So, I was like, “Ooh, snappy green blazer! Cute, snappy, bright! Summer!”
And then I got it and put it on and it was like, “Oh, who’s that enormous green M & M walking around the church?”
So much for that vision of me in a snappy green jacket. It’s going back. Sometimes you have to be willing to let the dream die, kids. Like those shoes you WANT SO BAD but pinch. Don’t get the pinchy shoes. Don’t will it to work. Don’t expect to fit into the size 12 by the wedding if you’re not making a serious, daily effort toward that goal. Be realistic. Get the 14, be comfortable and pretty. If you can’t button the blazer today, fellas, it’s not going to magically button on June 8th. And those pants aren’t going to hem themselves. If they’re pooling around your ankles today, they’re still going to be pooling around your ankles on the day of the big occasion. Get to the tailor tomorrow.
Denial is a devilish force in the ministry. Doing good ministry is all about facing facts and doing what needs to be done. You don’t think, “I’ll wake up at 7:30 and be ready for church at 9 AM with a great sermon that I’ll start working on at 7:45 AM.” You don’t say, “If I don’t return those eight phone calls, no one will care.” You don’t say, “I think I’ll stay in bed today – I’m so exhausted. Someone else will write and deliver the eulogy.” You get up and do what needs to be done. If you’re staying in bed, ignoring the phone calls, and leaving sermon prep until Sunday morning you’re in trouble and you need help before your life blows up.
I deal with my body and appearance as honestly as I deal with any other reality of my ministry. If it looks bad, it’s bad. Doesn’t mean the world will end, it just means it’s bad. Be willing to change your clothes. Be willing to send that thing back, even though you were all psyched about it. Be willing to say, “Eeek, I look like a huge M + M.” You’re still awesome and God still loves you. Being realistic doesn’t mean being mean to yourself. It just means being honest.
So honest, so true, so inspiring. Thank you for your words. I had to smile at the M&M imagery, because I used to have a red suit that made me look like a smartie. Not pretty. The suit went away, and the body, through better eating and some exercise resembles a shelled peanut (shape not texture 🙂 which is progress.
If we own who we are, and dare to make mistakes, we will be all the better for it.
Pax,
andrea+
Just practice, practice, practice, and win the Master’s Tournament for your green jacket
😉
I just took two bags of clothes to the second hand store today, with items that made me feel less than stellar. And walked away with a cute, not for church, summery dress. Yay!
Looking at the ad for this, I totally would get your jonesing for it. Did you get it in white? Or would you look like… well, I can’t come up with a white corollary for bright green M & M. Anyway, it’s a great reminder to be honest about something that didn’t work. I tend to be reluctant if I’ve worn it out & about, thinking, “Who wants my shvitzing?” Having stuff cleaned when necessary tends to add to my feet-dragging.