Country Clubs and Harps

Eric played in a golf tournament this weekend. He is good. Really good. Like, talent that came from God, good. Golf is one of those sports that is good to know as you get older, something to enjoy after you lose your knees in basketball and your back in football. Country clubs and golf usually go hand in hand. Eric and I laugh, because neither one of us are the "country club" type--whatever that is. Last night, after 27 holes of golf in one day, the club treated the golfers and their spouses to a nice Mexican taco/fajita bar. I don't enjoy the country club scene, but I will do anything for a free Mexican meal. (By the way, why on earth are they called country clubs---I was raised in the country and there really isn't anything country about the clubs!) After sitting at a table by ourselves, I started to resort back into the person that God has worked so hard to redeem and change. I wanted to crawl in a hole and go suck my thumb. Borrowing Eli's blanket even sounded good. I hate being in new situations surrounded by people I don't know. God has brought me so far...at least I can function in those situations now without wishing I had a Depends on. Sitting at that table, I got tickled at something that happened to Eric and I when we were first married. He worked for Arkansas Family Council then...specifically with doctors around the state. We got invited to one of the doctor's birthday parties in Little Rock one time. It was around Christmas. We decided to go to the mall first. We almost didn't make it to the party because my silver Mercury Topaz did not want to start. The poor thing did not have working A/C...but that is irrelevant because it was winter. After we finally found the affluent neighborhood, we decided to park downhill with no one in front of us, in case we needed to push the car later in order to get it going. I knew we were in trouble when every single car there was either an SUV or some BMW or Mercedes. We boldly approached the door, was kindly let in, and walked into the most beautiful sound. I figured they went all out and had some nice CD playing for the guests, but I was wrong. In the upper sitting room that looked over the staircase sat a harpist and her real live golden harp. Oh, boy, we WERE in trouble! We looked at everyone around us and noticed that we were grossly under dressed in our neatly pressed khaki pants and loafers. Like I said, it was around Christmas, and every lady had on her Christmas sweater or metallic outfit she had bought for the year. The men were in their matching sweaters or suits and ties. Yep, definitely out of my comfort zone. I was longing for the Old Testament story of the earth opening up and swallowing some people...swallow me...any sort of rescue would have been great! We were then ushered into the dining room where there was a feast of food that I have never to this day seen the likes of. Bacon wrapped shrimp, and a million other things that tasted delish. Too bad I was thinking about dropping it on my shirt...I could not even enjoy it. After begging Eric if we could leave, we did not. Instead, we got engrossed in some couple's dilemma on what kind of birthday party they were going to throw for their child this year. They were leaning towards renting a clown. I figured a good old cake and ice cream social with the fam just wasn't going to cut it. After Eric still wouldn't let us leave, I decided to go hide in the bathroom. I didn't know how much time I could kill by washing my hands, but I wanted to give it a shot. When we finally left, I was so thrilled that my car started. I think it would have been the death of me to have to walk back in there and ask someone to give us a "jump." Funny story now, but not so much then. God has stretched me a lot over the years and put me in many situations that have demanded I get over my shyness or whatever you want to call it. Most of the time, I do pretty well in new situations, but sometimes, like at the country club, it all comes crashing back in on me. I guess "He's still working on me." (Do you know that old children's song?)