The Random Life of Karen

My last Monday before starting back to work has passed....and this is my last Tuesday.  August 5th the teachers return to prepare for the students arrival on August 19th.  Frank is cutting the grass this morning.  It is very nice outside...not as hot as it has been for a while.  I actually sat outside on the carport and enjoyed my coffee this morning.  We are meeting some dear friends at Katie's Too in LaGrange for lunch today.  I won't be able to do this again for a while.  This is one of my favorite places to eat because of their cucumber, tomato, and onion salad.   It is to die for.  I have some review books to finish reading and tonight we have revival at Midway at 7.  My precious husband, Frank, will be delivering the message there tonight and I am excited.  Our Rock Mills people probably won't be there because it is choir practice night.  We have been averaging around 40 people so far and that makes me very happy.  I am going to be delivering the message in song and am excited about that too.  I love singing....and tonight I am going to sing two of Marcie's (Porch People from Rock Mills) favorite songs:  Midnight Cry and God Saw A Cross.  If I had to pick my favorite power songs it would be these two.  When I sing them I feel the electricity of God pouring through me.  It amazes me to feel the Spirit of the Lord live and in person.  Oh Happy Day(Sister Act version) and Shackles  (Mary-Mary) are two other songs that lift me up when I am singing them.  Many years ago I heard a professional woman singer from Nashville sing from the stage at the Arbor.  She was amazing and very intimidating.  I actually was going to have to sing after her.  I stood on the side of the stage and was physically ill.  One of the wives of our band asked me what was happening...and I told her I was terrified....she was a huge fan of me...and asked me..."what does she have that you don't"....."God" should have been my response....but it wasn't....I squeaked out..."shiny shoes!"  It became a big joke with the band....I usually sang barefoot....or in flip flops, tennis shoes, or loafers.   I went for comfort....still do.  After this Frank and I were at Cato's looking for a blouse I needed and guess what we found....SHINY SHOES!  They were perfect...all my favorite colors, low heels, sparkly....and Frank bought them for me.  I wore them to church that next Sunday....and you know what...singing on stage with those Shiny Shoes was really no big deal because they were not my power item....GOD was!  I kept the shiny shoes for a long time....added bling to my wardrobe for fun.....introduced jewelry to my attire.....still wore no makeup (you know it is hard to dress up without makeup).....and continued to feel alive on stage singing God's word.  Once at the first church in Roanoke for a District meeting I sang from their stage...and when I sang Oh Happy Day....my lip touched the mike and it shocked me....when that happened it felt as if there was electricity running through the floor of the stage....but you know...it was not electricity like we know electricity....it was the power of the Lord....I was plugged in....and I let it fly.  I did not even have my shiny shoes on....I was barefoot!  I feel humbled in bare feet.  I can feel God's power in bare feet.  What plugs you in?  What takes off your shackles?