Grace is Here

Thank you to those who have been reading along (and praying) about the plans my sisters and I have for hosting a big Golden Anniversary party for my parents. I would like to tell you specific ways that God has shown His grace when I've been tempted to "freak out" or "lose it" when I'm really in the mire of details.

1. My sisters have willingly taken on responsibilities that they're good at. My older sister, Rachel, has done a phenomenal job at scrapbooking 20 pages that will first be displayed on walls at the facility, and then I'll transfer them and finish the book within a month. My next younger sister, Andrea, sort of "interviewed" my parents and came up with a bio-bingo game as an icebreaker .That should be more fun than listening to any of us give a biographical speech. My baby sister, Jill, who is a senior administrative assistant professionally, is a natural as project manager, handling both the "big picture" and details like a trapeze artist. Did I mention that two of my sisters are out of state--way, WAY out of state?

2. Conference calls. We've had one, and are planning our second this Sunday. It's really fun to listen and talk to them all at once. As much as I have a love/hate relationship with technology ,I do love hearing my sisters' voices on the phone line. We can really get to laughing, though, since we are planning this event for what Bill Cosby calls "our common enemies"! When you have been a family for over four decades, there are a LOT of inside jokes, are there not? We could turn this into a roast if we wanted to. Easily. But we'll behave like the mature women our parents believe they've raised. At least for two hours.

3 Linking arms with the other non-Martha Stewart type sisters when the one Martha among us (not I) suggests something like--yes, true story-- adding color to the table by using the scrapbook paper as placemats, but making contrasting borders for them as well! All 60 of them! Um, guess what? Big fat NO! She also suggested hanging the picture boards from fishing line on the ceiling. Hello? If I'm in charge of the picture displays and I'm only 5'4" on a frizzy hair day, and I'm scared of stepladders, let's just say that's not happening. Lots of laughs behind the no, because she asked on a day I was "losing it." The other girls added to my "no" in their unique ways. When I say "unique," I mean one gives a wordy, diplomatic "too much trouble," and the other asks, "Are you KIDDING? No way!"

In the midst of all the busyness, Paul reminded me this past Monday that his brother wanted to come up for two days at the end of his conference in DC. (His older brother from Ohio.) When was the conference ending? Thursday. Normally I might come unglued, but since I already came unglued Sunday over something else, it was no big deal! Paul changed the sheets on the guest bed and took us to dinner, so it's been smooth for me! For two days they've had some brother time, which for them means a lot of talking about sports, politics, church, music, food, and their jobs . Oh, and a copious use of this statement: "I used to be able to do that, but not anymore. "

The "blast from the past," above is a portrait from 1983 . I know because the white dress was my high school graduation dress. I loved it, so gauzy and light. But it looks a little nun-ish to me now, all high-collared and everything. And if you look closely at all our faces, doesn't it appear we have two photographers? Half of us are looking west, the other east. Oh, well. For however the pictures turned out, I'm glad my mom insisted on professional sittings back in the day, because we have almost no whole-family pictures otherwise.