Editor’s note: This story was submitted in response to the Chapter 5 query, “When has God made you laugh?” We received the story too late to publish with Chapter 5, so it is posted here as a Reflection on Chapter 5.
Wider Quaker Fellowship was going to be laid down, unless, the clerk of the nominating committee told me, I was willing to take on its clerkship. I had never been on that committee and I have a rule not ever to clerk a committee I haven’t been part of. But I couldn’t bear the thought of WQF being laid down.
I didn’t say yes, told them I’d think about it, stayed up until after midnight talking to the contact person from the executive committee.
Next morning in the shower I had a loud conversation with the Spirit. “Please, don’t ask me to do this, I like my life the way it is.” Answer (I kid you not) “Not very original. That’s what Moses said too”. I laughed so hard I had to shower off the tears.
– Tina Coffin