The Countdown Begins Today

Ten days before Shannon's graduation from high school.  Some invitation/announcements to her graduation have been sent.  She has her cap and gown hanging in the guest room.  Her dress had been purchased when I checked her out last Friday - 'Senior Ditch Day".  She still needs to buy a pair of comfortable shoes.  From now on there will be a series of events related to the graduation.  They will have a Senior Picnic/Pool Party this coming Friday and a Senior Dinner Dance on Saturday.  On Sunday our church will give another picnic for the graduates...and then Monday, they will have a Senior Breakfast at Oakridge where they will have a slide show of the graduates.  By the time the graduation comes, they will be all exhausted.  Shannon decided not to attend the overnight party after the graduation ceremony in spite of our prodding.

Planning for the May 27th and the days around it are going on.  Shannon's graduation will bring so many relatives together.  It will be a celebration of a milestone and at the same time a family reunion.  I'm praying that people will have fun just being together. 
So far I am staying calm although earlier this week I felt overwhelmed when Tim announced that he will be preaching this Sunday.  He likes to preach and I support him...but I was hoping that he could help me during the weekend.  Preaching will take up his weekend.  He has been on several business trips most of last month and this month.  Things that I asked him to help me with have been put aside because of his schedule.  So when he told the family of his preaching commitment this week - a week when he is also in Portland for three days, I was not happy.  In my sulking I was reminded of what Ann Voskamp said: fight feelings with feelings.  Unhappiness is the opposite of gratitude.  So I reversed the situation by counting all the things that are going well.   It works and only through the grace of God.  Looking at the positive side of things makes it possible for me to face God with gratitude and shift my focus from the physical to the unseen.  It is God's gift that I have a husband who likes to ponder and speak on the words of God.