My girlfriends and I went to an old school concert the other day. I truly enjoyed myself. Nothing like music to time travel you back to yesteryears. The lineup was stellar. I was only too happy to hear voices that didn’t crack under the duress of time and bad decisions. I stood up and danced and had a good time belting out old tunes with my girls.
After several video posts of the concert, a friend of mine posted this comment, “This lets me know you didn’t attend First Lady School.” To which I proudly replied that HAD I attended, I would have certainly flunked out.
My former pastor once told me that I should just be me. This was after I had asked him what should I do? How should I be? I was a young pastor’s wife, with no blueprint on leading the life of a pastor’s wife. My husband wasn’t any help. He just so happens to love my bossy, sometimes temperamental self. He happens to admire my no nonsense approach to life. I have always been a bottom line type of girl. Cut to the chase, get to the point. Get er done.
Granted, it’s rubbed some folks raw along the way. Actually it has left some bare like bleeding hemophiliacs. There are regrets and then there are no regrets.
I have met the brave soul who comes on behalf of the imaginary group who hem and haw about what a First Lady should do and say. Some think I have gotten besides myself. As if the box they built and painted for me should be enough.
A First Lady at a concert?! She’s on vacation in, gasp, Sin City?!! She went natural, grew locs, colored her hair, dresses fashionably, holds down a job, isn’t a housewife, doesn’t play the keyboard at church, and doesn’t allow uninvited guests into her home?! She speaks her mind on touchy subjects and is steadfast in her beliefs?!! Say it ain’t so! Grasping at the pearls.
Yeah, I would have flunked out of First Lady school at the first class called “Wear a matching hat with that satin suit.” Ughh! I have been rather diplomatic in my quest towards just being me. It’s been a “I can show you better than I can tell you type of thing.”
I am not alone in the glass bowl that is the life of a First Lady. I have heard the bitterness in the voices of many young women who find them self at the brunt of accusing fingers. If you dress like “Susie Homemaker” you aren’t dressed the part. If you are dressed to kill, well maybe the church tithes is financing your wardrobe. If you can’t make a verb and noun agree, then you are dumb. If you are educated then you are too big for your britches. Too worldly. Too heavenly. Not enough backbone. Too much saltiness. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
So yep! I am proud to not have been a graduate of First Lady School. That cookie-cutter life would have not been life for me. I serve a great big God who set no boundaries and knows no limit.
“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
Del Gervais 
After reading this I’m reminded of another First Lady that may have also flunked out of another school; Mrs. Michelle Obama. She bares her well-toned arms, tells us where she gets some of the trendy outfits she wears and believes in the basic ponytail. So, see it as being in a class where only few are chosen.
Impress! I love it, First Lady! YOU ROCK!