How You can Tell You're Plugged In

This morning, I had an interesting proof that I'm considered part of the life of my church. I had gotten there early, because my home group was on duty, which means we pretty much set things up, take the offering, handle communion, etc.

We got things set up, and I was helping hand out fliers, when Nick asked me to help out Pascal. Pascal led me into the dungeon-like reaches of the church basement (no hyperbole at all here). He led me to the electrical room, showed my the breaker box, and explained that for a film, some of the lights needed to be switched off, and this was the switch. We exchanged cell phone numbers so he could tell me when, and I waited.

Worship began. I went up the steps to hear a little better from the (closed) side-door. I heard footsteps running my way. I went down the steps and looked over, seeing a little girl running my way. I looked at her. She stopped. She looked at me. After a moment, she said, "oh, okay," and ran back the way she came. That's one escape attempt foiled.

The music I could hear clearly. I realized I was in a spot with no-one watching me, and room to spare. I realized I could war-dance with no risk of hurting children. God restrained me for a bit, then I let loose for the first time in ages. I didn't have any sense of what I was fighting, yet I knew the blocks and attacks to make. Just like old times.

During one of the songs, there was prophesy. I could make out a few voices, but not the words...until Glenn spoke. His voice rang clearly. After some more worship, Chris started speaking. I could barely hear him at all. Pascal then had me flip the switch for a moment, then flip it back. There was to be another film, so I waited some more. Eventually Pascal called to say they weren't going to. I went back in and found my seat.

Chris spoke a bit more, then mentioned how he wanted to show the film clip. My phone started vibrating. I got up, ran out of the gym, and booked it back down to the breaker box, where I handled the lights again. Then I went back to my seat, and listened to the last 15-20 minutes of preaching.

Oh, and Nick told me thank you sometime afterwards. Yep, that's how you can tell you're plugged in: when you get volunteered for a job down in the basement that makes you miss most of the service.

And how fitting for the way my life seems to work sometimes.