Judy

Judy caught me in the hallway of our church on a Wednesday night, when we were finishing dinner and people were busy putting chairs and tables away.

“Hey, I need to talk to you for a minute when you get a chance. Alone, if we can.”

“Sure. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing bad or anything.”

“Okay, give me a second.”

I finished up a couple of conversations and said goodbye to a few people. Then Judy and I ducked into the room at the end of the hall where she teaches the four and five-year-old Sunday School class. This was her first year to teach, and I remember how scared she was when she started.

“You know about that deacon thing, how I was nominated and all?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I was gonna say 'No.' I thought about it a lot, and I decided that I just wasn’t worthy of something like that. I mean, I just finally stopped smoking, and I still cuss sometimes. I’m trying to do better with that.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but she continued before I could get a word out.

“But then I read your book." She began to smile. "And I thought, dang, if this guy can be the PASTOR of the church, surely I could be a deacon or something.”

We looked at each other for a moment or two, then we both started laughing. After a few seconds, she spoke up again.

“So anyway, count me in. I’ll serve if you need me to, or if  I get elected or whatever."

I nodded.

"You know, I always used to put you up on a pedestal or something. You being the pastor and all. And I never thought I could be that much of a spiritual person myself. But you’re just human, like the rest of us. That made me feel a lot better."

"Okay," I said. "You're on the ballot."

Then she left, and I watched her walk down the hall. Judy, who wandered into our church five years ago, looking for the God she lost when she was growing up in the Texas Panhandle. Judy with the big smile and the sad eyes.

I admit I was a little worried when the book came out. Not for myself, but for our church. I didn't want the collection of friends we call Covenant Baptist Church to be harmed. I was worried that some of the people in our church might be uncomfortable with parts of my book. Let's be honest; a lot of church people are uncomfortable with some of the things I write.

So yes, I was a little worried. But then this thing with Judy happened, and I thought, "Maybe this is all going to work out just fine."

rlp

Written with the permission and blessing of Judy S.

© Copyright 2005 Preacher. Last update: 7/17/2005; 8:25:22 PM. Links