Wednesday 7 February 2007



This picture describes how I feel today. Confused.

I've never been one of those people who automatically attracts a crowd of admirers. You know the type. They just have to enter the room and everyone gravitates towards them. It's like some magnetic invisible force. They don't have to even be physically attractive....or have large breasts or anything. They just have that certain something. That certain something that I lack.

When I'm somewhere out in public and I reeeeallly want to be alone, I then become that person. Unfortunately, I don't attract the normal human beings. I get the wacko ones. Never fails.

Last night I stood in front of a group of approx. 30 kids. The children's pastor was away, and being the co-ordinator of the program I was the one expected to do the closing routine. I became that first person in the extreme. Not only did these kids not gravitate towards me, but they down right ignored me! As I looked across the sea of faces, including group leaders and assistants, I could see nobody had the slightest interest at all in what I was or wasn't doing and saying at the front. This called for drastic action. I screamed. Silence gradually fell across the room in a wave.

"You need to listen to me NOW! I am trying to get started so we can all get out of hear on time." I yelled as loudly as I could. Although I could still hear mumbles, primarily from the kindergardeners, but generally I had caught their attention.

"Alright now. Pastor S. is away tonight. I need somebody about this tall to come up and take her place." I indicated about someone upto my shoulders height. The Pastor is a wee bit on the short side. One of the boys volunteered. In fact it was one of the more rambunctious gentlemen.

Tonight this is Pastor S. And now Pastor S. will lead us in our song and Bible verse. I stepped aside. (heeheehee!) The guys 11 year old face dropped and registered both panic and confusion. The room was quiet.

"Well....we're waiting....SING!" I was barely able to keep my face straight. This was way too much fun.

He sang, he lead the verse. I allowed a couple of the other children to come up to the front so the poor guy wasn't totally alone. I had asked one of the leaders to finish with a prayer. The end to a successful evening.

I suppose that I learned that when you are ignored, the best way to get noticed is to become a bit silly.....a wacko. This doesn't mean that I want to listen to every nut case that comes my way when I'm out in public, but maybe the odd one. You know, just to make them feel heard.

5 comments:

Kurt said...

I'm working on a 10 pound bar of 75% dark chocolate from Trader Joe's. I use a hammer to break off chunks.

Asaph's Table said...

Welcome to the dark and sinister world of children's ministry!
I survived (That's questionable) many years of life in those dank, misty corridors, most of them working with--GASP-- teens. They ignore you, too.

Sariah said...

Hee hee hee. I'm imagining someone standing in front of a large group of kids and just screaming. It's too funny.

I used teach middle school. Being extrememly wierd is the only way I could ever get -- and keep -- their attention.

Anonymous said...

One word for your solution: BRILLIANT.

Deb said...

Love the way you got their attention! Wanna come try it on my two? Most of the time they just ignore me, even if if I do yell on occasion. LOL