Lessons Learned from being Elvis
I'm an Elvis fan. When I was in high school I had 8-tracks of Elvis and I would roll the windows down in my car and crank Elvis up. I especially liked the 8-track of Elvis concert in Honolulu.
Because I loved Elvis music, during the Christmas season I would sing "Blue Christmas." I'm not sure where it started but, after I became a Pastor, just about every year, during the Christmas season, at a Sunday School social or something, I would be asked to sing "Blue Christmas." It kind of became a tradition.
Now, when I was in high school I ENJOYED impersonating Elvis. But, as I became older, I did it to make others laugh. Did I want to do it? No. But I did it, at times, to not disappoint people. They wanted the Pastor to do something funny so, I played along.
That brings me to now.
Yesterday (October 30), we had Rick Stanley, brother of Elvis Presley, speak in our church. Saturday night, we had trunk or treat. Last Thursday I received a phone call from a sweet lady in our church telling me that she had a "great idea." She wanted me to dress like Elvis & hand out cards during trunk or treat. I immediately said "No." But, she persisted. I said "I don't have anything that looks like an Elvis costume" and I didn't want to dress like Elvis in front of thousands of people in Dallas for Halloween. I thought that was the end of it.
Friday night, I'm at a HS football game & a church member says "I understand You are going to be Elvis." I replied, "I don't think so."
Then, I was told that a costume would not be an issue. I tried to whiggle out. I hinted but that didn't work. Had I done Elvis in the past? Yes, but when I was a little younger and slimmer.
But, I knew this wasn't going away. So, I finally agreed to wear the costume for an hour, maybe two.
Saturday night I put my costume on... fake hair & all. I kind of understood how Rocky Balboa felt when he said he looked like "a Kentucky fried idiot."
But., I took a deep breath, crossed the road in front of the church, and made my way to Trunk or Treat. As I'm walking, heads are turning. Am I embarassaed? That would be an understatement. But, I decided to EMBRACE the role and I started saying "Thank you, thank you very much."
For about 2 1/2 hours, I played Elvis. Mostly, I handed out cards and said "thank you, thank you very much."
But, and this is the funny part.. I had pictures made with ladies. (That was a little awkward)
One lady asked me to hold her baby because she wanted her babies picture made with Elvis. I'm not kidding. So, she puts the baby in my arms and I'm very carefully holding the baby and smiling for a picture.
As I took the pictures I thought "this could go to a guys head." Then, I tried to imagine how an Entertainer or athlete feels when someone wants their picture made. It could reallly inflate an ego.
Now,DON'T misunderstand me... I'm NOT saying that I began to feel important but., that the experience of an entertainer or an athlete being asked to have a picture taken could really make one think they are more important than they are.
I also learned something else and this is the biggest lesson; when You do this kind of thing, you are opening yourself to all kinds of remarks, jabs, etc.. And, in the word of Facebook where pics are there for public viewing, it presents the opportunity for more people to see you.... like it or not. So, do You NOT do things like this because you KNOW you are going to catch it or,do you do it and if you catch it, you just smile & move on. I think you know the answer; you smile & move on.
I learned a few things from playing Elvis. The main one is,sometimes to do good things you have to make yourself vulnerable. But, I'm reminded that Jesus "emptied himself" to come to heaven to save us from our sins. While we can never say we make the same sacrifice Jesus made, if we are going to reach this world, we must be willing to make sacrifices... to make ourselves vulnerable if necessary. I learned that lesson wearing fake hair and an Elvis costume.
Because I loved Elvis music, during the Christmas season I would sing "Blue Christmas." I'm not sure where it started but, after I became a Pastor, just about every year, during the Christmas season, at a Sunday School social or something, I would be asked to sing "Blue Christmas." It kind of became a tradition.
Now, when I was in high school I ENJOYED impersonating Elvis. But, as I became older, I did it to make others laugh. Did I want to do it? No. But I did it, at times, to not disappoint people. They wanted the Pastor to do something funny so, I played along.
That brings me to now.
Yesterday (October 30), we had Rick Stanley, brother of Elvis Presley, speak in our church. Saturday night, we had trunk or treat. Last Thursday I received a phone call from a sweet lady in our church telling me that she had a "great idea." She wanted me to dress like Elvis & hand out cards during trunk or treat. I immediately said "No." But, she persisted. I said "I don't have anything that looks like an Elvis costume" and I didn't want to dress like Elvis in front of thousands of people in Dallas for Halloween. I thought that was the end of it.
Friday night, I'm at a HS football game & a church member says "I understand You are going to be Elvis." I replied, "I don't think so."
Then, I was told that a costume would not be an issue. I tried to whiggle out. I hinted but that didn't work. Had I done Elvis in the past? Yes, but when I was a little younger and slimmer.
But, I knew this wasn't going away. So, I finally agreed to wear the costume for an hour, maybe two.
Saturday night I put my costume on... fake hair & all. I kind of understood how Rocky Balboa felt when he said he looked like "a Kentucky fried idiot."
But., I took a deep breath, crossed the road in front of the church, and made my way to Trunk or Treat. As I'm walking, heads are turning. Am I embarassaed? That would be an understatement. But, I decided to EMBRACE the role and I started saying "Thank you, thank you very much."
For about 2 1/2 hours, I played Elvis. Mostly, I handed out cards and said "thank you, thank you very much."
But, and this is the funny part.. I had pictures made with ladies. (That was a little awkward)
One lady asked me to hold her baby because she wanted her babies picture made with Elvis. I'm not kidding. So, she puts the baby in my arms and I'm very carefully holding the baby and smiling for a picture.
As I took the pictures I thought "this could go to a guys head." Then, I tried to imagine how an Entertainer or athlete feels when someone wants their picture made. It could reallly inflate an ego.
Now,DON'T misunderstand me... I'm NOT saying that I began to feel important but., that the experience of an entertainer or an athlete being asked to have a picture taken could really make one think they are more important than they are.
I also learned something else and this is the biggest lesson; when You do this kind of thing, you are opening yourself to all kinds of remarks, jabs, etc.. And, in the word of Facebook where pics are there for public viewing, it presents the opportunity for more people to see you.... like it or not. So, do You NOT do things like this because you KNOW you are going to catch it or,do you do it and if you catch it, you just smile & move on. I think you know the answer; you smile & move on.
I learned a few things from playing Elvis. The main one is,sometimes to do good things you have to make yourself vulnerable. But, I'm reminded that Jesus "emptied himself" to come to heaven to save us from our sins. While we can never say we make the same sacrifice Jesus made, if we are going to reach this world, we must be willing to make sacrifices... to make ourselves vulnerable if necessary. I learned that lesson wearing fake hair and an Elvis costume.
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