Happy Friday Friends! WOOP!
I’m no different than most, in that I really don’t feel like working hard on Fridays. So even though I love to write, it is really hard to put out quality, deep thinking, hard laughing, emotionally wrenching posts – for 30 days straight. And really, who wants to read all that on a Friday anyway? Half y’all may already be drunk or sleeping (it is the first week of school for many around here). FYI – I’m not drunk, but I am almost…sleeping…zzzzzzzzzzz.
Okay, so what better way to cheat my way through this monthly writing challenge than to create a post every Friday of Five Frivolous Fun Facts? So…here. we. go.
1. Just call me Church Lady It is official! I will be leading my son’s weekly small group for confirmation. He doesn’t want me to. But too bad. Once I told him it was a done deal, he explicitly stated (while rolling his eyes), “Mom…don’t get all mushy on me. In fact, don’t even tell any of the other kids that you’re my mom”. So yeah. We’re going to have fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U1Jv5JoxaM
2. Prayers for All, Especially Blind Dates! So now that I am all ‘churchy’ and everything (because, you know, once you sign up for leading a confirmation group, you’re suddenly and officially infused with all Godly knowledge), I’m offering up my prayer services, free of charge. I did my first session today when I prayed for a friend going on a blind date. The prayer went something like this: Dear Lord, We are thankful for the opportunity for Tallulah (all names have been changed to protect the identity of those involved) to not meet a douche. We gratefully pray for you to provide a nice guy who isn’t dating 20 other women. We ask that you provide a man who wants her body and mind equally and promises to respect both. In your name we pray, Amen.
3. Sarcastic but Serious Here’s the thing. I’ve been joking a lot about my Faith. But I joke a lot when I’m filled with fear (or sadness or anger). It’s a coping thingy. As much as I’m joking about being ‘churchy’ and becoming a small group confirmation leader, I do take this role quite seriously and will be studying each week prior to leading the lesson. So know this, you need not be afraid for those children. You need to be afraid for me. I will single handedly be expected to wrangle and successfully lead five adolescent boys. Pray for me. Because I did NOT go to school for this.
4. Intimidation and Faith So today, when I met with the program director for confirmation, another Mom joined us who had
also signed up to lead a small group. She came in and said something that was music to my ears. She started talking about having Faith, even though she wasn’t sure what she was doing. I WANTED TO HUG HER. But then she kept talking. She spoke of the sunday school class she’d led before, the 9th grade confirmation class she helped with, the Christian school both her kids attend and yet she was nervous, because this 7th grade confirmation class was all new! Hmph. Suddenly, I didn’t want to hug her. She wasn’t a novice like she pretended to be at first! She’s an official, seasoned, churchy person!!! Suddenly, all my doubts were coming back to me. But then, you know what? I decided to remember the first words she said (after, “Hi, I’m Erin”). That phrase about having Faith and jumping in. Her perception is her reality, right? And so if she feels overwhelmed and intimidated, even though she’s experienced…that’s okay! And that doesn’t mean I’m less qualified. That just means her and I, we’re both taking this seriously and we don’t want to screw it up…and we have Faith it will all be okay.
5. The Back Up Prayer So you know that friend I mentioned earlier, Tallulah, the one I prayed for in regards to her blind date? Well she had a grand idea! You know how I’ve been kind of freaking out about praying, OUT LOUD? And how as a leader of this small group, there is an expectation you lead a prayer at the close of every meeting? Well, why not come prepared with a back up prayer, in the event I suddenly can’t come up with anything? Her suggestion of the prayer was this one…and I think it’s a mighty good one at that!
Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today
To get through this thing called life
Electric word life it means forever and that’s a mighty long time
But I’m here to tell you there’s something else
The afterworld, a world of never ending happiness
You can always see the sun, day or night…
Good one, right? I’ve so got this confirmation leader thing handled.
Anyhoo…there you have it! My Five, Frivolous, Friday, Fun Facts. And in reality, they’re not even facts. They’re more like stories, fables or footnotes. That’s so me. Start with the intention of doing one thing and end up doing something else altogether. Whatevs.
Until tomorrow and the next post!
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I’m laughing. And you know why. Love this post. Walking into the fear is having faith in yourself.