A Really Big Deal

I promised a post describing a realization I had this month that is a Really Big Deal.  Here goes.

Several weeks ago, we received the same advertisement we always receive in September.  Shiny graphics and photos heralded the soon-to-be Homecoming Celebrations for our alma mater, Southeastern University. 

Dear Friends, Deb and Phil Stephens

Frank and I have only attended Homecoming sporadically since moving back to central Florida.  Our calendar is usually filled with family or church events for the same weekend.  While reading the brochure this September, I suddenly had a realization.  Homecoming 2019 would be more significant for me.
Here's the Really Big Deal.  I didn't graduate from college in 2009.  Not in 1999.  Nor in 1989.  I walked across the stage to receive my B.A. in Secondary Education and Bible in the year of our Lord 1979.  FORTY YEARS AGO!! Told ya, really big deal.

Dear Friends, I barely feel forty years old now.  How can it be that I've been out of college for that many decades?  My days of living in Bethany Hall seem too clear to have been that far back in my personal history.  Granted, I did graduate a year early.  But still,  Forty Years?!

Unbelievable!

As I sat shaking my head at the impossibility of it all, I began realizing just how significant the year 1979 was for me.  Graduation from college was only the beginning.

Two weeks after graduation, Frank took me out for a very fancy celebration dinner. He knew the significant mile-stone it was.  I was the first college grad on either side of my family.  I wanted desperately to be a teacher and finally the training was mine.  It was time to celebrate.

We both dressed to the nines and headed for Orlando.  We drove to Disney where he had made reservations for us to dine at The Top of the World restaurant.  It was a dream come true spot.

The restaurant sat atop the famous A-frame hotel which still operates at Disney.  The circular room boasted no exterior walls, only windows making it impossible to miss the twinkling lights below.  Each table had a private waiter wearing a tux and even white gloves.  Mel Torme was crooning love songs as his pianist played along.

For us, two young kids who grew up in more modest settings, the atmosphere was truly magical.  Just as dessert arrived Frank looked at me and said, "Sheri, will you spend the rest of your life with me?  Will you marry me?"

The question startled us both.

Frank really had intended the dinner to simply be in celebration of my graduation.  I had seen how nervous he was and sensed he wanted to say something but had no idea marriage was rolling around in his head.  There was no advance thought. There was no ring.  He just went with the emotion of the moment.

"I'll have to think about that, Frank."  It was my honest reaction.

So, 1979 brought college graduation in April and a marriage proposal in May.  I eventually said yes to the proposal and we determined we would get married the next spring.  Really Big Deal.

In June, I left for the trip I'd been planning since August, 1978.  I was part of a team of student volunteers for a mission in Athens, Greece.  The professor leading our team had been to Europe many times and suggested we go early to experience a few highlights.

Professor James Ferrell who led our team

We landed in Frankfurt, Germany where we rented a car and started driving.  In four days we hit five countries and many of the places one only dreams of visiting.  We then worked for five weeks helping promote missions efforts in Athens and Porto Rafti, Greece.  Really big deal.

The night I arrived home Frank picked me up at the airport and announced, you have an interview with Mr. Friar tomorrow morning.  The principal of the prestigious school where I so longed to teach had contacted Frank.  They were considering me for a position they had in middle school.

At 7AM I donned the least wrinkled outfit in my suitcase and hurried to the school office.  They offered me the position that very afternoon.  So, in August of 1979, I realized the dream that had been in my heart since I was fourteen years old.  I became a teacher.  Really Big Deal.

That same week, my dear friend Tricia and I settled on an apartment to share. I moved into grown-up life full-force with a car payment, insurance, rent and utilities.  Good thing I had a job.  Really Big Deal.

At the end of August, Frank came up with another proposal.  Why should we wait until the following spring to get married?  I had two weeks off for Christmas.  He could easily arrange time off, too.  He wanted to get married in December.

So on December 30, 1979, I donned a lovely white gown and beautiful veil.  I walked down the aisle of a church in Pensacola, FL to stand at the altar with the man of my dreams.  Really, the Biggest Deal of All.

Yep, 1979 was a whirlwind of dreams fulfilled for that twenty-one year old girl.  Actually, we're still living out all the dreams that were launched that year.  And even though my knees are a bit stiffer and my hair is a little thinner and my eye-sight has grown worse, I'm still a grateful girl.

Birthday Lunch in Winter Haven

Thanks for running down memory lane with me today.  Your friendship is a really big deal, too.

Looking Back and Ahead

So, today I'm excited to announce Embrace the Grace crossed a major threshold.

We've now had over half a million views!!  (Definitely merits two exclamation marks!)

While that is a tame number for more experienced bloggers and media personalities, it's definitely encouraging for me.

That means at some point over the past ten years, almost 50,000 people annually have clicked on here to see what's happening in our lives.  Now, I fully understand that probably many of those were accidental visitors.  My husband and girls have stopped by a few thousand times.  And friends are the go-to team for blog reading.  

But I've also had people visit from such far away places as Ukraine, Hong Kong, Netherlands, Fiji and Thailand.  I've always enjoyed traveling in order to share hope, encouragement and Good News.  Who knew I could do that from the comfort of my very own prayer chair located in my dining room beside the big windows looking onto our back yard?  Who knew, indeed!

I remember discreetly asking Amanda Bock (now Hoggard) to help me get set up.  She created the graphic, chose my font, instructed me on how to save, edit and post. Becky Smith was the mentor whose writing I still emulate.  And my family (much smaller then) cheered loudly, urging me almost daily, "Press the publish button.  Put it out there.  You never know until you try!"

Amazing, isn't it?  How one decision leads to another which then opens the door to possibilities you never could have imagined.  That first year of attempting to always write something of value, humor or encouragement involved a LOT of failure.  But I kept trying and now the "publish" button on my computer is not nearly as scary as it was in 2009.

So, that's looking back.  What's ahead for Embrace the Grace?

I want to become proficient in posting pictures which I believe really add to the quality and experience for you, the reader.  Besides, with NINE adorable grandchildren, I have a bounty of fun pictures to share.  Doubtless one for every topic one might chose to feature.

Also, I've been working the past few months on becoming more consistent again; I want to post more often.  The key lies in not waiting for the lightening bolt thought to hit me, rather writing and hoping the words will be powerful for those reading.

Today, that meant coming home from work and making myself finish this post before anything else, including dinner.  Not glamorous but definitely productive.

So for each of you who have been making time in your hectic lives to read Embrace the Grace, I pray blessings, courage and joy in abundance.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart for those who have gone so far as to comment, some even a year later.  Your visits and expressions tell me this blog matters.  And I'm Grateful.

PS:  Last Friday, I had a wild revelation about how big a deal this year really is in my life.  Stop by soon for the full story.  



How about you?  Is there a milestone you're celebrating this year?  Does it cause you to look back and ahead, as well?  We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.

Quiet

Normally my posts are filled with the stories that make up life for Frank and me.  Most are humorous.  Many cause tears.  More often they simply create a reminder that life is both rainbows and rain clouds.  We determine which we will make our focus.

Today, I'm taking a cue from my many friends who have found the joys associated with solitude and silence.  (Well, total silence isn't really an option as long as my cell phone stays charged. But the alliteration was too good to pass up.)

Last Thursday morning, I left with five other ladies heading to Daytona Beach for a women's retreat.  There we connected with another friend of our church and moved into a veritable sea composed of 1800 other women from across peninsular Florida.  We had all converged on the Ocean Way Convention Center for the sole purpose of connecting with one another and with God.

GGC Ladies Always have Fun

Those three days were equal parts memory making, marvelous services and a bit of mayhem.  I mean, just think of trying to navigate restaurants or the hotel elevators when almost two thousand other people are moving at about the same time as you.

I would have chosen the hotel stairs a couple times but our room was on the 14th floor.  Perfect for stellar views, all wrong for step counting.  Taking the stairs would have left me needing oxygen I'm sure.  So, our group exercised patience instead and made new friends from other churches while waiting.

Our state women's director, Deanna Shrodes, is an organizing genius.  She kept things moving at a steady clip, kept trouble mitigated, kept women smiling and kept showing up looking like she had never had a problem in all her lovely life.  I know better!  Where there are that many women, there are almost as many problems to solve.  But Deanna and her team handled it all and kept us moving forward like a well-oiled machine.

Our group made the most of our time choosing early mornings and late nights.  One of our ladies had only been to the ocean one other time in her life.  Of course, she had to make time for a long walk on the beach and some wave jumping.  We actually had two birthdays in our small group.  And one lady had just transitioned from being the major care-giver for her 93 year old mother.  We were all looking forward to the time away for different reasons.

We got back to Winter Haven around 5:30 on Saturday and I was at church around 7:30 Sunday morning.  We hosted a baby shower for a precious young couple Sunday following service.  Then I came home, ate a salad and went to bed for a nap.  Deserved and Delicious!

Frank and I ended up talking with several neighbors as we walked Sunday night.  (One even stopped by our house around 8:30.)  By the time this morning dawned, I was ready for Quiet.

Because I work from home on Mondays, I was able to create a quieter than normal atmosphere for myself.  It's been overcast and a bit rainy all day.  Believe you me, I have delighted in it.  Even the phone calls, emails and appointments that needed attention have left me with time to quiet my heart in between.

I've been meditating on a song we sang at the conference. The chorus says, "Way Maker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God that is who you are."  Just about any solution you or I may need can be found in one of those.

I've also been pondering a favorite promise from Philippians "His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

Don't you love both of those?  I'll be back with a story soon.  But for this moment, I'm going to enjoy the quiet as much as I've enjoyed the excitement.  I'll lean in to the One I love most and let Him guard my heart and mind with His peace.

Blessings!

Can You Believe It?!

Look what we've FINALLY accomplished!

Yes, you are looking at the first ever photo to be included on Embrace the Grace!  Of course, I would choose a picture of our tribe because they are the reason I write; they are the ones I write about; they are the ones who encourage my writing; they give my writing life.

Regular readers will immediately note this picture is inaccurate.  It was taken Thanksgiving, 2018 before anyone had even a clue Andrew Ryder would be joining us in 2019.

Last week, Becky Smith (of Smithellaneous fame and mentor to many writers like myself) was visiting the newest baby we co-grandparent (that would be Andrew.)  She sat down with Frank and I one morning to show that it would only take five minutes to teach us how to add pictures to the blog.

Well, things like adding photos to a blog site are easy if you have a good tech foundation.  When you're icon-dependent (like me) it's a different matter.  That explanation session actually took more like an hour.  Then I opened my site today and couldn't remember any of her clear and simple instructions.

So, I waited for my hero to come home and work at it with me again.  After another tedious hour of trial and error and trial again . . .Viola!  He did it.  Frank managed to find, edit, drag and click our way into the 21st century of blogging.

I have no earth-shattering news to report.  I have no thought-provoking illustration to share.  I have no story to weave for your enjoyment.

What I DO have . . . is a photo.  And I couldn't be more excited!



I'd love to hear about something new you've tried that took effort.  Would you do us the honor of sharing in the comment box?  

Mama and Ms. Anne

So the two ladies in my title never met one another.  They were very much the same and completely different all at the same time.  Their love for me and my love for them - absolutely certain.  Their lives intersected this afternoon.  Allow me to explain . . .

My morning had a routine start.  Some reading; emails; a couple phone calls.  Then it was off to the imaging center for a mammogram I had put off too long.  Oh, Joy!  I took two Tylenol and was out the door by 10 AM.

(Oddly, I could NOT find my car keys and after a desperate search, I gave up and used the spare.  When I came out of the imaging center and reached into my purse,  the keys floated right to the surface from a pocket where they'd been hiding all along.  Perhaps my subconscious mind just refused to see them hoping to avoid the procedure all together.  Sigh!)

I decided to make a quick stop at a consignment shop and one other store before heading back home for lunch.  Many of my friends call this "Retail Therapy" but if I spend too much time shopping, I need therapy when I've finished.

The consignment store yielded an item Meagan needs for baby Andrew.  And as I had suspected, the other store had a couple of sections marked 75% off.  My kind of section!  I'm traveling to Pennsylvania this week to do a women's conference and to speak for a church.  If a new outfit happened to be on the 75% off rack, it would certainly merit investigating.

Unfortunately, the two dresses I tried on both left me less than thrilled.  But there was this pair of pj's that had caught my eye.  I must admit, pajamas are a special delight for me at this point in my life.  These were soft and snuggly.  The bottoms were just long enough to cover my feet and the top had short sleeves which I especially like.  One problem, the top button was missing.

I took the pj's to the register and asked if they were reduced any more because of the missing button.  It may surprise you that I would ask given the pj's were already 75% off.  But I happened to know this store is great with customer service.  The manager came over, paused a moment then asked me, "Would another 20% be okay?"  "Absolutely!  Thank you," was my prompt reply.

When I got home, I decided to look for a button to sew on right away.  I was afraid that waiting would allow me to settle for a safety pin and that would never do for such a cute top.  Now please bear in mind, I'm no seamstress!  But I do keep a Tupperware box under my bed which had belonged to my friend, Ms. Anne.  It was among the many things she gave to me before she died.

There were a few buttons in the box but none that would fit.  I started scrambling to find a button.  (Some of you will be appalled to learn that I typically toss spare buttons because I so seldom need them.  It's my attempt to keep clutter at bay.)

Finally, I spotted a tiny ziplock bag in the corner of my jewelry box.  The bag held one earring and a tiny blue button.  I knew immediately, Mama had given me the bag.  She had found the earring at her house and thought it was mine.  The button had such a lovely pearl look she had saved that for me, too . . . just because.

I used the needle and thread Ms. Anne had given me to sew on the little pearl button Mama had given me and got tears in my eyes thinking how they'll both be remembered every time I wear my new pj's.

Don't you find yourself hoping you do things that will cause people to think fondly of you even when you aren't around?  Mama moved to Heaven almost eleven years ago.  Ms. Anne moved there last year.  But today, both ladies felt very near because of small acts of love they probably considered insignificant at the time.  (Yes, I'm crying again in case you're wondering.)

Mama and Ms. Anne . . . feisty, funny and forever etched in my heart.  They didn't meet here but I look forward to introducing them some day in Heaven.  When I tell them the story of the button, they will both make fun of me for being so sentimental, I feel certain!

Passion for Produce

Yes, I do love fresh fruits and vegetables!  Ask any of my family or close friends.

However, this post is about something totally unrelated to what you could find in a supermarket.

I was recently talking with a friend who has lived a life full of adventure.  After experiencing the heartbreak of being abandoned by her husband, she decided to go back to school . . . in her 50's!  She finished her nursing degree, added a counseling degree and accepted a position as an English teacher/school nurse . . . in Korea! After more than two decades alone, she married a wonderful man whom she met . . . on line!  Nope, not making this up at all.

She is a hero of sorts, in my book.  Her tenacious faith in God and fierce love for her family are benchmarks I'm reaching for, as well.  Susan (not her real name because I didn't get to ask permission to share) is still incredibly active even though well past her 80th birthday.  Her vivacious spirit and undaunted love for people inspire me.

While we were talking, I felt prompted to have her pray for me.  (Frank and I have always been careful about who we ask to pray over us.  We make sure they are living a life we want to emulate.)  She, her husband and I formed a little prayer circle that became a sanctuary right there in the middle of people swirling all around.  She prayed the most tender but direct prayer I've heard in a long while.

Just as we prepared to part ways, she looked me dead in the eye and said, "Keep Producing!"  I was a little taken aback and I'm sure my face reflected my puzzled thoughts.

"Keep producing at least a little something every day," she explained.  "That way, when God opens the door you'll have material and stories to draw from.  He WILL open the door in due time.  Make sure you're ready."

No way to misunderstand that message!

Her words took me back to a moment when I was a young mother.  My life was on the fast track.  I had three little girls under the age of 6.  My husband was working far too many hours and had us involved in multiple projects that seemed to require extra effort at least every other month.  I was doing my best to keep up but it was a stretch that had me close to the snapping point.

A lady I respected walked up to me one Sunday evening and said, "Sheri, the Lord wanted me to share this scripture with you."  She gave me the passage written on a scrap of paper and left.  When I finally got time to read it the next day, this is what I found . . .
               Isaiah 46:4
               I will be your God throughout your lifetime -- until your hair is white with age.  I made you,  and I will care for you.  I will carry you along and save you.

Now many of you will think this a lovely little promise that could be made into a cross stitch and framed.  But my response was that of an exhausted mom and immature christian.  "Carry Me?!  Why does she think I need a scripture about being carried?  I'm doing just FINE, thank you!"

Yes, God is gracious and patient and I did eventually learn the bigger truth of this promise.  I believe He wanted me to understand that no matter where we are on this journey, we're never alone.  He promises in another passage to never forsake us; never to leave us.

Here's how I feel I should blend these two concepts today.  If we just stay faithful at doing the task directly in front of us, He will stay faithful in supporting us.  My job is to maintain passion for producing at least some small contribution every day.  His promise is to maintain passion for His child (that's you/me) and carry us along as we lean into His rich love.  Pretty generous exchange on God's part, I think.

So, for one more day I will understand the importance of producing.  And I will trust Him with the outcome.  Anyone game to join me in developing a passion for produce?

Blessings!


How about you?  Is there a word of encouragement someone gave you years ago (or recently) that has impacted your life?  We'd love to hear about it in the comment section below . . .



    

Faithful Companion

Gracie Marie is, indeed, my abiding friend.

I don't write about her often but today she deserves a shout out.  You see, Gracie is our silly little black and white K9 companion.  We reference her with several other names, too. Such as:  The Princess; Goat Dog; The Vacuum; Aggravating Mutt and believe me, she has earned each of these monikers.

Gracie Marie

Some days she looks up at us with genuine distain if we dare to suggest she should move from her place on the couch.  She has been seen eating some truly disgusting things and we can always count on her to glean any food the grands may drop under our table.  She chooses the most inopportune times to not come back to me after going outdoors; sometimes making me late for the office.

Gracie is not a large dog but she is almost 13 years old.  So being 91 in doggie years, I guess she has earned the right to be a bit stubborn, rather grouchy and most definitely set in her ways. Today, however, I have only good to tell of the four-legged, fur baby entrusted to us.

What a comfort this little companion provides.  She often helps me feel I'm not alone.  Even though we both work for the church, Frank is away from home more than I with additional meetings and such.  But I never have to feel alone because Gracie is here to study me with her coal black eyes and smile at me with her crooked under bite.  (Oh yes, we also call her the Elvis Dog for that reason.)

She's smart as a whip.

• She knows that my tennis shoes going on after dinner mean a walk is imminent.  She starts running back and forth from the door to the couch.  
• She knows our suitcases mean we're going away for awhile.  So she sits with her head on her paws looking up at us like we're traitors.  
• She knows that when the grandchildren come her safest refuge is our bedroom so she runs to that door and paws to be let in.  
• She knows that if she comes back in promptly when I'm leaving, she'll earn a treat.  (This she trained ME to do.)

I've spent the past two days trying to get over a terrible something that knocked me flat on my back.  Part of our family was diagnosed with strep and with school starting back there were already several runny noses.  Sleep had been evading me for over a week so I was a prime candidate for whatever this was.

Unfortunately, this is absolutely the worst time I could be sick.  Meagan is due to go into labor at any moment. (In fact, she and Nathan spent 5 hours in triage Tuesday night.  Frank had to go stay with the babies because Noni was fevered.)  John was out with strep.  Joy has gone back to school and needed help.  We have 5 grands in school this year.  (Noah came home from his first full day of kindergarten reporting all that had happened.  Then he paused and said, "Mommy it's just so loooong!" And promptly burst into tears.  Poor boy!  Only 12 more years, Noah.)

All this happening around me and I'm no help whatsoever.  Yesterday, for me, was literally spent moving from the bed to the couch to the recliner and back to the bed.  I usually hate NyQuil but I've chugged it down as though it were the nectar of the gods.  I knew it would help me sleep deeply and that's what I needed most.

Today, I seem to be improving but I'm well aware I must get fully recovered and back on my feet asap.  So, I stayed home from the office one more day to keep resting and to avoid spreading whatever germs are germinating in my nasal system.  (Frank has carried around the Lysol can every minute he's home.)

When I woke this morning, Gracie was there right on my side of the bed.  I had slept well past her normal time for going out but she had waited patiently.  Frank had long been awake and could have let her out but she was waiting for me.  She never whined or barked for me to get up; never even pawed at my covers.  She just waited.

Patiently Waiting

Even as I write this post, she is sprawled out beside my chair. Asking for nothing.  Not even looking my way.  She's simply content just being here with me. 

Gracie has been with us a long time and I know that she won't outlive me.  Someday, I'll have to bid farewell to this faithful companion.  But for today, I'll scratch her ears the way she likes and give her an extra treat for no particular reason at all.  Hopefully, she'll feel as loved as she makes me feel.  I'll finish with the "prayer" we've all seen from time to time. . .

"Lord, please make me the person my dog things I am!"