Oops, I did it again.
If there's ever a Lifetime movie made about my life, I'm convinced it will amount to nothing more than a chubby actress bumbling through life enduring a series of clumsy, self-inflicted accidents.
Scene one: she falls off her tricycle and skins her knees.
Scene two: she loses her grip on the merry-go-round and is launched into a huge puddle of red mud.
Scene three: an entire montage of bike wrecks.
Scene four: she knocks down an entire row of tables at McDonald's.
Scene five: an entire montage of horrendous athletic accidents -- tripping, bobbling the ball, getting smacked in the face...
Scene six: she falls, head first, down the bleachers.
Scene seven: she loses her balance and rolls down a hill on her college campus.
Scene eight: she tumbles off her stool while her students are testing.
Scene nine: she slips while trout fishing and nearly breaks her arm.
Last night I added a new one to the list; I fell out of the church van while Christmas caroling.
When we met up at the church building and I thought about getting in and out of the church van repeatedly, I pretty much reconciled myself to the inevitable. The worst part is that I was doing so well! I'd managed to get in and out of the van without incident all night. Maybe that's why it happened. As I approached the van to get in for the last time, I thought, "Hey! I haven't fallen once. I've practically made it!"
Of course, that's when it happened. My foot missed the step, and I tumbled backward, taking the seal lining of the van door with me. It was a classic, the perfect holiday clip for my future biographical film.
My brothers and sisters in Christ were worried about me. They didn't even laugh. [I'm sure they wanted to. It must have been hilarious.] Thankfully the church van and I are doing just fine this morning. I'm not even sore, and the seal fit right back around the door frame.
Let me tell you something else. I'm still glad I went. Even if I had fallen every time I got out, I still would have done it all over again.
As I've already shared with you, I haven't been feeling very Christmas spirited. I've listened to all the right music, wrapped presents, and worn red sweaters, but none of that has helped. I've also been crying on and off since Friday afternoon when I heard about all the children who were killed in Connecticut; most people I know have felt the same way. My faith family prayed a lot about it last night and this morning.
In spite of all that, last night was amazing. We went to the homes of the ladies from our church who are homebound. Our preacher and his wife just had a new baby, so each time we went into a home, the elderly woman would hold their new baby while we all sang. It was clear how meaningful it was to those women to have visitors, to know they'd been remembered. Plus, holding a new baby is magic just on its own.
I love to sing, so I felt joy fill me. I felt grateful to be right where I was. I thought, this is what my faith is all about (James 1:27). It was empowering to do something good and loving, to know I was surrounded by Christian brothers and sisters, to be part of a real community of people that care.
Last night when I got home, I reflected on everything that happened on my caroling adventure. Believe it or not, I was a little bit glad I fell out of the van. It was a great reminder that God can do good things through anyone, even a klutz like me, and that He always has good planned for us even in the worst circumstances.
If you're feeling down today, here's a song for you. I love duets, and this is one of my favorites.
Scene one: she falls off her tricycle and skins her knees.
Scene two: she loses her grip on the merry-go-round and is launched into a huge puddle of red mud.
Scene three: an entire montage of bike wrecks.
Scene four: she knocks down an entire row of tables at McDonald's.
Scene five: an entire montage of horrendous athletic accidents -- tripping, bobbling the ball, getting smacked in the face...
Scene six: she falls, head first, down the bleachers.
Scene seven: she loses her balance and rolls down a hill on her college campus.
Scene eight: she tumbles off her stool while her students are testing.
Scene nine: she slips while trout fishing and nearly breaks her arm.
Last night I added a new one to the list; I fell out of the church van while Christmas caroling.
When we met up at the church building and I thought about getting in and out of the church van repeatedly, I pretty much reconciled myself to the inevitable. The worst part is that I was doing so well! I'd managed to get in and out of the van without incident all night. Maybe that's why it happened. As I approached the van to get in for the last time, I thought, "Hey! I haven't fallen once. I've practically made it!"
Of course, that's when it happened. My foot missed the step, and I tumbled backward, taking the seal lining of the van door with me. It was a classic, the perfect holiday clip for my future biographical film.
My brothers and sisters in Christ were worried about me. They didn't even laugh. [I'm sure they wanted to. It must have been hilarious.] Thankfully the church van and I are doing just fine this morning. I'm not even sore, and the seal fit right back around the door frame.
Let me tell you something else. I'm still glad I went. Even if I had fallen every time I got out, I still would have done it all over again.
As I've already shared with you, I haven't been feeling very Christmas spirited. I've listened to all the right music, wrapped presents, and worn red sweaters, but none of that has helped. I've also been crying on and off since Friday afternoon when I heard about all the children who were killed in Connecticut; most people I know have felt the same way. My faith family prayed a lot about it last night and this morning.
In spite of all that, last night was amazing. We went to the homes of the ladies from our church who are homebound. Our preacher and his wife just had a new baby, so each time we went into a home, the elderly woman would hold their new baby while we all sang. It was clear how meaningful it was to those women to have visitors, to know they'd been remembered. Plus, holding a new baby is magic just on its own.
I love to sing, so I felt joy fill me. I felt grateful to be right where I was. I thought, this is what my faith is all about (James 1:27). It was empowering to do something good and loving, to know I was surrounded by Christian brothers and sisters, to be part of a real community of people that care.
Last night when I got home, I reflected on everything that happened on my caroling adventure. Believe it or not, I was a little bit glad I fell out of the van. It was a great reminder that God can do good things through anyone, even a klutz like me, and that He always has good planned for us even in the worst circumstances.
If you're feeling down today, here's a song for you. I love duets, and this is one of my favorites.
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