Say cheese

I had a funny experience this weekend. First let me begin with a little context. My church is decorated for Christmas in the most beautiful way. The wall surrounding the platform is covered in a shiny, metallic blue fabric. There are snowflakes hanging from the ceiling and large snowflakes on the platform. The lighting is done in a chilly blue and the ambiance is just wonderful. With this winter wonderland occurring in a place that means very much to me, I wanted to get a picture of my family with this backdrop.

I asked the executive pastor last week if it would be ok if we went on the platform before service to get a photo and he said it was fine. But as we were going up I hesitated. I realized that I am not able to do whatever I would like there and some people don't know me and might question my activity. We went up, took the photo and sat back down. But I still felt uneasy. This is completely different from my experiences from the last 10 years in my church life. Before I was so involved or actually in authority that everyone knew me and would never say anything. I did as I pleased and didn't think twice about it.

I can't wait for the day when I am that involved and vested in my church that I don't think twice about something as simple as a photo. I can't wait until I can help with the ministry and be useful around the church. Until then, I will cherish this time and relax. I will wait on restoration and be content with what I have. Most of all I will continue to enjoy memories like these.