The Women's Guild

I was asked a little while ago by a member of my church if I would consider attending a women's guild meeting with my tiaras and jewellery. I was assured that all that was involved would be for me to set up my stuff and chat with the ladies about what I did. I said "I would be delighted to", thinking it would be just a case of allowing the ladies to try on the various tiaras, side tiaras and jewellery, passing out my business cards and hopefully get a few calls from them looking for Christmas presents. Oh how wrong could I be! The chairperson of the women's guild contacted me to say that the meeting was to take place in my local parish hall. I was also told that there was a possibility that the ladies would purchase from me that evening as well. I felt a little uneasy about making sales in the church hall as it was part of the main church building. The bible story of Jesus entering the temple and getting angry with the people selling in his fathers house came immediately to mind. I toyed with the idea of making a donation to the women's guild favourite charity if I made a reasonable amount of sales. Well the evening came, I set up my table and about 30 women piled into that church hall. I recognised quite a few of the women. The meeting started and the chair person introduced me and the women all fell silent and I realised that I was expected to speak about my work. So there I was in front of 30 women some of them complete strangers. I immediately apologised that I was not a natural speaker and neither was I a witty speaker but somehow I managed to talk a little about my work and how I got started. The I told them how I acquired new talents by attending various courses and I showed them the first pieces that I had created. Finally stuck for words I decided to demonstrate how to make earrings followed by a demonstration on how to make a ring. Then I remembered to tell them the story of my rosary beads that I made for my mum. At last the ladies were willing to leave their attentive seats and look at my work for themselves. I was delighted to sell 3 pairs of earring and one pendant. Ok no great fortune here but I felt for the stress of being in the spotlight and having to give a talk, that it was well deserved. Then in the middle of deciding to myself about making a donation to them for their charity I heard that raffle tickets were being given out. So I immediately gave over the pair of earrings that I had been demonstrated to be the raffle prize. But just before the raffle prize one of the ladies approached me with an envelope "payment for attending and talking to the ladies". How much more guilt were these ladies willing to impose on me! We were in the House of God. I had sold my earrings and pendant and now they wanted to pay me again for doing so! I thanked them but refused the payment and asked them to give it to their chosen charity. The payment went to St Catherine's Homeless in Edinburgh. The evening finished with a vote of thanks. I have never been so exhausted and happy to get home.