Stories

A recent online Christianity Today article by John Koessler gives advice to Millennial pastors on how to minister to Baby Boomers. In it, Koessler quotes a youth pastor's advice to: "Listen well, even if [Boomers] ramble, get stuck on one nuance, or tell stories that are way off topic." Koessler admitted some of the advice might sound condescending, but it got me thinking as I close in on my sixtieth birthday. How many times are younger people just being polite as they listen patiently to my rambling, off-topic stories? There is a reason why we older people tell stories. We have so many of them! I have spent almost sixty years accumulating stories! But I don't want to weary my young friends with them. Besides, I write better than I speak. I'm thinking it's time to close my mouth and uncap my pen. After all, blogs are made for recording one's personal adventures, right?

Shame

Recently I embarrassed myself. I am learning a new skill very slowly and publicly. I am making mistakes. I do my best and am embarrassed by how far short my best falls. It makes me want to find a hole and crawl in. Or quit. Walk away from it all. At the same time, I'm reading about shame. Shame has many sources. It has one remedy -- a full relationship with the One who made me as I am and calls me daughter. I'm still working out how that relationship helps when I fall flat on my face. Again.