This week’s topic is inspired by things that happened recently, a highly unusual event.
I always try to choose my topic mid-week, thus allowing plenty of time to mull it over and mentally outline my article. By the time we left for church this morning, however, I still had nothing in mind and I was getting desperate.
“Talk to me please, Lord,” I prayed, “I want to say something of value.”
He answered, but not in the way I’d have chosen.
Simply put, I flubbed up while playing the piano for the service. First of all I returned to my seat instead of waiting for the next hymn, a mistake brought about by intense nervousness but one which our pastor graciously overlooked. He simply moved on to the sermon.
Following an excellent message I opened the hymnal and played the introduction to the wrong song and, of course, in the wrong key for the right song. Somehow, thanks to my God-given ability to transpose and play by ear and the overwhelming graciousness of pastor and congregation, we sang it but I was mortified.
A warm hug from several folks following the last “amen” helped alleviate my pain, though not entirely.
I arrived home, opened my email and hoped against hope there would be something to ease my self-disgust. Thank God, there were two messages. The first, a beautiful note from the above-mentioned pastor assuring me of my worth and value, and then from a friend who often sends what I call pre-packaged messages.
I confess that I often just skim through them before deleting them but the words hit home: live simply; love generously; care deeply and speak kindly
“…have compassion…be tender hearted, be humble” (1 Peter 3:8)
Thank you Pastor Dave and thank you Irene, you were all those things and I feel renewed.
