God makes me laugh once again

I will begin this by telling you that I am by nature a very introverted, self-conscious, socially awkward person. I avoid new social situations and avoid having my picture taken. God has, over time, helped me to overcome this but it continues to be something I struggle with and really don't like about myself. I long to be one of those attractive, bubbly people who sing up on stage and that people are naturally drawn to. But God reminds me at times that he made me this way for a reason and loves me for who I am. He uses me despite me.

Well, here comes the funny part of this story. Our church has gone to doing our weekly announcements in worship by having a prerecorded video called the 80 @ 5080....meaning 80 seconds at 5080 Cahaba Valley Trace, our church's physical address. These videos are a well done, slick and informative piece of our service. Jason Sears, our worship pastor, and Will Guilliani, our technical guy put them together, and each week Jason picks someone different to read and be in this video. Each week my family likes to see who it will be up on the big screen announcing what's happening in our church. One week my husband popped up there and he hadn't told us that he had taped it earlier in the week. The introverted side of me would think each week, "I could never do that....I would hate to see myself up there on the big screen". However, that side of me that wants to be someone else (I think I need to give this side of me a name...I am open to suggestions) thought, on occasion, "I want to be up there....I want to be that person radiating energy and loveliness"! Well, last week I had my chance.

Two weeks ago, after a training at church (I am the missions assistant at my church), Jason, the worship pastor, asked me if I would do the video announcements in the following week. Without blinking I said sure. It was a week away from when I would actually be recorded. That was a long week for me. Each day I became more nervous. I prayed a lot. Maybe Jason would change his mind...find someone else...why did I say yes? What was I thinking? The night before I didn't sleep well. I felt shaky. When I went to work I saw Jason and he didn't say anything about it and I thought PHEW, I think he forgot. But, no, he hadn't forgotten and I was summoned at the appointed time to appear in the green room that Jason and Will had created. I was nervous but with their help managed to get through it. Thankfully, they edit out the goofs. After I was done I really didn't feel any relief from my stress as I knew that in 5 days I had to watch this thing that I had done up on two really big screens in our sanctuary. 2,000 or so people would see me....and I would be BIG. Lying in bed this morning, I remembered that this was the morning. I had mixed feelings of panic and excitement. Maybe God had turned me into the person I envied...dynamic, outgoing. Or maybe I would need therapy for a while after seeing myself larger than life. I prayed during our worship time that God would give me the strength to watch myself without running from the sanctuary screaming and crying. Then Jason spoke to the congregation about our silliness...the way we lose focus and turn to other things, away from God's grace. Yes, I was being silly...making a big deal about this...it was just stupid. Well, during the prayer that immediately precedes the 80 at 5080....the power...went...out. I am not sure we have ever lost power during a church service. I think God saved me from myself once again. Thanks God....you know what I need and you know why you created me this way. Most of the time I don't understand. So, if you attend our church, and were wondering why we lost power for the rest of the 1st service (it came back in time for the 2nd)...now you know why. Sorry about that.

Who let the old lady loose?

If you know me, you know that I am a frugal person who does not do a lot of shopping. We have often been blessed by receiving hand me down clothes from others who shop in real stores. I decided that my oldest ought to start out his high school career in some REAL clothes purchased by me. So, I found a real store that has an online website and purchased some real cool pants and polos shirts that met our school's dress code. My kid will be cool. The clothes came as ordered and I was proud...proud of my cool shopping and my cool kid in his cool clothes. I even splurged for some new white t shirts. Made it through the first week of school. Still cool. I wash the cool polo shirts. When I am taking them out of the dryer I notice the collars of 4 of the shirts (all of the striped ones) all have tiny cuts in them. What is this? I thought these were quality cool shirts! I check with my son to make sure no one sitting behind him has been cutting at his collars. I decide that I need to return these defective shirts to the real store, which has a location in the local mall. I explain to the young salesguy that I have a situation. Cuts after just one washing. He kindly walks me over to a table of new polo shirts....each one of them has cuts on the collar. So glad God has brought me to this cool place to remind of how uncool I really am and how much I need Him, daily. I retreated from the place I did not belong and ended up at Dollar Tree which is really more my style anyways.

Wow...another blog...

Yesterday in church our pastor talked about how God works most of the time in the mundane events in our life...not usually in big loud emotional ways, but in quiet, soft methods. I loved hearing it expressed as the "miraculous in the mundane". To this end, I would like to use this blog to record the mundane things in my life where I see God's touch. Starting with this day, August 24th I see His hand as we celebrate the births of my husband and sister (different years). Two of my favorite people born on the same day...it's a doubly good day. And they both claim Him as their savior and I have forever with them to look forward to...if we ever are separated it will be brief! Now, I am not saying that they are mundane, just that we start to feel our birthdays are, at best, mundane as we get older. Besides the birthdays, today I have seen miracles today in perfect weather, a Panera cinnamon crunch bagel and a now functioning light in my laundry room. Maybe these do not fit the miracle category but they at least belong to the blessing column of my life.