The oddest question I've ever been asked
We had our holiday dinner at church this afternoon. This year, as we did last year, June and I volunteered to sponsor and decorate a table. We have lots of stuff to do this, so yesterday she and I went down and put the table together. This dinner is a tradition with the church and I see lots of families share this meal together. As it was just June and I, we share our table with whoever sits down. I like that we're able to participate in this.
The table was decorated simply, with a tablecloth and Christmas china. It looked very festive. All in all, there were nine of us at the table; June and I, three children and their father, another gentleman who was a relative of the small family (all of these folks were part of a larger family that filled the adjacent table) and two other gentlemen who were visitors to our church. The man with the children was at the other end of the table from me, so I didn't have an opportunity to speak to him until we'd finished the meal and I was cleaning up the dishes.
We talked for just a few minutes and he complimented me on the table by saying he felt like he was a king sitting at such a fancy table. And then he asked me the oddest question I've ever been asked in my life.
"What's the story about them?" [them meaning the china]
When I walked out the door this morning, the last thing I said before I got in the truck was a short prayer. "Lord," I said, "glorify yourself in my life today; at my expense." I think I'm getting better at coping at the "at my expense" part of that prayer. I did not know this man, know his background, or his family circumstances. What I did know was that I was asked a question which I answered to the best of my ability without taking more than three minutes. And in that time, I told the man that I'm very blessed that I found my little church and that instead of going down the wrong path, I chose to give up my sinful past for a better life. It was an opportunity to witness, although accompanied by a little bit of personal pain.
The man had his own circumstances and at the end of the conversation, I felt like I'm not rowing the boat alone. I know it won't sink, but sometimes, I wonder if it's headed someplace or just foundering on the waves. I'm not the only one and the man was so gracious. He gave me a wonderful Christmas gift by telling me I'd just made his prayer list.
I needed that. More importantly, what I really needed today was to hear the sermon I did. As I listened, it was like the pastor and I could just have easily been alone in his office talking things over. More than my body was fed at church today. I needed some "soul food" and I got some that I'm so very thankful for.
I want to say this, too. I've been pretty hard on myself for something I said on Thursday, and rightly so because I blew a big opportunity to say something good. I always remind myself that the walk back to the man I was is long, but the trip is short if I run. What I didn't think about until today is that the run back from there is equally as short. I might have a few bumps and bruises from the trip but if I can learn something from those trips (that these days are really few and far between) that I can actually take another baby step forward. It's not a one-way ticket.
This Christmas china story will now be a part of the stories I tell. You know I have one for ever occasion. This one will be another. The china has been safely returned home, washed, and placed back in the china cabinet in the living room. I'm so very blessed that I could share the use of them today, to make someone's day a little brighter and more enjoyable, and to have a chance to hear that I'm not the only one having tough times, but that God's grace sustains us.
Yup. I'm glad I went to church today.
The table was decorated simply, with a tablecloth and Christmas china. It looked very festive. All in all, there were nine of us at the table; June and I, three children and their father, another gentleman who was a relative of the small family (all of these folks were part of a larger family that filled the adjacent table) and two other gentlemen who were visitors to our church. The man with the children was at the other end of the table from me, so I didn't have an opportunity to speak to him until we'd finished the meal and I was cleaning up the dishes.
We talked for just a few minutes and he complimented me on the table by saying he felt like he was a king sitting at such a fancy table. And then he asked me the oddest question I've ever been asked in my life.
"What's the story about them?" [them meaning the china]
When I walked out the door this morning, the last thing I said before I got in the truck was a short prayer. "Lord," I said, "glorify yourself in my life today; at my expense." I think I'm getting better at coping at the "at my expense" part of that prayer. I did not know this man, know his background, or his family circumstances. What I did know was that I was asked a question which I answered to the best of my ability without taking more than three minutes. And in that time, I told the man that I'm very blessed that I found my little church and that instead of going down the wrong path, I chose to give up my sinful past for a better life. It was an opportunity to witness, although accompanied by a little bit of personal pain.
The man had his own circumstances and at the end of the conversation, I felt like I'm not rowing the boat alone. I know it won't sink, but sometimes, I wonder if it's headed someplace or just foundering on the waves. I'm not the only one and the man was so gracious. He gave me a wonderful Christmas gift by telling me I'd just made his prayer list.
I needed that. More importantly, what I really needed today was to hear the sermon I did. As I listened, it was like the pastor and I could just have easily been alone in his office talking things over. More than my body was fed at church today. I needed some "soul food" and I got some that I'm so very thankful for.
I want to say this, too. I've been pretty hard on myself for something I said on Thursday, and rightly so because I blew a big opportunity to say something good. I always remind myself that the walk back to the man I was is long, but the trip is short if I run. What I didn't think about until today is that the run back from there is equally as short. I might have a few bumps and bruises from the trip but if I can learn something from those trips (that these days are really few and far between) that I can actually take another baby step forward. It's not a one-way ticket.
This Christmas china story will now be a part of the stories I tell. You know I have one for ever occasion. This one will be another. The china has been safely returned home, washed, and placed back in the china cabinet in the living room. I'm so very blessed that I could share the use of them today, to make someone's day a little brighter and more enjoyable, and to have a chance to hear that I'm not the only one having tough times, but that God's grace sustains us.
Yup. I'm glad I went to church today.
polar plunging pastor sez"and we're glad you were there! ANd how cool that Miss June was able to talk the work place into letting her take a long lunch so she could join us.
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