Of Amish and Ordinations
And yes, I am quite well aware of the fact that these two subject titles have nothing in common with each other. And I hope I don't offend anyone my mixing humor and serious all in one post.
We will start with the latter. Our church had ordination this past weekend and it was a really good weekend. But what has stuck out in my mind since then was the sermon we heard on Saturday night, entittled: "Surrendered to the Will of God." It felt like a revival sermon. Just a really good emphasis on being surrendered to God, willing to take up your cross and sacrifice and follow the call that God has given you in your life. The story was told of Frances Havergal and her change from nominal Christianity to solid devotion and how she asked God to save the 10 people in the house that she was staying in and how through her prayers and God working, all 10 people were saved. It was the kind of sermon where you left and you were almost jealous of the two ministers being ordained. Not that I wanted their responsibilities or their wives' responsibility, by any stretch. But it left you feeling like they know what their calling is--they know what at least some of their sacrifice will entail. The rest of us are left to wonder and try to find it out on our own and with God's help. I want to be surrendered to God in that respect, be willing to take up my cross and sacrifice for the cause of Christ.
Moving on to a little lighter subject, I dared the secretary yesterday to have a stare down with a few of our patients. It's a somewhat familiar practice to come up to the window and just stand there looking at the secretary. She says, "Hello," then you say "Hello." She says: "Are you here for an appt.?" You say "Yes". Then she says, "And your name is?" I just wonder how long it would take if she just looked at them and waited for them to make the first move or say the first words. Not near everyone is like that, but there are a few.
There is also the case of paying the bill. Secretary says the amount: Husband says something to wife in Dutch. Wife goes out, husband keeps standing there looking. Secretary moves on to other things because she is guessing the wife went to go get the checkbook. A minute or two passes, nurse comes on the scene and doesn't understand what is going on, so says to secretary: Are you printing his invoice? Because it appears that surely he isn't going to pay today. So secretary says to husband: "Did your wife go get the checkbook?" Husband says: "Oh no, I have it right here." Then please tell me what were you waiting on? The secretary has already told you the amount. All in a day's work.
Here's a side note to all of you out there: young and old, plain or "English". If you are paying with a check, it is perfectly acceptable and actually preferred for you to get our your checkbook and start writing out the date, who to, and other such things before the secretary says the amount of the bill. It is a big waste of time and a cause for awkward silence when you wait until the amount is given and then you start "rooching" around for the money.
Rooching is an entirely made up word I believe, compliments of my friend.
Until next time.
We will start with the latter. Our church had ordination this past weekend and it was a really good weekend. But what has stuck out in my mind since then was the sermon we heard on Saturday night, entittled: "Surrendered to the Will of God." It felt like a revival sermon. Just a really good emphasis on being surrendered to God, willing to take up your cross and sacrifice and follow the call that God has given you in your life. The story was told of Frances Havergal and her change from nominal Christianity to solid devotion and how she asked God to save the 10 people in the house that she was staying in and how through her prayers and God working, all 10 people were saved. It was the kind of sermon where you left and you were almost jealous of the two ministers being ordained. Not that I wanted their responsibilities or their wives' responsibility, by any stretch. But it left you feeling like they know what their calling is--they know what at least some of their sacrifice will entail. The rest of us are left to wonder and try to find it out on our own and with God's help. I want to be surrendered to God in that respect, be willing to take up my cross and sacrifice for the cause of Christ.
Moving on to a little lighter subject, I dared the secretary yesterday to have a stare down with a few of our patients. It's a somewhat familiar practice to come up to the window and just stand there looking at the secretary. She says, "Hello," then you say "Hello." She says: "Are you here for an appt.?" You say "Yes". Then she says, "And your name is?" I just wonder how long it would take if she just looked at them and waited for them to make the first move or say the first words. Not near everyone is like that, but there are a few.
There is also the case of paying the bill. Secretary says the amount: Husband says something to wife in Dutch. Wife goes out, husband keeps standing there looking. Secretary moves on to other things because she is guessing the wife went to go get the checkbook. A minute or two passes, nurse comes on the scene and doesn't understand what is going on, so says to secretary: Are you printing his invoice? Because it appears that surely he isn't going to pay today. So secretary says to husband: "Did your wife go get the checkbook?" Husband says: "Oh no, I have it right here." Then please tell me what were you waiting on? The secretary has already told you the amount. All in a day's work.
Here's a side note to all of you out there: young and old, plain or "English". If you are paying with a check, it is perfectly acceptable and actually preferred for you to get our your checkbook and start writing out the date, who to, and other such things before the secretary says the amount of the bill. It is a big waste of time and a cause for awkward silence when you wait until the amount is given and then you start "rooching" around for the money.
Rooching is an entirely made up word I believe, compliments of my friend.
Until next time.
As I read your blog I keep thing about this book that you should be writing and how this would all fit in well. I hope Troy is storing his stories too somewhere to add to this great book. It is bound to be a top seller bc everyone will be wanting to read it to see if you have talked about them or will try to guess who is who...
ReplyDeleteKeep writing, VaLita
Umm, I know this comment is tardy, but isn't that "r" word a Dutch word? or at least sort of...? F
ReplyDelete