not willing to share the pulpit today!

The pulpit I stand behind is not very big.
It is beautiful....
old hard wood
with intricate carving.

This morning I was busy
organizing my books and papers
when I saw my little
brown friend
scurry
in fear.

He hid behind a strip of wood...
part of the unique design of the pulpit.

I thought about
not doing anything.
It's just a lizard...
let it be.

But
I don't like lizards much...
or snakes...
reptiles in general.

Don't hate them...
just don't like to share
space with them.

So I changed my mind.
I took everything
out of the pulpit and
took it all apart....
which you can do
with the pulpit I
currently stand behind.

With everything sprawled
out on the chancel
the
little lizard
jumped out
to his freedom.

That's when
the first group of people
on this first Sunday of Lent
walked into
the sanctuary.

"What is going on?"
"What are you doing?"

Thankfully one in the group was a teenager.
He caught
my little friend and took him
outside.

I was not willing to share
the pulpit today.
For if I had
and my little friend had crawled
out of hiding and across
my paper
and or
over my hands...
the scene would not
have been pretty.