Gò0dNews for Everyone
Too Thin
H
by Monica Gambrell
ave you ever heard of Murphy’s Law? It states that
sanctuary, so I exited through the front doors of the church.
anything that can go wrong probably will go wrong.
Unfortunately, some visitors were coming in at the same
While that is not my pervading philosophy, I assure
time and asked me what was so funny. I relayed the incident
you that there are moments in my life that definitely try the
between outbursts of laughter. Unfortunately, we never saw
theory. I’m going to share an embarrassing story that will
them again.
highlight it.
The reason my slip fell off was that it had been stretched
I was attending a medium-sized Southern Baptist
to the max from too many years of being pulled over my
Church (around 500 members), and at the beginning of the
voluminous hips. We are like that slip sometimes, aren’t
service, there was a time set aside when we mingled and
we? We allow the things of this world to stretch us to the
greeted one another while the music played. I was known
max, and then we fall. Want to head up a church committee?
to be one of the last people seated. I always hurried across
Sure! How about leading a book drive? Absolutely. Would you
the sanctuary to get back to my seat. One morning, just as I
babysit for me? Sounds good. And the list goes on. When will
reached the end of my pew, the music stopped, the Pastor
we realize that we are stretched too thin? There is always a
rose to his feet, and there wasn’t a sound. As I stepped into
price to pay for staying so busy, that we fail to sit at the feet
the pew, I felt an oddly warm sensation around my ankles
of Jesus and learn how to be in this world.
and instantly heard some giggles from the choir. I looked up to see them all looking at me! My slip had fallen from my waist to the floor and was
“He caused the storm to be still, so that the waves of the sea were hushed” (Psalm 107:29). Father God, we are so thankful that you can and do
puddled there waiting to trip me up. I could have crawled
not only calm the storm surrounding us, but also the storm
under a rock I was so embarrassed. But it immediately
within us. We say yes to things that are good—but not best.
turned to giggles as I reached down to retrieve the slip,
We somehow equate doing more with Your blessings. The
tuck it under the arm of my cardigan, and hightail it to the
truth is that You would rather we be concerned less about
nearest exit. I could still hear their laughter as I entered
doing and more about being. Help us, Lord, to prioritize as
the ladies’ room. Then I laughed as I had never laughed
You would, and to rest peacefully in Your presence so that
before. It was like a nervous tic; I tried desperately to stop,
we are never stretched too thin.
but I couldn’t control it! A member entered the restroom and told me that my laughing could still be heard in the
32 // March 2022
