Squeaky Wheels

My sweet wife had pointed out several times that the clothes-dryer was making noise.  She wasn't nagging.  It just takes a while to get my attention.  I received a "squeaky" email yesterday.  The noise had escalated to a metal on metal sound, so she concluded that the machine couldn't be used until it was fixed.  So when I left the office I put on my grubbies, got my tools and began to do what real men do--finally. It kind of reminds me of an aptitude test I took back in high school.  "If wheel X is turning clockwise, which direction is wheel Y turning? You could look around the room and see guys--it was almost all guys who took this test--drawing circles in the air.  In yesterday's case the squeaky wheel--it turned out to be a worn out Drum Support Roller--caused my wife to be sweetly insistent (You really didn't think I'd go there, did you?), which finally got the well-rusted, amateur appliance technician to turn a screwdriver. As the saying goes, the squeaky wheel got the oil.  Knowing that this is only a temporary fix, the loud-mouthed wheel and its twin will soon be replaced.  Squeak too much and you get rejected. OK, this could go in a lot of directions: Perhaps you'll be amused to come up with a "moral to the story."  It will amuse me to hear your suggestions. If you need inspiration click this link. It's Something to Think (Squeak) About. STTA

The Preacher's Wearing an Earring!

"The Preacher is wearing an earring."  Not that there would be anything wrong if I did, but be assured unless I get a serious bump on the head I won't be sporting one any time soon.

So how would someone sitting in the congregation get the idea that this very un-bling-ish pastor was wearing earlobe decor?  A couple of months ago our tech crew got one of those nearly invisible mics that hook over your ear, kind of like a pair of eye-glasses.  It turns out that the microphone was invisible, but the little plug where the wire attaches to the unit, right below my earlobe, wasn't.  From halfwayback in the Worship-Center it looked like one of those little pieces of jewelry that some well-dressed gentlemen are sporting these days.
I'm kind of flattered.  :)

It is an example of the power of perception.  When I see and hear others, am I getting it right?  I may think you are upset with me, when the reality is you are just having a bad day.  There are times when I have felt slighted.  The fact was the card was lost, the email got put in the spam folder, someone deleted the message on the answering machine and forgot to tell me, or my inept cellphone operation buried the kind message in an unknown cyber-grave.

There is a big responsibility on both ends.  Knowing the power of perception, since I represent the King, I need to put forth the best image possible.  Knowing that I often mistake microphones for earrings, or tiredness resulting from a cold, as anger directed at me, etc., etc., I need to be careful how far I let my perceptions run before I check things out.

My friend in the congregation knew I really am not cool enough to sport an earring, so as soon as possible the perception was subjected to greater scrutiny.  Sure enough, it was just a boring piece of audio-gear.  

(Here is a piece I wrote, a while back, about misperceptions that almost led to a war among brothers.)

It's STTA

  

http://covingtonbiblechurch.com/lifesmostimportant.html