Carol Cox invited me to be the guest speaker
Ladies love parties, and there is nothing more fun than an afternoon Tea where we wear our party dresses, fancy hats and best smiles. Such was the case at the Westside Baptist Church Spring Tea held this past Saturday. The theme of the Tea was Reflecting God’s Glory so every table was decorated with mirrored centerpieces, pink and green spring flowers and fans of pink napkins. Festive beyond belief! The event was sold out with 300 guests.
Tammy Moore, A big-time Blessing and my co-teacher of 1st Grade Sunday School
The Tea began with delightful music by Fred Dias as we greeted one another and hugged friends doing the cheek to cheek thing women do when we’re wearing lipstick. Once we’d settled into our seats, tea was served by waiters wearing black trousers, white shirts and a remarkable look of familiarity. (The volunteer waiters were our own sons and husbands, mine included.) Although some of these gents may duck kitchen duty at home, they served pots of tea and restaurant-sized trays of tea sandwiches like pros. I couldn’t help but notice a smile of poetic justice on many a wife’s face as hubby bent to serve her. After a slice of notoriously rich cake, the entertainment began.
Shari Bentley, Program Organizer not only looked lovely in a wide-brimmed black hat, but also kept the entire program running smoothly and on time. Kathryn Priest (who is gorgeously slender and has no right to look as young as she does) served as Master of Ceremonies and provided our opening and closing prayers. The program started with a parade of hats…funny, original, homemade, hand decorated and beautiful. Then the vote for favorites, with prizes for the winners. Next up, a quintet of beautiful young ladies singing “That’s What I See” a song describing how the face in their mirror reflects the love of Jesus. Last on the program was the guest speaker, which I am honored to say was ME!
I have spoken to many groups and although I enjoy every opportunity to share thoughts and ideas with other women, this opportunity to speak to the women of Westside was by far the greatest. It is such a joyous occasion when I can share my love of Jesus and Our Heavenly Father with others. I spoke about the things that inspire me and how after a great deal of thought I came to the realization that I best reflect God’s Glory by the way I live my life. God’s Glory is in each and every one of us; it’s in our kindness to one another, our faithfulness in marriage, our love for children.
Of course being the consummate writer, I also told stories of my sometimes irreverent Southern family and the sources that help me to create characters. I spoke about my love for elderly characters and children because they are so delightfully honest, and there was a great deal of laughter from the audience when I mentioned a few situations we’ve all known. As if the thrill of speaking to this wonderful group were not enough, they honored me with the gift of a beautiful mirror decorated with the script “Reflecting God’s Glory” …it was a very memorable day.
Friends Jan & Georgia
My sweet husband (who has the patience of a Saint) videotaped my presentation, but our camcorder is new and both of us are still learning how to avoid those unwanted ceiling shots. Despite a few ceiling shots and rollercoaster ride transitions, most of the tape is terrific, so if I can get my brain wrapped around the video-editing program and can whittle it down to the best 10 minutes, I’ll post it on Facebook.
Just one last question…is it okay to ask God for help in mastering a video-editing program?
Teri Pinney joined in the funAnd the winning hats were…
And the winning hats were…
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