Church Chit Chat

Last Sunday I was in the church kitchen, cutting up snacks to put out and one of the elderly ladies was in their wrapping loaves of banana bread that we give to visitors. Ethel is always in the kitchen, whether at home or at church. You know she has spent alot of time baking, too, because she is an awesome baker. Whenever we have a church potluck and you know Ethel brought dessert, you can't pass it up.

Anyway, Ethel and I are talking; and she says to me, "I have been saying alot of things lately that are stupid. I think I must be getting old!" Like the rest of us, she does not think of herself as getting old. "Until I look in a mirror", she tells me. Then it is like, "Ahhhhh! And I realize I look like I am 100!" We both busted out laughing and I told her that is not true. She is an older woman (mid seventies) but she is beautiful. When you think of a peaches and cream complexion, that is Ethel. She proceeded to tell me that when you look like you are 100, you put on layer after layer of make-up until you look younger. " The only problem with that is that you look like a clown, then!" Ethel said. Another good laugh.

You would never look at her and think of an old lady. You would never look at her and think of a clown. I look at her and think of a beautiful, God-loving, wise woman. A woman I admire. A woman I can only hope to be like when I am her age.

I was nominated to remind the Sunday school students that they are only allowed two snacks. Not to run up to the snack table and tip the old people over. To be polite and wait in line. Not to come back for seconds until there isn't a bunch of people standing around the table still getting their first helping. Put their treat on a plate or napkin, not wad it up in their hands and shove it in their face as fast as they can, dropping half of it on the floor. At the end of Sunday school, I give the students their little pep talk regarding politeness at the snack table. The King and I release the students, clean up the room and head upstairs to where the snack table is. I was walking across the Fellowship Hall when J., a 4th grader, comes walking up to me. "I took two snacks, didn't like one of them and threw it in the garbage. Can I still take another one? Or does that count as one of my two snacks?" How cute is that? Giving her a quick hug I informed her that as long as she walked to the table and waited in line, she could most certainly have another snack!