reassurance.

First, a little background info.  Pastors often attend weekly text study, a time when a group of pastors gather to discuss the texts for the upcoming Sunday and talk about preaching topics.  I used to go to text study in Austin but I didn’t feel entirely comfortable in the group.  [They would often call me out.  Lindsay, what do you think?  If you know me, you know the anxiety being put on the spot causes me.]  The conversation came up at our Blooming Prairie ministerium meeting and the two pastors at the Lutheran church in Blooming, jD, and I decided to try our own text study.  We met for the first time this past Tuesday.

Today, I was at a meeting in Waseca about the monkey business that is confirmation.  At my table was Pastor Charlie, one of the pastors in Blooming.  Our conversation went something like this over lunch:

Charlie: What did you think about our first text study?

Lindsay:  I enjoyed it.  I think we have a good rhythm to our group.

Charlie: I agree.  I think it will be good.  I have a feeling Heidi and jD will be the more talkative ones of the group.  I usually stay pretty quiet, much like yourself.

Lindsay: Yeah, you won’t hear me speak up too much.  But I feel more comfortable to contribute in this group than I did in my former text study.

Charlie: Speaking in a group has always been hard for me.  I’m always worried I’ll say the wrong thing or say something that doesn’t need to be said.

Lindsay:  Me too!  I’m always afraid I’ll sound dumb.

Charlie: Lindsay, we have more in common than we know.

It was reassuring to me that this gentleman, who I see as a wonderful pastor and I never would have once guessed considered himself quiet, had similar public speaking fears as I.  We totally had this moment [at least on my end] where we completely understood the other.  Charlie’s also fun.  jD had to leave early so at the end of the meeting – when we each had to sign in/decide what further discussion formats we wanted to be a part of – Charlie signed jD up for every single thing possible.  [You’re welcome, jD.]