Friday, September 26, 2008

Grace Abounds...

P.S...
So after being mortified and as apologetic as i could (see story in last post) her pew buddies said " you couldn't know-it's not your fault-she was just embarrassed that she didn't have her phone on vibrate." Gracious, loving parishioners...

In my pastoral prayer that day I literally asked God's forgiveness for 'smart alec comments' and thanked God for protection, or something like that. The best news is that it was a small kitchen fire and there was no damage to the structure. This should be a good reminder for all of us NOT to be a smart alec and not to use our ovens for storage (especially of new pans wrapped in plastic...)

P.P.S. I called the family immediately after church to ask to come to their hotel and meet with them and pray with them. They said they'd be glad to see me and they'd call back.

P.P.P.S This couple is so classy they decided it was an opportunity to take ME out to dinner, wine and all.

P.P.P.P.S When I apologized emphatically again she said " That's hilarious! I didn't even hear you, but if I had I would have laughed. More wine?"

GRACE ABOUNDS...

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Can you top this?

I hate to play the "can you top this?" game since I love you all and it's not really my style...but if you read Will Smamma's recent post about her episode at Wendy's...you'll love this.

Last Sunday, while i was preaching on Exodus (stressful enough for me), a parishioner's phone started ringing...loudly

I love this parishioner. She's a fairly new member with a great sense of humor and she doesn't take much seriously. She also LOVES to kid around. So I stopped in the middle of manna (while she was scrambling to find her phone in her enormous handbag) and said in a school marm voice "Oh [parishioner]... I think we'll have to fine you... Let's make {parishioner] put an extra five dollars in the plate." To which she sheepishly replied "Sorry" and left the sanctuary.

She returned 3 minutes later, grabbed her handbag and left.

Yes, I began to break out in a sweat, remembering she has an elderly mother.

After the sermon, during the deacon's reading of 'joys of and concerns' that I clumsily fold into the pastoral prayer, the deacon announces "Let's also pray for [parishoner and family] she had to leave to meet a town official at her home, because yesterday, she had had a house fire."

Hi, my name is dumb ass, have we met?

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

R U comin'?



Been hopin and waitin' and wishin' or however that song goes.
Girlz!!! save your pennies, drink cheaper beer, do whatever you can to join us in 'Zona!.
LYMI