Paradox in the Parsonage

Just how many ways can the heart of a pastor be ripped out?

Yesterday a couple of phone calls and mine was torn again.....

Truly the father of the Prodigal depicts a God called pastor's heart as good as any....

There is little doubt that before that boy left there was pressure in the house.....

The Prodigal's decision was not a sudden one but one worked toward for some time.....

Surely he created quite a storm before he finally took his stuff and left....

And without doubt the day after the father's heart was rent....

The pressure subsided.....

A form of peace and relief settled in.....

But the father never quit standing by the front window looking up the road...

For he knew one day the boy would come home.....

Ah the Paradox of the Parsonage.....

No matter what happens to a church member....

Regardless of the ensuing events of a family leaving the church.....

Pastor's heart is always torn....

Even amid the peace that settles after the storm....

Pastor always keeps his eyes on the front door of the church on service days knowing....

That one day the prodigal will return....

Why do we do this?

Why do we beg God for one more chance to dung and till the unfruitful tree?

Why do we weep when someone walks out on God, the church and us?

Why does a true shepherd allow his heart to get so intertwined with the wayward?

Tis the Paradox of the Parsonage.....

We love knowing we will hurt....

We tolerate knowing tolerance is inappropriate....

We turn the other cheek when we ought to be spanking.........

And we forgive the unforgivable because that is the God part of a pastor's heart....

Only a pastor truly knows the chaos of the parsonage....

While he weeps for the decisions of the prodigal....

He rejoices in the birth of a new Babe in Christ....

Pastor never says good riddance....

Rather he ask for bridges to not be burned....

The carnal would say Pastor is crazy for allowing himself the myriad of emotions he does....

But is a mother's care for her baby unreasonable?

Is a dad's love for his daughter unjustified?

And the pastor loves like a mom and dad and grandparent all in one.....

The pastor loves when he should not.....

But also....

There comes a point....

Pastor must let go....

Pastor must release them....

Pastor must step back....

And allow events to unfold....

Viewing them through the mist of tear filled eyes....

Praying with a broken heart.....

And a finger lifting the blinds as he keeps his eyes on the horizon of the Spirit....

His leaping heart rejoices with each speck on the horizon...

They are coming home...

My son......

My baby.....

My wayward saint......

Only to have to settle back and wait a little longer.....

And the Paradox of the Parsonage continues....

Sometimes for years......

Pastors love hard....

Pastors love deep....

Pastors love without condition.....

And pastor rejoices when he stands in the altar of restitution and restoration.....

Rejoicing in the restoration....

While weeping over the broken and lost pieces of what was once so beautiful......

And the pastor goes about finding some clothes and food and forgiveness and acceptance and even trust with a ring...........

Knowing....

Knowing that the events will probably all happen again.....

Cognizing the healing in his heart is but temporary....

Certain that in the midst of restoration.....

His heart will be torn again by yet another event........

And another sleepless night is headed his way.....

Yet he loves unconditionally.....

He rejoices with those that rejoice....

Weeps with those that weep....

Smiles at the Wednesday night bible study.....

Gets in his car with a heavy heart and torn spirit...

And heads home wrestling with.......

The Paradox of the Parsonage....

Blessings....

rks

Simple Ministry

Next week I will be meeting with some new hires here at CUPC....

As I ponder forward I dwell upon a single word.....

Ministry.....

Oh, I am not thinking on the common concept of the preacher in the pulpit on Sunday morning with a choir backing him up and visitors in the house....

But rather what the preacher does the other six days of the week....

And what every other employee, staffer and volunteer is involved in when they offer themselves to the service of the Lord and others.....

Ministry.....

Servant Ministry....

The unselfish giving of oneself to help others........

And that ministry is done is a thousand diffent ways....

Ushers, hostess, singers, teachers, office staff, cleaners, team leaders, cooks, drivers, workers and any other area of ministry or service seen around the church.....

There is so much more to ministry than a pulpit....

Every person serving in or around a ministry.....

Is worthy of double honor......

Over the years here we have had many to serve along side at Conroe Christian School.....

CUPC has been blessed to have many wonderful unselfish servants work in the ministry of the kingdom....

To each of those wonderful people I wish to send out a simple thank you for what you have done....

However there is one observation I wish to make........

It is impossible to do a spiritual work and not be spiritual.....

Ministry is a spiritual work....

Oh, many of the task are anything but spiritual....

But service around the church is a spiritual work....

It requires spirituality....

It is impossible to do spiritual work and not be spiritual...........

Personal consecration is a mandate for those that serve in the most mundane of ministry tasks...

Without personal consecration the enemy will take the good of ones service and make an issue of issues that should never have been an issue....

I have observed too many times someone serving and neglecting personal consecration become frustrated or overly sensitive or offended.....

If personal consecration had not been set aside the issue would have never arisen....

Preacher man and wifey....

Do not neglect the personal consecration required to do the work you have been called to do....

Church staffer....

Never forget to spend time with the Master....

Difficulties and misunderstandings will arise around the church...

The devil is good at what he does....

Our humanity is quite consistent as well.....

Those pressurized moments will so much easier to pass through when we have taken time for personal consecration.....

The fiery darts of the enemy will bounce off....

And you will pass through the fire with your joy of service intact....

Ministry made simple....

Personal consecration....

Simple Ministry...

Blessings...

rks

Simple Integrity

Tis 4 a.m. and sleep left hours ago.....

And I have wrestled with that thing called.....

Integrity.......

Oh not my own....

But rather the integrity of another...........

Wikepedia offered these thoughts.....

Integrity is the basing of one's actions on an internally consistent framework of principles. Depth of principles and adherence of each level to the next are key factors. One is said to have integrity to the extent that everything one does is derived from the same core set of values. While those values may change, it is their consistency with each other and with the person's actions that determine one's degree of integrity.

Integrity can be viewed as personal honesty, acting according to one's beliefs and values at all times. It can emphasize the "wholeness" or "intactness" of a moral stance or attitude. Relevant views of wholeness may also emphasize commitment and authenticity.

Integrity can be seen as a virtue in that accountability and moral responsibility are often indicated as necessary tools for maintaining consistency between one's actions and one's principles, methods and measures, especially when an expected result is incongruent with observed outcome.

The one overriding concept pounding in my spirit this early predawn morning....

Integrity comes out of the person....

It is either there or not...

There is not substitute for it....

There is no excuse for lack of it.......

Proverbs offered this to me this morning.....

The just man walketh in his integrity : his children are blessed after him. 11:3

The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them. 20:7

You have it or you do not...

This brings me to another conclusion....

If one is an adult and does not have it...

There is only one place to get it....

Therefore the pursuit of integrity rests completely upon every man...

We each choose to embrace it and walk in integrity...

Or we choose to neglect it and be destroyed by the lack thereof.....

Job's story began with an issue over his integrity...

It ended with his own words of declaration....

Let me be weighed in an even balance, that God may know mine integrity . 31:16

God's balance is always even....

God's side of the balance is constant...

The tale is told though when we place our integrity on the other side and truth is revealed in us.....

For truth is always revealed....

And integrity, or lack thereof....

Never kept secret....

Oh, one may hide it for a season....

But given time and chance.....

Every man will be placed on that balance and his integrity will be measured and revealed.......

And there is absolutely nothing anyone else can do about it....

A man measures up or he does not.....

The Psalmist spoke to my heart......

Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; 25:21

And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity; 42:12

Integrity upholds and preserves....

In the grand scheme of life....

Little else matters....

Blessings...

rks

Memorable Memorial Day

Memorial Day Weekend.....

That particular Sunday is always challenging for me as pastor.....

At least half of the church will be gone and rightfully so....

So what does a pastor do to create a good atmosphere yet acknowledge the holiday....

Oh I know one could just have church and all would be well.....

But as a pastor I have endeavored to acknowledge special days and offer appreciation to those worthy of it....

In this case....

Those that have served or are currently serving our country to protect these great freedoms....

America might not be perfect....

But she is still the home of the free and the land of the brave....

So yesterday.....

We worshipped....

Had a nice little flag ceremony along with pledges of allegiance to both the the US and Christian flag...

Power Point presentation....

Worship medley of songs giving honor and thanks to our God.....

Trumpet solo and drum accompaniment of Glory Glory Hallelujah....

Acknowledged our veteran's and prayed for the two CUPC members currently serving our country in the military.....

I preached......

And to close the service there were two first time visitors in the altar!!!

Tracie and I picked up a load of kids for our social event of the afternoon....

We ate watermelon and fellowshipped....

Took the kids home.....

And spent the evening together at home....

Memorable Day.....

Today....

Memorial Day...

I am taking Tracie back to the beach to listen to the waves again.....

Windows down and top back on the Lexus.....

Today I take off my pastor hat....

And plan to be a regular guy with my girl.....

This no doubt will be a .....

Memorable Memorial Day.....

Blessings....

rks

The Day I Went To A Bull Fight

Three summers ago I took my family to Cancun....

Yeah I know what you are thinking....

What is a Pentecostal preacher gonna do in Cancun.....

Well let me tell you....

I was the only guy there walking down the beach with a Sheaves for Christ tee shirt pulled over my long sleeve white preacher shirt and a Mother's Memorial ball cap on.....

My kids were mortified.....

But in all reality there were many things to do and see and we enjoyed the tourist stuff we did....

One afternoon we were perusing a tourist catalogue and saw an upcoming bull fight...

Cool the kids said....

Cool said momma....

Dad was cool and took them.....

And the experience became a life change event for the whole family....

We got our tickets and found our seats....

The clowns came out and it was a blast....

We opted to pass on the tequila but did buy orange sodas for everybody.....

Then the bull fighter came out and swirled his cape.....

Trumpets blared....

Out charged the bull.....

Cape swirled and fighter danced and bull whirled and cape swirled and fighter danced and bull whirled....

I think you get the picture....

Then out came the sword to kill the bull.....

Then out came the horse and spear....

And a different spirit entered the arena....

People leaned forward in anticipation of the upcoming death....

Bull bellowed....

People held their breaths....

And I could not stay anymore....

I told my family I would be waiting in a cab and walked out....

As I sat in the cab I looked and here came Trent, Redonia and Tracie....

Trent got in and asked what was that feeling in the place?

The girls said gross....

And I leaned back nauseated.....

Nauseated in my spirit that I had taken my family to such an event....

Sickened that I had innocently followed a tourist crowd to an event that I would soon learn that I had no business being at to begin with....

I would later ask our Spanish Pastor about the feeling we felt....

He told me that that was no place for godly people....

I knew that now....

The event provided me with a most wonderful opportunity to teach my kids.....

But without my teaching both learned a very valuable lesson....

I do not think I will ever have to worry about them doing such a thing again.....

I feel reasonably sure our mistaken adventure will leave us with a never to be forgotten memory....

And conviction....

Blessings...

rks

Cool Refreshing Phone Call

The Treo buzzed and I saw a message from Tracie.....

I'm Impressed, it said....

She wanted me to know of a phone call of encouragement and camaraderie she had received...

I was off doing preacher stuff at a preacher's meeting.....

She was alone dealing with the current pressures of the parsonage.....

The pressure has been great upon her of late....

The annual end of the school year events....

Church....

Her personal outreach efforts....

Taking care of me.....

Then toss in Trent's wedding in a couple of weeks.....

She found herself a bit parched and thirsty for a cool drink of a friend's water....

The call impressed her and helped her tremendously....

Her impressed email helped me tremendously....

When wife is encouraged....

So is husband....

Thank you so much for the call tonight.....

You know who you are....

This prompts another thought....

How many of us in ministry find ourselves lonely and thirsty for a kind word or smile.....

An email or text message of encouragement....

A phone call saying I'm praying....

At best this work of ministry is a lonely work....

One can set in a crowd and feel all alone....

One can be surrounded by people and busy as a bug in a rug....

And still need a word of kindness.........

Preacher man....

How long since you picked up the phone and played encourager???

Preacher wifey.....

I know your busy with you house, kids, church and all the etc's......

But how long since you were just a girlfriend to another girl just like you???

Though I am connected with hundreds of ministers via the web and ministry.....

I am convicted....

And I purpose in my heart to call at least two people a day for the next couple of weeks and simply tell them I care.....

How about it preacher man and wifey....

Who are you gonna call?

Blessings...

rks

Snack of the Year

Hey sir, will you hold these for me?

And I was presented a near empty box of chocolate raisins....

Tracie and I had been doing our weekly gathering up on young'uns for Sunday School....

When we entered the complex a police car was pulled up to an apartment....

This is a good sign for revival....

And in just a few moments the police left and Tracie, Misti Ferguson and I were praying with a 44 year old grandmother who had more of life on her than she should right there on the sidewalk.....

I got in the car and honked the horn at a fellow that was crying in the complex bible study on Thursday night that I believe is gonna receive the Holy Ghost on Sunday.....

I spent a few moments visiting with a backslider lady who was trying to somehow convince me the broken arm on her husband/boyfriend/shack up or whatever....

Anyway she was trying to convince he broke his arm on her leg while they were wrestling.....

Personally I think she whupped him.....

Anyway we made our rounds and found out two of our families of kids were evicted and we don't know where they went....

Too sad....

But the highlight of the day was me, the Lexus driving big time pastor....

Getting the basketball out of the trunk and playing with two 9 year olds.....

Then Caleb showed up to play....

That's where the raisins came in.....

Sir hold these for me......

Ok....

So in my pocket went the box of chocolate raisins....

We played a while and then it was time to go....

Ball back in the trunk and the ladies loaded up.....

Hey Caleb, here are your raisins....

The little guy ran over and took the box and said....

Here, take some....

I really didn't want any....

Who knows where they have been?

Yuk....

Gimme your hand...

And out poured 4 little shrivelled up chocolate raisins and the box was empty....

You take them sir, I want you to have them.....

So I get in the car holding those little raisins of questionable history....

Tracie said I know your not gonna eat those....

Nope and I laid them on a cup in the holder.....

Til Tracie wasn't looking....

And popped them in my mouth....

Caleb was sharing those raisins and I'll be a dipped raisin myself before I don't eat those nasty little things...

Hummmmmmm

Not so bad.....

I don't know which was better....

The raisins....

The look in Caleb's eyes....

Or the fact the little black guy shared the last of his snack with the big white guy that kept telling him black boys can't play basketball....

I know I brightened his day.....

He'll not really understand how he brightened mine.....

Blessings....

rks

What's Wrong With This Picture?

Ok people......

I was reminded of my friend Scott Phillips tonight and I use him to address another subject.....

Scott is a home missions pastor starting a church in Clinton Mississippi....

He built a nice little building a couple of years ago....

It is now too small....

So Scott is building a nice church building on I-20 there in Clinton....

Scott also pastors another church down in the Natchez Trace that nobody wanted....

Scott took it and it is prospering....

Scott was elected the Home Missions Director for the Mississippi District UPCI the other day....

Scott is a busy man as he does all of this and supports his family secularly....

Congrats on it all Scott....

But something is wrong with this picture.....

There are way too many armchair preachers in this movement....

There are many young men waiting on some preacher to die off so they will get a chance at the church....

There are many men who have locked themselves into secular situations who could not follow the call of God if they wanted to.....

There are many men who would rather be miserable next Sunday while some other guy is preaching....

Than be out there in the harvest themselves....

Brothers...

There is no shortage of preachers....

There is no shortage of harvest....

But there is a big time shortage of preachers willing to move into the harvest....

Pastor man....

Let em go......

Preacher man.....

Go....

Why is it a guy like Scott is doing the work of three or four preachers....

And you my friend are miserable.....

That chicken at those preacher dinners taste a lost better when you are actually a preacher.....

My daddy retired from pastoring but was miserable....

So he found a little church in the country with six little old ladies in it....

It is growing and he is on top of the world....

Thank God for what he is doing...

But why does an old retired guy have to come out of retirement to do this when there are hundreds of young bucks who claim a call and have a card?

Something is wrong with this picture....

Can somebody figure it out....

Blessings...

rks.....

Dad, we're pulling off the freeway right now. Can you come help us?

Were the words coming from the phone....

And my boy who is getting married in three weeks....

Was driving a U Haul.....

He moved his girl into their house tonight....

This is a bit surreal....

My boy marrying off and moving some gal into the church parsonage....

By the time I arrived he had help and the truck was about unloaded....

I helped put together a bed and moved some furniture around....

Sat in a chair in the living room and realized...

Though the church owns the house....

My boy is king there now...

And in about four weeks....

Will be living in that house with a girl...

Attaboy....

Not so fast boy.....

And of course the myriad of emotions as they crash through his mother and me.....

But all will be well.....

And now he has somebody else to take care of him....

And his mother can take better care of his father now...

This empty nest can't be as bad as I have heard....

rks

Disastrous Success!

Mother's Day at CUPC is usually a pretty routine event....

A few nice little things said...

The Church Mother is honored....

I used to call her the Pastor's wife but I like Church Mama better....haha

Anyway....

Normally we will have a nice little song and then Pastor makes a nice little talk about Moms and then everybody goes out to eat with Mama....

Then nobody hardly comes back to church on Sunday night.....

But not yesterday....

Twas quite a Success....

We had promised any kid that brought his/her mom or grandmother $5.....

We also decided since the kids were gonna sing they would be kept in the sanctuary.....

We we afraid of an off crowd since several families were out of town....

But were amazed by the numbers of families that visited....

And the number of Tracie's Moms that came....

The house was full.....

Tracie had 6 neighborhood moms come....

We passed out a bunch of $5 bills....

Somebody gave an offering that paid for most of the $5.....

Tracie was happy and the kids were ecstatic....

That was the successful part....

Now the Disaster.....

Pastor's sermon bit the dust....

A houseful of visitors....

Potential members everywhere...

Pastor was "led" to encourage the single moms.....

But there was so much chaos from all those kids....

One was trying to pickpocket the brother charged with guarding him....

Another was shouting out....

Several got loose during the service....

Everybody watched the show....

Nobody paid a bit of attention to the very nice 20 little pastor talk.....

I cut my losses....

We prayed and quit.....

What a disaster....

What a Disastrous Success....

House was full of families and visiting moms and the pastor's talk was a disaster...

But I am happy with it...

And next week I get another chance to wax eloquent....

Truth be known...

Nobody will pay attention next week either....

Blessings...

rks

I Rise Up And Call My Mother Blessed

I have pondered this week about Mother's Day....

What do I preach?

I reminded the kids they have a Mom and don't forget her....

Tracie and I went and bought a gift for our mothers....

I took Tracie yesterday and bought her a new outfit for Mother's Day....

I think she is saving it for Trent's wedding rehearsal....

Does this mean I need to go and buy another one for Sunday?

All of this has been fun....

But my thoughts have been this morning of my mother....

My mother was never a flashy lady....

She was more the silent behind the scenes type...

She held my dad together forever....

She held us kids together too....

Don't mess with Mama....

I remember the time I was in an apartment I was not supposed to be in and Mom was looking for me....

I thought the coast was clear and stepped out to go home just as Mom rounded the corner...

She spanked me all the way home!

Don't mess with Mama....

I remember the...

Many services she sat on an organ and gave her best....

The many chicken dinners she prepared and sold to pay for churches....

The prayerful voice that always echoed in the church while Dad was preaching....

The many "Bless him Jesus, Bless him Lord's" while I was learning to preach...

Mom was no flatterer....

Rather, she lived on a much more practical side of life....

Never a better business head sat upon a woman.....

Mom infected Dad with her Midas Touch....

Mom had a hard time with people she perceived to be fake or shallow....

I inherited this....

I also inherited her slow temper but its long burn after it is finally ignited.....

Mom brought five kids into this world...

Held them with a firm hand...

And sent them all into the world to take care of themselves...

They are all in the ministry today...

Burned into my memory......

Are those many meals....

Those trips to the laundromat when Dad pastored the worst church in the history of Pentecost.....

The time I came in the house and Mom was washing my blue jeans by hand and had scrubbed until her knuckles were bleeding....

Mom taking all our food down the street to the town drunks family and leaving us with nothing and while I worried about this my Memaw showing up with a carload of food.....

She never complained....

To this day I have yet to hear a regret for a single sacrifice....

And God has more than blessed her for what she gave...

Today she is a blessed woman....

With financial security....

And when she goes to Camp Meeting she has one or all of her preacher kids there with her....

Her grown grandchildren are all in pursuit of the same love of ministry she instilled in her children....

My mother is a blessed woman....

Today....

I, her eldest.......

Rise up and call her blessed....

I love you Mom.....

Kent

Ok People...I Need Your Help!

I have had my laptop duct taped for the last few weeks.....

It would have been a simple and quick repair...

But today it really broke and I have to hold it all together and it will not close or turn off and I really should of had it repaired.....

But my addiction would have suffered without the trusty Gateway....

This old machine I am using has been good to me.....

We have made a many a post and mile together....

I think I deserve the gold plated MacBook Pro pictured above....

What do you think?

My boy has been pressing me for a MacBook...

Says it would enhance the ministry and youth group and music department etc.....

I asked him if he can afford one....

He tells me over and over again....

No Dad, but you can.....

Get a job boy....

Here is my quandary....

Trent is getting married in four weeks....

Should I treat myself to a new laptop or MacBook before the wedding........

Or should I wait until the week after the wedding....

And treat myself to a post wedding celebratory bit of retail therapy?

So there you have it folks...

I need your help....

Wives are not allowed to read post such as this one....

Please feel free to send your donations to...

The RKS Pastoral Post Wedding Celebratory Retail Therapy Fund.....

Blessings...

rks

Groom With A View

Ok....

Somebody out there talk to me.....

We have a wedding for our son in 4 weeks....

I want to know who lied???

Who told me weddings were cheap if you are the father of the groom....

And all the work and expense were on the bride's side...

You and I my friend need to talk....

I thought a $99 K&G suit....

$49 Stacey Adam's...

And a hot dawg supper was all I needed to worry about.....

Somebody lied.....

Just how many wedding presents does one mother of the groom feel like she has to buy?

Why does it take not one but two outfits for the whole family to go to a 2 hour wedding?

And just why can't the groom wear a $99 suit from K&G anyway?

I think the groom cost just about as much as the bride.....

At least with the bride I'd get a hug and kiss....

What dad wants to hugged and kissed by a 6 foot tall groom that has gone brain dead over a 4 foot tall little gal.....

Did I say brain dead?

You got it......

And can you believe that this boy is trading in a perfectly good set of parents and free room and board for such a little snip of a girl?

But there is something good coming out of all of this....

This little gal can get cooperation and obedience out of this boy that his mother and I never could....

There are moments we are glad to send him off over to her mother's house.....

But can somebody tell me why a good pair of $49 Stacey's and a $12 dollar K&G tie is not good enough to get married in.....

Had I been in charge of budgeting...

I'd have pulled this all off for under $500....

But nobody put me in charge of budgeting...

Or anything else for that matter....

My job is to do what I am told.....

And I do it gladly....

For I am proud of my boy and his girl.....

And I am glad to do whatever I am asked to make the kid's day perfect.....

And if the boy in the wedding that is not wearing that $99 suit is gonna look pretty good.....

And I am sure he will think the gal in the white dress is gonna be looking real good....

And while all the mommas involved will be crying....

So will I....

And my boy will embark on his own venture....

Kinda like I did with his momma 26 years ago.....

And the kids will find success in life.....

Just as their parents did....

And they will make it.....

Just as we did.....

But when I get my hands on the person that lied to me about the $$$$$$

We are gonna have a talk.....

Blessings....

rks

Something Just Doesn't Feel Right

I travelled this morning to a conference and will be returning home tonight....

And needed an internet connection so I am in the Hampton Inn lobby "borrowing" their wireless signal.....

Something just doesn't feel right....

I called home to find out my kids getting married next month are having drama....

Isn't it amazing as a parent when things....

Just don't feel right???

Wednesday night I left our Mid.Point service early to attend a wedding shower for Trent and Calah at Calah's church....

We worshipped and made announcements and received the offering and baptized a new convert and Tracie and I left the service to attend the shower....

Leaving the service early......

You preacher types already know.....

Something just didn't feel right......

We arrived at Calah's church and found our way to the shower....

I walked in the shower as the Grooms father....

And the pastor of a neighboring church.....

You preacher types will know that....

Something just didn't feel right.....

People were kind and gracious and one of the young ministers there endeavored to make Tracie and I so comfortable....

He brought punch....

And since I was talking away to someone.....

Bro Ricky placed my cake in my chair and went about his business...

I talked for a while and decided it was time to set beside my bride and enjoy the shower and the gifts and hold her hand....

So I sat down....

And...

Something just did not feel right!!!

Yup you guessed it....

The father of the groom and neighboring pastor and one of the guests of honor for the evening...

Sat down.....

Bulls eye....

On my piece of cake....

Something just did not feel right!!!!!

As I was sitting there I told my little Doni.....

"Something just doesn't feel right"....

She said, "Dad you didn't"....

"What," I asked and stood up....

And cake dropped to the floor and the perfect shape of the slice of cake had imaged itself upon my posterior.....

And people burst out laughing....

And Tracie was scrubbing and rubbing.....

And cameras were flashing....

Something just didn't feel right....

And so I decided to go with the flow and laugh at the clown that sat in the cake.....

But even laughing at myself about the incident a couple of days later....

Still....

Something just didn't feel right.....

Blessings...

rks