October 13, 2021 Some variation of it has been said at least a handful of times in the last several weeks: “I know you’ve written about being tall, but I didn’t expect you to be this tall.” I’m a six-foot-tall woman. It’s a regular topic of conversation when I first meet people. When I was young, I was self-conscious about my height and the attention that can come with it. Now, I’m pretty comfortable with who I am, and I usually find it entertaining. The regular questions (and the answers to them): “Do you play basketball?” I did when I was young. “Is your husband tall, too?” No. He’s normal sized. Are your parents tall? Dad is. I have to bend down to put my chin on top of my mom’s head. “Can you reach that (grocery item) toward the back on that top shelf for me?” I sure can! Recently, though, a man I was chatting with in a local business asked a question I hadn’t heard before. “You’re just not the kind of woman who is meant to blend in in a crowd, are you?” Ha! No, I am certainly not. I thought of that question as I attended two ordinations in two weeks. I was blessed to be a witness as 14 men from our diocese said “yes” to God’s call and were ordained as deacons. The group of 14 included one transitional deacon who is continuing his preparations to be ordained as a priest, God willing. These men have given up their spot “in the crowd.” They can no longer blend in. While we’re all called to bring Christ and be Christ to one another, these men are called to do that in a special way. They’re called to be servant leaders in the Church, in the diocese, in their parishes, in their communities and in their families. They’re called to stand front-and-center and deflect the focus off of themselves and onto Christ. I can’t think of much that stands out more than that. Please join me in praying for the 14 men who were ordained as they continue in their ministries and thanking them – and their wives and families – for their willingness to serve. I look forward to working with you all. If you don’t know me, I’m the tall lady with the camera. |
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