Crossing Wires in the Windy City

The first time I ever visited Chicago was in the Spring of 1995. Our artist relations manager flew me out there for some shopping....she wanted to find some cute duds for me for the upcoming album cover, and also to check out a few carousels.....we were thinking we might want to do the actual cover shoot on a merry-go-round, and there was one in particular in the Windy City that she wanted us to check out. Sounded fun to me!

So we spent several days working, and also found some time for sightseeing and other fun touristy stuff. The night before I was to head back home, we hopped on the El (a cross between a subway and a monorail) and headed downtown Chicago for one last night. Somehow, I still do not know if we got on the wrong train or if we were just yapping and missed our stop....(probably the latter)....but we ended up lost....the train stopped, everybody was off...but us. Upon stopping, there came an announcement via the speakers that this was the "end of the line, please exit". HELLO???

We looked out the window, and below us we could see these groups of people wearing matching colors with kerchiefs tied on their arms, heads, etc....I thought they must have been having a theme party.....or a bond fire....there were trash cans full of flames....maybe a weenie roast???... I had never seen a gang before....

"Those are gangs", my friend nonchalantly said.....and I quickly realized she was not talking about a gang that belonged to "Spanky"!! She just sat there looking out the window, ....She was from the west coast....I was from the Pee Dee.

Oh, and did I mention , we had no cell phone reception either.


Begin Southern Hissy Fit.


The Steel Magnolia within, hopped right up, and headed for the door that fed into the car in front of us....upon entering the next car, I saw a uniformed train worker....Momma always said if you get lost, find a man in uniform, right??


"What ARE you doing?" my friend, who was reluctantly following behind me asked. I told her I was going to find somebody that could take my fanny home.....or at least to the hotel...... Somebody who had a phone or walkie talkie or maybe a gun.....

The train worker was actually a clean up guy....no gun...but he did have a two way radio...and so he let the engineer (or whatever you call the man who drives the El) know he had two lost ladies....and he added..."One of them is "Southern"". (Note to self, the Southern Drawl is amplified during a Southern Hissy Fit.) Not really sure if he found that as a threat or if it was a derogatory tag he placed upon me, either way....it got the attention of the person who could drive the stinky tin box I was trapped in far and away from "gangland"! Within a few minutes, we were on our way.

Why is it that two women, both educated equally, both believers, working in the same industry, in the same situation would react in two totally different ways? She sat, I stood up.....I wonder? It is probable, to suppose that the clean up man would have made his way to our car next, discovered us and made the call to the train driver...but at the moment I stood up to take action, neither of us knew there was even someone in the other car...so neither reaction was based on knowing there was help with in hearing distance. Our goal was the same, our methods quite different.

Bottom line....Gods word says " I knitted you in your Mother's Womb"....So, obviously He wires us each so differently for His purpose! Can you imagine the intricacy of all that wiring!! I know I personally, must be one huge, knotted bundle, mess of wires :) He must have had a "Heavenly Red Bull" the morning he wired me up! But I am sure glad He did.

Psalm 139:14 says "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."

So I praise Him, right now for every wire He hooked up in me. Even the one I hate that makes me a little "pushy" sometimes! Knowing that He who made me and put in the initial wiring, is the best person to do any "re-wiring" needed, should I blow a circuit.

What ever your circuitry.....always remember He drew the electrical blue print precisely how He wanted you to be.

If you must blow a fuse....blow it for Jesus :)

Electrifying Blessings Y'all!
~Scarlett