Me and Percy (Sledge that is)

I enjoyed an invigorating worship session in my back yard this morning that I’m sure gave my neighbors cause to lock their doors. Back story: I like to rework and redeem secular songs, offering them up to God with an entirely new twist on the intent of the one who penned them. I’ve sang “Jesus, Jesus, I get down on my knees for you” for years. Go ahead. Laugh. He loves it.

This morning, I pulled a fast one on Percy Sledge. For the record, pun intended, the lyrics to “Cover Me” make a beautiful praise song, “Cover me, cover me, spread your precious love all over me.” This morning I performed that selection with my tennis racket as a stand in guitar. (I had the racket handy as I was trying to tire Dixie Belle out faster during what she prefers to be an endless game of fetch.) I’ll spare you an audio encore. But, I would like to get serious for a moment.

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about what is secular and what is sacred and where we as believers fit in both. More back story: I speak at all sorts of events, many of them Christian, some of them civic, or what might be deemed secular. My aim is to respect the wishes of the event planner. If I’m there for entertainment, I’ll give you laughs. If you want Jesus, I’m your girl. Both? I’m all in!

I used to enjoy the “sacred” events more than the secular ones, but, not any more. I’ve become convinced that it is important to be fully present in every moment of my life. If I pour myself wholeheartedly into a Christian event, but I don’t fully engage in a book festival, for example, I effectively divide, and therefore diminish the light that’s in me. The Bible says that light is for the highest hill, not the underside of a basket. You don’t have to play air guitar or wear a clown outfit, ( a la pic from this past weekend’s Pulpwood Queen Festival) but if you’re a believer, you are called to shine. However that looks on you, shine on.