The Influence of Church Ladies

 Call it Serendipity, Fate, Luck, Chance . . . I prefer to call it Providence. When we just happen to be in the right place at the right time, meet a person who will change our lives, re-direct our futures, or impact our thinking and help us in infinitesimal ways. 

I've had a couple of those, I suppose. Maybe not what you would consider life changing, but definitely life impacting. Friends who brought so much beauty and wisdom into my life, filled it with laughter and memories. I've met people within the last year that I am building new relationships with I feel the same boundary stretching impact possibilities that excite me. 

Others aren't literal meetings, but in this new age, are virtual meetings. Bloggers, podcasters, writers and authors who open my eyes and mind to learning and worlds I would not have access to from my small space. 

This week I shared a post from just such a person. An author, podcaster, speaker and musician I am now following who has made me laugh, cry and think deeply with his words. The post of his that I shared was on Church Ladies, which struck a chord in me.

The new aforementioned friends and I will be embarking on a podcast journey of our own. Our mutual passion, outside of writing, is to reach across generational boundaries and connect women. Reading Sean Dietrich's column hurled me back to my days as a young mom in a small church. If you haven't read it, be sure and go back a couple posts on my Facebook page, (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566337132066) and read it. It is beautiful.

Church Ladies are the ladies we found in churches, and maybe still do in certain older demographic small churches, of a certain age. They carried wisdom, love, and casseroles in equal measure. I remember them from throughout my life. 

I can picture them from my childhood. Sensible shoes, modest dresses well over the knees, hair set regularly by the same 'girl', large well stocked 'pocket books', clean handkerchief stuffed somewhere handy, (each one had their special place, easily reached at the sound of a sniffle or sneeze). I recall many of their names; Blondell, Grace, Helen, Hazel, Neva and Velma. Many I have forgotten, but their words remain in my heart. 

I have every intention to save their names for use in future books, and have already woven some of their beautiful words and mannerisms into my current work. There is no way that can be avoided. They helped shape my thinking, my attitude, my faith.

To be fair, their input was not always well received. As a young mom with three children under the age of five, I rejected the idea that I would look back on these days as 'the best days.' I could not imagine for the life of me longing for these days again, and in no stretch of the imagination did I see these times, as this ancient little lady said, flying by at breakneck speed.

To be fair, I will now tell you, they were right. All of them. Those were wonderful days. While at this point of my life I do not long to go back and sit up all night with colicky babies and get up for middle of the night feedings, I do miss my babies. And did the time fly? There is not a word in the English language to adequately describe the speed at which the years have flown. 

Do I miss any certain age more than others? Depends. What picture am I looking at? That age. What I do miss is the connection we had. The genuine love and care I felt from those that were around me. The knowledge that there were women I could reach out to for help and they would be there. Not a thread of strangers giving me their untested, unproven opinions. But Godly women who knew me and loved me, pouring into me.

We've lost something. . . connections that are real. I long to find a way to establish those. 

If you could build a relationship with women from different generations, to draw wisdom and information from, how would that look for you? Is that something that you miss in your life?  

Be sure and Click Follow on here and post your comments. . . I will keep you updated on our upcoming podcast.