Flip Flops, Tattoos, Margaritas, and Butterflies

I first penned (and spoke) the following words on August 14, 2005, just as Annie was leaving us to pursue her graduate degree at Mars Hill Grad School in Seattle, Washington. I gave my little "diddy" the title you see above. My "diddy" went something like this:

When I think of Annie I think of "flip flops" and I do because I have seen her only two or three times when she was wearing shoes, and those were short-lived. I mean she wears "flip flops" to weddings, to funerals, even to Presidential inaugurations; not just to the beach! At any rate, I never dreamed that I would have a staff member, who wore "flip flops" even to baby dedications!

I will never forget her trip (for which the church paid good money, I might add) to NC to attend one of Mike Yaconelli's conferences. She called me just as she was leaving a tattoo parlor--walking from the wrong side of the tracks back to downtown Raleigh. Of course, at that point I was more concerned about her safety than her tattoo! At any rate, I never dreamed that I would have a staff member with a tattoo on her behind!

From what I can tell, Annie was born addicted to Margaritas; to say the least, she loves 'em and loves 'em lots! I mean she will down a top shelf Margarita anywhere and anytime--infant baptisms, dental visits, even at Yaconelli conferences! At any rate, I never, ever dreamed (even in my wildest dreams) that I would have a youth pastor/children's leader/worship leader/secretary, who was addicted to Margaritas! Go figure!!

To be sure, Annie always reminds me of butterflies and she does so because, well, because she is a butterfly--almost, anyway! Everyone knows that she is every-bit as colorful and every bit as prissy and every bit as beautiful and every bit as free as a Monarch!

I well-remember one of Mike Yaconelli's articles in which he characterized his church as the growing-est church in the country, having grown from 110 all the way to 25! Well, to be sure Annie and Mike have something in common: her youth's and children's ministry is the growing-est in the country, as well, having grown from 25 to, well, let's just say they have something in common.

Truth is it never concerned Yaconelli but it did concern Annie, so I tried to help her to understand that the effectiveness of ministry is not measured in numbers of people but in quality of life--spiritual life. For some reason, she caught on quickly because it wasn't long before her ministry "found itself"--"flip flops," tattoos, Margaritas, and butterflies in the bars, ghettos, and tattoo parlors from Savannah to Atlanta and from Macon to Rome. And quite frankly, I loved it because she was beginning to become who she was created to be!

Yes, I feel sure that many significant others had different ideas for Annie but the fact is she was finally spreading her wings--flitting around like a butterfly, doing what she was born to do--touch sinful lives with the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ!

I likened Annie to a butterfly for the several reasons I have already mentioned but also for this one: a butterfly must first be a caterpillar, who fights her way to the freedom that butterflies were created to enjoy.

In a short while this flip-floppin', tattoo bearing, Margarita loving butterfly will flit off and away from us to pursue her higher education--to learn more about who she was created to be and to learn to embrace even more tightly the freedom that brings.

One final comment, most of this will probably be learned outside the classroom and in the school of hard knocks but isn't this true for each of us!

Anyway, I just wanted to remind you that it is the end of the month and we want to provide as much as we can for Annie's support!

I really do love this girl and I am very proud of her and just think: in a very short while, there will be two of 'em! WOW!

Love,
Your Pastor