Finding your place

With school just started again for the new year I can imagine that there have been several students of all ages who were a little anxious on the first day about finding their place. The teachers probably assigned seats in some of the public school class rooms, but during lunch periods I am sure that there was some concern felt by any new students about where they should sit. Will anyone sit by me? Will I choose to sit by someone who wouldn't want me to sit there?

Those of us who are middle age plus don't have that worry anymore. Or do we? Have you visited a new church recently? If so, I can imagine that there was some hesitation about where to sit. If you are with a member of the church, of course they will provide space for you beside their own family. But if you have gone on your own, perhaps it isn't that comfortable at first. I remember many times when Lester was the visiting preacher at some church and I went with him, unless we were met at the door, I was uncertain about where I should sit.

I remember one time right here in Nevada when Lester was filling in at a church of a different denomination. We arrived early and I sat down near the front in a nearly empty sanctuary. When the regular members came in after Sunday school was over, no one noticed that I was sitting there alone, and all the members seemed to prefer to sit in the back.

I didn't mind until during one reading I heard some movement behind me and realized that everyone else was standing up. That was not the custom in our church so I was not prepared. After that I kept my head turned slightly to catch movements from behind so I could stand at the proper times.

When Lester was the associate minister at Fort Scott I went into the sanctuary a little early and sat down. A few minutes later I was told that I was sitting in Mrs. ----'s seat. I got up to move when a sweet lady on the other side of the aisle came and asked me to sit by her. Then she explained that the person whose seat I had unknowingly chosen was a rather cross lady and they weren't sure how she would react if she found her seat occupied.

In our own church recently, since we have combined the two services into one, some of us had some fun finding new spots to sit in since some from the other former service were accustomed to sitting where we had been. Since we knew each other there was some kidding about kicking the others out of our seats. As far as I know there were no hurt feelings however.

Let me give you a hint. If you do go to a new church and are worried that you are sitting in someone else's seat, sit down in front. You won't have to worry about using another's seat there.

An additional situation where we middle age plus folk might worry about finding our place is when we have moved into a retirement village with communal dining. In those lovely dining rooms where the residents share their meals, there is as much of a clique around the tables as in a middle school cafeteria

My sister, who has recently moved into one of these nice apartments, came to the dining room alone for the first time since her daughters who had helped her move had left. She was invited by another resident to join her at her table. While they were eating breakfast the woman explained to Ellen that her usual three meal companions didn't come down for breakfast, so she was glad to have Ellen's company. That was a signal that she needed to find another table at dinner time.

There is a balcony above the dining room by the doors to the elevator. Diners can pause at that spot and "case the room" to find empty tables to use if there are no invitations from other residents. Our brother Harold, in a similar living arrangement, said that he sat at an empty table and then if anyone wanted to sit with him he knows he isn't intruding. This was at 100 years old. So it seems we never outgrow the problems of knowing just where we do fit in.

I'm wondering if there are seating charts in heaven.