Names have been changed in the ensuing dialogue.....thanks to the passing of time and the natural inclination of the brain in very painful circumstances to block out the most difficult memories, the following should not be taken as an exact replica of the actual exchanges, but a very close recollection. Anything slightly misremembered in wordage shouldn't detract from the reality of a very similar conversation.
"Cherrie...Rick's voice was sad and he spoke slowly on the other end of the phone line, with the words I knew were to come ..."we have to address your decision at our member's meeting Tuesday night. It has become apparent, with your job at the lawyer's office and your public appearances around town, that you have left the church and we must proceed with church discipline. Do you want to be present to answer for yourself?"
I declined in a respectful manner, knowing very well, the procedure to follow and that I did not care to listen as the church brought my case before the members of the Mennonite church and voted to expel me from the fold, with hopes I would repent and return.
I understood the implications of working for the highest profile attorney in the tiny town of 5,000 where Mennonites were well revered, though the vast majority of town people had no desire to adopt their lifestyle.
Mennonites do not believe in litigation nor law-suits of any kind. Incidentally, this would include divorce. This is all related to their "non-resistance" stance and belief that God is the one who brings men and women into account for wrong-doing and therefore, will not go "to law" to handle a grievance. For me to have taken a job in such an environment was a public proclamation that I had left "the way" and must come under church discipline.
I frequently ran into Mennonites in town and, at times, they would walk up to me and begin to cry as they saw my new "worldly" look, complete with make-up, jewelry and fashionable clothing. I often stayed nights with my landlords down the road during this time. As soon as I made the decision to leave the church and had written a letter to inform the staff (2 ministers and 4 deacons), I went to visit them and tell them of my decision. I had to be sure they would continue to rent the little house out in the country to me. They had lost a daughter to cancer two years prior and took me in as their own. Hot baths, dinners out "re-introducing" me in town and just encouraging me. I had been the Health and Safety Coordinator at our Mennonite owned fish processing plant before being expelled (only single or divorced women usually work outside the home)and so I was a familiar face both to Mennonites and town people. I would also be approached by people in town, at times who would look at me...look again and say...."Don't I know you...?" Then it would be "Oh, you are that little ex-Mennonite girl from the fish plant!" Guess I was still recognizable without my black head covering and change of attire...
To be continued.....
Wednesday
Monday
Have an "Excellent" Day!
Girlfriends!! Happy Monday! Never say "O no, it's Monday!" When you take that approach, you invite a less than excellent day and lose 24 hours from your week! Monday ROCKS! :)
Excellence = Distinction. It denotes doing, going and being above average. I don't know about you but I don't like words like normal, average, typical...I believe God gives to each of us special talents, gifts, and abilities so that we will utilize them in an excellent way. Don't confuse excellence with perfection, which only brings disappointment and frustration. As leading fitness expert Tony Horton says, "Do your best and forget the rest!"
Whatever our hands find to do, today, let's do it with excellence. Go the second mile. Do more than is expected and that doesn't necessarily mean working harder - it means to pay attention to the need at hand and think outside the box for the best results - it could mean taking more time for some-ONE today rather than some THING or slowing down to do a few things well rather than trying to cram in 1,000 things with mediocre results...as we journey along, let's take along a small bag with a great can-do-think-the-best-of-others attitude, a willingness to give up some personal comfort and time to encourage someone else and a prayer on our lips to recognize the opportunities we encounter to affect the world around us in word and deed!
May God be honored as we seek to practice excellence in his name, today.
Still Climbing,
Cher
Excellence = Distinction. It denotes doing, going and being above average. I don't know about you but I don't like words like normal, average, typical...I believe God gives to each of us special talents, gifts, and abilities so that we will utilize them in an excellent way. Don't confuse excellence with perfection, which only brings disappointment and frustration. As leading fitness expert Tony Horton says, "Do your best and forget the rest!"
Whatever our hands find to do, today, let's do it with excellence. Go the second mile. Do more than is expected and that doesn't necessarily mean working harder - it means to pay attention to the need at hand and think outside the box for the best results - it could mean taking more time for some-ONE today rather than some THING or slowing down to do a few things well rather than trying to cram in 1,000 things with mediocre results...as we journey along, let's take along a small bag with a great can-do-think-the-best-of-others attitude, a willingness to give up some personal comfort and time to encourage someone else and a prayer on our lips to recognize the opportunities we encounter to affect the world around us in word and deed!
May God be honored as we seek to practice excellence in his name, today.
Still Climbing,
Cher
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