Thoughts and Jots--Blog Archives

Mrs. Michelle (Givens) Wright is second from the left. Her former teachers from First Baptist Church of Rosemount are from left to right: Mrs. Vikki Pierson, Mrs. Francie Taylor, Mrs. Tina Rupe, and Mrs. Valerie Clear. If we could have included all the teachers, bus captains, bus workers, Pastor and Youth Pastor, Hyles-Anderson College staff and faculty and others who influenced Michelle's life for Christ, this photo would have been taken in a stadium! "Hello, Mrs. Taylor? This is Michelle." She didn't have to identify herself. I recognized her sweet voice right away. It is still one of my favorite things to receive a phone call from any of my former "bus teen girls." Actually, it is more accurate to refer to these young people as "students from the bus ministry" rather than "bus kids." I'm not aiming for "political correctness" here; I'm just respecting the students. As one of my former students used to tell ...

I love serving the Lord as a "teacher of good things," but life as a traveling teacher or "speaker," as most call it, is an odd life. First, there's the invitation: "Hello Mrs. Taylor. You don't know me, but my sister's mother-in-law's grandma heard you speak, and we'd like to invite you to our ladies' retreat." (I am on the other end of the phone wondering, "Are there spiders at this retreat?" Retreat is sometimes code for "camp," and I'm an unhappy camper. "Camp" is synonymous with "bugs and insomnia." The emails are just as funny as the phone calls: "Dear Mrs. Taylor, I exercise to you almost every day, and I told my Pastor's wife about you and we were wondering if you could teach at our ladies' conference." (I am reading the email and wondering how she exercises TO me, and do I get any credit for the calories burned? I later find out that the emailer is...

And let me tell you a thing or two... There is a gap between young women and older women today, and it's not just generational; it's relational. Not everyone has this problem, but if you've been viewing younger women as those who "just don't know any better," maybe this blog will help. Gratefully, not all women are off course in this area, but here are a few examples of things that we should not say to our younger sister friends: DO NOT SAY... 1. "Honey, when I was your age..." Click- FOG . The young woman is still there, but her mind has checked out into that wonderful fog zone that only she can access. You are still talking, lips moving rapidly, but your words are just sounds in the distance now. By starting the sentence with a "let me teach you something, barefoot baby girl" tone of voice, you lost your audience before getting anywhere near your point. Focus on the question being asked; not on what you used to do....