Don’t pass out from surprise, but we went to church on Sunday.

You know, this once a year attendance plan we seem to be following just isn’t cutting it.

Apparently, the Pastor knew we were coming, because he decided to add a little humor to his sermon this week. He declared it “No Excuse Sunday”:

To make it possible for everyone to attend church next Sunday, we are going to have a special “No Excuse Sunday.”

Cots will be placed in the foyer for those who say, “Sunday is my only day to sleep.”

We will have steel helmets for those who say, “the roof will cave in if I ever come to church.”

Blankets will be furnished for those who think the church is too cold and fans for those who think the church is too hot.

We will have hearing aids for those who think the preacher speaks too softly and cotton for those who think he preaches too loudly.

Scorecards will be available for those who wish to list the hypocrites present.

Some relatives will be in attendance for those who like to go visiting on Sunday.

There will be T.V. dinners for those who can’t go to church and cook dinner also.

One section will be devoted to trees and grass for those who like to see God in nature.

Finally, the sanctuary will be decorated with both Christmas poinsettias and Easter lilies for those who have never seen the church without them.

It’s like he KNEW we would be there. How do they do that?

This is amazing…it gave me goosebumps listening to it.

Let me start off by saying how much we are really enjoying our new church.  The people there are so friendly, and it feels like a great group of people to surround ourselves with every Sunday.

Which is why what happened Sunday morning just makes me want to kick myself.   

One of the goals I have set for myself is to make some friends in the area.    I figured a good way to do that would be through the church, as it is full of families our age.   

The problem is that I am terrible about approaching people.  I just can’t do it.   I I cannot start up a conversation with a complete stranger, and even when it comes time to “walk around and greet your neighbors” in church, I either sit down and fumble through my purse or stand there and wait for people to approach me.

I have the routine down perfectly.  I shake hands with my husband and my kids, and by that time, people sitting near us will put forth the effort to greet me.  No effort on my part, and it allows me to remain a wallflower.

I know I need to change that.

Sunday morning, it was just youngest daughter and myself.   Per her usual routine, she likes to act grownup and sit through church with a cup of coffee.  In her case, I make sure it is more sugar and creamer than actual coffee, but there’s something about that Styrofoam cup and lid that attracts her.

While we waited at the coffee station, there was a woman in front of us in with her daughter, who also seemed to be wanting a cup of coffee.  She turned around and smiled, and we joked for a minute or two about how we both had little girls that seemed to be coffee addicts, and how it must make us look like bad moms.

I went to my seat and sat down, and noticed that the mom glanced over at us a few times.  Still being fairly new to the church myself, I didn’t recognize her as someone we’d seen before, but that didn’t surprise me.

Then I noticed her walking over to where we were sitting.    She smiled and asked how old my daughter was, and we told her she is 9.   Coincidentally, this woman’s daughter is also nine.  I asked her if the daughter went to school here in town, and she said no.  They were from a town about 15 minutes away.   Both girls were 9, both are in 3rd grade, and both seemed to enjoy sitting in church with a cup of coffee.  

She introduced herself, and I introduced myself and my daughter. 

And that was it.

Why didn’t I take that opportunity to keep the conversation going?  Why didn’t I ask her if she was just visiting that morning?   Why didn’t I make more small talk?     We both wore the same coat (of course don’t all moms seem to wear the standard black North Face puffy coat?  Isn’t that a MOM THING?), the same jeans, and we seemed to be about the same age.  Why did I waste that opportunity to make a new friend?  The church had a women’s get-together last night at the local pizza place, and I could have asked if she was going.  

I just wish I could have a do-over and re-do that entire conversation, and I am hoping she is back at church again next Sunday. 

Will it look weird if I am camped out at the coffee station?