Isn’t it amazing to watch the ordinary become extraordinary?
I had the opportunity this Sunday to observe a speaker deliver one of the most powerful presentations I’ve ever heard. Terri, who doesn’t like to speak in public, stood in front of a big room and shared her stories about being a foster parent. She spoke about the 9 children she’s had and the amazing effect that ordinary events have had on her family. Terri spoke of temper tantrums and chicken nuggets. She talked about baseball games and the power of simple things like a hug. She also told of one little girl who felt beautiful coming home from church because the bruises on her arm had gone away.
Terri didn’t wear sequins or flashy clothes but she had us mesmerized. While she has a tremendous voice, she didn’t try to motivate us by vocal techniques or big gestures. She looked at her notes and smiled and just shared her observations about becoming a parent.
Guess what? It was extraordinary. Her stories had the audience captivated. She turned ordinary occasions into an extraordinary experience for anyone who was privileged to hear her.
While I had always appreciated the way she compiled the reports for the committee we serve on and had always noticed her calm ways, I didn’t know her extraordinary story. Do you wonder who else has an incredible story that we don’t know? Just about everyone has a background worth discovering.
Just for this week, see if you can find the extraordinary in the ordinary. Let me know how it goes!
Journey On!
Linda
Sent this to Terri and this is her response. She really is extraordinary!
o, WOW, Linda! Thank you so MUCH for your kind words! When I read your blog this morning, it actually brought tears to my eyes! When Pastor Woody asked me to share my story in front of the entire church, I have to admit, I was very nervous. I am used to working from home in my kitchen on my computer all day. Sure, I work for a global company and have conference calls with folks all over the world, but not face-to-face like on Sunday. Nevertheless, God has given me a story to share and I knew He wanted me to brave it out and get up there and talk. (ack!)
Here’s the epilogue to my story: On Sunday afternoon, I was relaxing on the back patio. I received a phone call from two of the girls who had been in our foster care back in ‘04. I hadn’t heard from them in about 3 years! Yes, one was the little girl who had the bruises and the other was the little girl that I “caught” the baseball for. They are doing well and sounded like any other kids their age. The older one has a laptop, but hasn’t gotten to use it in the last 2 months because she hasn’t cleaned her room during that time — typical kid! The little one who is now in 3rd grade told me that she weighs 140 lbs and has dyslexia…..I’m hoping that she really just weighs 104 lbs! LOL!
I’m glad that my story struck a note with you. Again, thanks for your wonderful and kind words!
Terri Barrett : )