Be careful what you ask for...

I had a picquant conversation yesterday at the funeral… one of those that will continue later over a cup of tea… with a woman I want to get to know better. We first met in the parking lot of Berry Temple Methodist Church a month or so ago as she waited on her piano students. Standing by her car, I saw she was reading “The Help” and we had a brief conversation about the book. Yesterday I asked her what she thought of the book and movie. She replied with some fervor that she didn’t find it entertaining at all. It pulled up memories of watching women leave her neighborhood in the morning dressed as maids and coming home in the afternoon with bags of leftover food. I want to continue this conversation now that we have begun to move towards each other. She is an articulate woman, a retired teacher, and I like her. I’m trying to talk her into playing a piano duet with me in worship one Sunday. That would be fun.
One of the gifts of my age is my DGASA (don’t give a shit attitude). If I have a question, I ask. If I don’t want to, I say “no”. Sometimes I get in trouble and sometimes I find treasures. I have learned that you shouldn’t ask unless you can take the answer. Don’t go looking for pearls if you can’t stand the disappointment of many shells that only have oysters. So my conversations with Jackie may turn out to be the beginning of a real friendship or it might be an exchange of different world views or a piano playing partnership. Any one of those would be fine. All three would be loverly but I am alright with it whatever comes. I am satisfied with my question asking and her honesty in return.
A few years ago I prayed for church family. My prayers have been answered in a way I did not expect. Baptist to Congregational UCC to African American Presbyterian… I didn’t see that one coming. With relationship comes responsibility and I am praying carefully about how to do my best as a part of Calvary Presbyterian. After all, I might get what I ask for and God only knows where I would end up. Thanks be to God for answered prayers, answers that delight, surprise, and stir us up.