Church was wonderful last night. The worship time was great, the special music was touching and the message was just what we needed, but.........................there was the "amen" lady. I have seen her before, or should I say I have heard her before. I had already nicknamed here in my own thoughts, but somehow forgotten about her until last night. I call her the ''amen" lady because every time Dr. Hunter says anything, she shouts "AMEN!" I mean shouts! If he says two or three words together she yells it. If it is a really good point it actually goes to a "Hallelujah, Praise the Lord, Amen" ! It isn't just a little muttering under her breath, but I am certain the people in the back row of the church could hear her and she was sitting in the second row. It is very distracting while listening to the message and I found myself playing the game of: (when will she say it next?). To top her off, the man in the front row would turn around and GLARE at her every time she said it. I couldn't figure out what was more annoying, him or her.
I questioned myself why it bothered me so much for her to yell Amen over and over and over. The message was still the same whether she said anything or not. One might say that she ruined the message last night, but when I thought about it, she really didn't. I let her get to me and she had the best intentions in sitting there yelling. The message really didn't change at all, it was my attitude that changed.
What a valuable insight for me today as I reflect on my life. So many times I have blamed the outside circumstances when I made the wrong decision. The right thing and truth stay the same, it doesn't matter what anyone says or does, they are constant. God's way is truth and is constant and his message is the same whether we are in a peaceful situation or torment and war with ourselves. I am challenging myself this week to look past distractions and listen with open ears. I am also praying that the Amen lady does the same! :-)
I questioned myself why it bothered me so much for her to yell Amen over and over and over. The message was still the same whether she said anything or not. One might say that she ruined the message last night, but when I thought about it, she really didn't. I let her get to me and she had the best intentions in sitting there yelling. The message really didn't change at all, it was my attitude that changed.
What a valuable insight for me today as I reflect on my life. So many times I have blamed the outside circumstances when I made the wrong decision. The right thing and truth stay the same, it doesn't matter what anyone says or does, they are constant. God's way is truth and is constant and his message is the same whether we are in a peaceful situation or torment and war with ourselves. I am challenging myself this week to look past distractions and listen with open ears. I am also praying that the Amen lady does the same! :-)
Just a note: The message was about suffering and sovereignty!
Hebrews 2:1
" So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it"
Hebrews 2:1
" So we must listen very carefully to the truth we have heard, or we may drift away from it"
2 comments:
The only thing I can say to that is... AMEN!!!
Dear Emily,
We didn't hear the Amen lady here but we had our own set of distractions. Phone calls, power outage etc. It made you want to give up. We hung in there and just when Dr. Hunter got up to share all was calm. So glad we didn't give up. Now I will listen a little harder for the Amen lady:) Good thoughts. We enjoyed that message also.
Love Mom Otis
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