My Unexpected Day At The Spa

While hundreds of genuine and wannabe cowboys made their way down Memorial Drive from Memorial Park to downtown for the rodeo parade last Saturday, I passed by them on the way to the spa perfectly secure in my masculinity. The fact that I was using a gift certificate -- and not paying for this on my own -- gave me further comfort as I compared my plans for the day with those of the guys clomping along on horseback facing the cold and rainy elements.

The leadership team of The Shed class at Houston's First Baptist Church gave me a gift certificate to a spa when I stepped down as director last September to teach The Real Deal. They know me so well.

So finally, I made an appointment and went in for my day of pampering last Saturday. I signed up for the Chairman's Retreat which included a massage, manicure, pedicure, facial, haircut -- and "spa lunch" (which is spaspeak for "girl food").

When I made the appointment, the kind lady asked me what I would want for lunch that day. I opted for the chicken salad sandwich since BBQ ribs were not an option. She asked what I would want to drink and I asked for a Coke. I said, "I realize that a real Coke may not go with the whole concept of a 'spa lunch' but if you try to slip a Diet Coke on me, you can count on my throwing a spa tantrum." I got my Coke.

My day at the spa did not quite go as I had expected.

Keep in mind that most patrons are women, and most are not there for hours worth of pampering. They are in-and-out for either a manicure or a haircut or a pedicure ... or whatever else women get done to themselves. Therefore, they come in in their normal clothes and stay in their normal clothes.

I, on the other hand, had five "treatments" lined up. This elevated me to a whole other level of spa patron -- the partially dressed level. Upon arriving at the spa, I had to change into a robe, a pair of drawstring pants and a cheap pair of flip-flops. As I was escorted around the spa from one station to another (with resting stops in between appointments in the men's "holding room"), there I was in my spa get-up amidst women in their normal clothes.

I felt like Mrs. Roper in her muumuu on Three's Company.

Anyway ... back to the unexpected day at the spa. Here it is in a nutshell ...

• Pedicurist was a Christian woman who attends Second Baptist. She's friends with an HFBC staff member who provides her with Bibles in different languages so she can distribute them to the different women who work at the spa. And she loves Beth Moore.
• Masseuse was a Christian woman who attends Lakewood Church. Did not get to talk to her much given the circumstances (nearly being asleep during the massage).
• Manicurist was an Asian woman. My assumption is that she is one of the women to whom Pedicurist has been reaching out to with the Bibles.
• Hair guy asked me what "religion" I was when I told him I worked for my church. I said that I was Christian and attended a Baptist church. He said that he was Baptist, too, but did not attend a church. I invited him to visit my Sunday Bible study. Pray for him, please.
• Facial lady was widowed last year. When it came up that I worked at a church, she asked about opportunities for women in her situation. God gave me some names of other widows her age in our church and I've followed up with a few of them this week in hopes of making a connection. And she loves Beth Moore, too.

Finally, the front desk manager introduced herself to me during one of my layovers in the men's "holding room." She recognized me as a new staff member at HFBC. Turns out, she and her husband teach a Sunday Bible study there. When I checked out at the end of the day (six hours after I arrived), we compared notes on all of the "divine appointments" that I had during my spa day. Plans were made for her to continue where I left off with hair guy, and we talked about ways to minister to facial lady.

I left my day at the spa with opened pores, buffed nails, relaxed muscles and manageable hair. But I also left -- unexpectedly -- reminded that ministry opportunities are all around us if we take the time to stop, look and listen to others.