the    sides

I met with Ms. Bobbi today. She is, well, just in case she reads this - I’m not telling you her age. She - is in my mind - what the perfect grandmother to someone my age should be. She used to drive a BMW with 104,000 miles on it. Then she got a speeding ticket and a ‘little fender bender.’ She’s now sporting a Honda Accord. She’s adjusting to it.

She needed to talk about her Life Group. The “Leader” moved away and she wanted me to help her find the new leader.

“But before we talk about that, you know you we have someone in our group that is struggling with a sharp tongue? How can I help her work through that and still let her know that I love her? And someone else - we just prayed for her as her husband’s health is deteriorating. We are also praying for you Grant.”

For the next 10 minutes she talks about the people in her LIFE group like family. She loves them. And even at their age - she’s convinced that God is not through with them. “He’s still changing me.”

I must of lost all sense of self-awareness in those minutes. I catch myself with my mouth wide open.

GE: “I think I’ve found the perfect leader for your life group, Ms. Bobbi.”

“You have? This is great!”

G: “It’s you.”

“What? Oh no, no, no, no. You’ve completely misunderstood me, I can’t teach.”

G: “Great. Don’t teach.”

“Well, somebody has to bring a lesson.”

G: “How many lessons do ya’ll really get through?”

“We do pray alot. Maryann is really good at bringing a discussion.”

G: “Looks like we’ve got a team!”

“Well - then you can be our coach. I know you’re busy but we won’t be much trouble.”

G: “I’d love to be your coach. We’ll hook up once a month to check on each other and pray.”

I am so going to get so much more out of this than they are.