I have the main sessions, and I understand there will be break-out sessions on marriage, homemaking, frugality and parenting.
So you know that means I cannot leave here today without first driving my son to school rather than putting him on the bus, doing the dishes, cleaning the bathrooms, leaving my husband a love note, and stopping at the grocery store to bring food from afar (with coupons).
I mean, if you're going to speak on Proverbs 31:10-31, you need to feel like you have some degree of street cred. You know what I'm sayin'?
It's 9:45 AM and so far I've done the dishes, bathrooms, grocery store run, took Caleb to school and even brought the emptied recycling bins in from the curb. I've also cleaned my car top to bottom, inside and out.
Rick always cleans my car for me before I leave on a trip. Well 99% of the time. This week he's in the 1%. But he's got me spoiled... I feel like I can't enter a highway unless my car is clean. So I went out to the driveway this morning and washed and vacuumed it myself. (Using environment-friendly soap.)
Driving to a car wash might have be easier, but this was more frugal. Plus, some nice man walking past my house decided to stop and talk to me. He is here from Lexington, NC to visit family. I was informed Lexington is the BBQ capital of NC. Apparently they have a BBQ festival there every October that attracts 250,000 people. Who knew? I do now.
And now, he's going to bring us some BBQ when he comes back to visit at Thanksgiving. Bonus!
Now that's how you bring food from a far. You stop your work to chat.
Unfortunately, it's time for me to stop chatting here and go print out my speaking notes. Pray with me that I speak with the law of kindness and that faithful instruction will be on my tongue tomorrow.
And also, that I don't forget to pack a razor since I'll be wearing a dress. A dress and heels = more street cred when speaking on Proverbs 31. Every little bit helps.
How sad you feel you have to fit a constricting mold. Wearing a dress and heels shouldn't make you a more credible woman either.
ReplyDeleteAs an adjunct college instructor, most women in the evangelical community you inhabit would not believe you to be a true Proverbs 31 woman anyway.
Your whole post makes me sad and in many ways is evocative of the situation women find themselves in as a part of evangelical Christianity: trying to convince others of something they are not.
Kaitlyn
Hi Kaitlyn. You must be new around here, for I see you don't know me or my writing voice very well. Let me be the first to welcome you to my blog.
DeleteThis post was written to be humorous. Though I did in fact do all the things this morning that I listed. I'm sorry that reading it left you sad. To hopefully ease your mind, I am not constricted, or worried in least about how I will be accepted at tomorrow's conference.
My "street cred" comes from my faith in Christ, not from what I wear, or what I bake, or whether or not I run the dishwasher before I leave the house. In fact, that is the very point of my speaking message this weekend.
I live by grace - even my faith is a free gift of God. So I have no need to convince others of something I'm not.
I don't know what your experience of evangelical Christianity has been, based on your comment here I'm guessing not good. Or maybe it's just been limited. I'd be happy to "compare notes" or chat further with you if you'd like to email me. Thanks for stopping by. And for leaving your name along with your comment - I hope to hear from you.
Well I was not at all saddened by your post. I thought perhaps it was a real live "to do" list shared in a somewhat tongue in cheek manner.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melanie. I see you "get" me. :)
DeleteI love you Rachel Olsen! :) Can't wait to hear how the weekend went!
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to ask you a favor...my heart can't really handle any more conviction! So if you could come and change the words on the next few pages of your book I'm reading I would greatly appreciate it! ;)
Thank you so much for your loving wisdom. Your words are so gracious it takes the sting out of the bite. Thank you for coming to Fayetteville to share what God has laid on your heart. We appreciate you!
Hi Samantha. Your comment made me laugh! I'll be right over with my pen to reword that section for you. :)
DeleteIt was my pleasure to spend the day with you lovely ladies at West Fayetteville Baptist. I hope to see you again sometime. Stay in touch.
(PS. Love that photo of you and your man.)