You Know You're in Trouble...

...when your pastor knows who you are outside of your normal context.

This week is Catholic Schools Week and yesterday was the Mass and Open House. Fr. P was there, of course. I was walking out of the school gym when he stopped me and said, "Your name came up, but I can't remember why."

"Really?"

"Yes, we were discussing Oktoberfest and your name came up as part of the core group. We don't want you to stop doing the Pig Race, but we thought you could take a bigger job."

"Like Booth Chairman?"

Fr. P. nodded, "Something like that. Ask R. She's here and she'll remember."

DS#2 and I left to visit DD#2's classroom. DS#2 looked at me and said, "Mom. Just say, 'No!'"

Fr. P. later remembered what the job was that "everyone" thought I would be good at: Non-game booth chair. And I would be good. Problem is, I'm up to my eyeballs as chairwoman for other projects for Girl Scouts (mostly) and I feel like I'm already not giving those jobs the attention they deserve.

And I want to write more. I find I need at least an hour to get even something simple like a blog posting done. I can't do that if I'm involved in multiple meetings.

So this request by Fr. P: is this a challenge from God? Is He testing my resolve about writing or is He telling me that my time and talent would be better used this way? Would "Our Father Below" (to borrow a phrase!) use Fr. P. to deviate from the path I should take? (I need to re-read the section in The Screwtape Letters where Screwtape discusses using religion to keep a soul from the correct path.)

Internal discussions like this is why God often needs a "clue-by-four" to get my attention. Maybe that will be my prayer request this week!