Monday, July 21, 2008

Sister blabsitall and the piano

There is an old story about a pastor who had just took a church that had not seen productive change in 43 years. After about 3 months of successful ministry he thought he would make some changes, only to be met with some up hill challenges. They didn't like the new paper towels in the kitchen. They didn't like the fact that he parked his car behind the church and not in the "pastors Parking". They didn't like the fact that he removed the "pastors parking" sign. And then the one that just about "quenched the spirit", you ready for this shocker?!.......... He moved the piano!!!!!!!!! Oh the shock!!! Oh the horror!!!! The piano player (who knew all of 3 songs) said "surly these are the last days!!" So, the pastor moved it back. But, as he pondered these new challenges, he thought of ways that he could make tiny changes that only would be noticed in tiny but curious ways. So, one day he began to move the piano 3 inches every Saturday night. Before the year would be out he would have moved the piano 12 feet. As the weeks rolled along he faithfully moved it 3 inches a week. Then, one day he saw sister blabsitall (the piano player) standing at the back of the sanctuary just staring and scratching her head. The pastor approached her and said, "sister blabsitall, is everything OK?" (he knew he was busted!) She said "yea, something is different... hmmmmm... " , "oh, i see, haha, so you think you can just come in hear and change everything about this house of the lord don't ya?" .... "well don't think you can pull the wool over my eyes pastor, I hear from the spirit every day. He talks to me ya know! As the pastor was getting ready to take a chewing for moving the piano, sister blabsitall said with a passion, "you not only tried to change the paper towels 12 months ago, now your trying to change the brand of toilet paper!!!" A sheepish grin came across his face and he responded. "Yes mam, I will see to it that we go back the the generic brand". She turned and walked to the stage too her seat at the piano bench and began to play one of the three songs she knew "changed in the twinkling of an eye". From that day forward the change slowly happened and the foundation was set. The pastor just caught the secret. Change is gooooood, even if its just 3 inches at a time. The next change? The flowers in the foyer! Just a thought.....

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