know this may seem silly but I hope you got a laugh. 

And remember that no matter who you are, where your from, what you’ve done… 

Jesus loves you and He wants a relationship with you. 

All you have to do is say yes and live for Him. As the great philosophers Larry and Bob once said… 

It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it. 

You are loved. 
You are valued. 
You are useful. 

*If you have not tried Bella Sera Italian Restaurant in Snyder, Texas- you must go! Their food is always fresh and delicious served with amazing soft and buttery garlic bread. My personal favorites are the classic spaghetti and meatballs and pepperoni pizza! On top of great food they also have friendly and accommodating staff. Pay them a visit!

Bella Sera Italian Restaurant
3703 College Ave
Snyder, TX 79549
325-574-1525