My Lamps

 

Several decades ago, at least 40 years, I acquired six lamps exactly like the one pictured.  At that time my husband, Ken, was a United Methodist minister.  He had the reputation for being able to deal with unusually hard situations so, as this is the way the United Methodist system works, we were sent to "trouble shoot" some very difficult situations.  

He wasn't always the best minister in terms of holding the hands of little old ladies, but fixing disastrous  situations was his strong suit.  And I was right along side him, especially as we dealt with racism in the 60s and 70s in South Florida.  

During that time, ministry itself was changing.  When we were starting out, ministers mates (we just called ourselves "wives") were in a state of flux.  We were pretty much expected to be seen (often) but not heard.  

 

Our family moved often but most ministers moved often during that time.  They were seen as "itinerant" ministers, modeled after John Wesley.  

Meanwhile, I, and some other minister's wives were trying to create change within the system when it came to families.  At our annual retreats we discussed how to do this and some wives put on crazy, funny skits about going from one green shag carpet home (parsonage) to another.  

Somehow I found what I thought were these beautiful green and brass lamps and a fantastic price, so I bought at least six of them.  I loved them. I wonder if all my children remember them.   They went with everything, especially green shag carpets.  Along the way I got rid of all but two, and, until today, they've been on the night stands in my bedroom.  They are pretty much the last things I have from all those long years ago.

The United Methodist Church is still changing.  Currently, the issues are far different from whether or not wives (now mates) should work outside the home or be  chastised for not wearing pantyhose to a picnic.  The issues now are about how we love and accept others in the way Christ calls.  For the past few years we've had many troubled Florida Annual Meetings, trying to be who God's calling us to be at this point of our evolution as a world wide denomination.  

Yesterday Pastor Rachel (who, by the way, is married to another pastor and the mother of three wee little children) preached a sermon on the portion of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus tells us not to worry.   Our senior minister, Pastor David, told us that our recent Annual Conference was the best he's attended in 35 plus years of leadership. 

So, it's time for the old green lamps to go.  I've replaced them with these little guys.