Nana’s Perseverance

Like most families, we too have many “famous stories” that have been retold over and over. One of these is the time that we took an impromptu spend the night t Nana’s. Mom didn’t have our gowns stuffed in her pocketbook as she normally did, anticipating that Julie and I would beg to spend the night. When the pleading began, Nana held up her finger indicating she had a brilliant plan and headed to the back of the house. Perseverance! Nana was not going to let a little thing like not having pj’s stop us from staying!

In about five minutes she returned and proudly displayed our make-shift pillowcase gowns! Being a young woman during the depression, she knew how to make things work. Perseverance! She worked until she made a way. She cut two arm holes and a neck hole. Wha-la! Two nightgowns. Julie and I wore them so proudly.

Unplanned Surprise

Last Saturday, I drove to Donna’s in Rome. We went to lunch and ran some errands together. Afterwards, we hung out at her house, doing some writing while we sipped our hot tea. Around five, I started dreading the drive home. It’s only an hour, but it was so yucky outside with the cool damp air. Knowing it would be dark when I got home. I halfway joked and said, “I wish I’d just packed a bag; I could have just gone home early enough to get ready for church.”  

We continued talking until the conversation wrapped around to my first cousin Lucie, who also lives in Rome. Before I put much thought into it, I blurted out, I’d love to surprise her by going to church with her in the morning.  

Donna texted her to make sure she would be at church and mentioned that she was thinking about joining her. Lucie seemed excited, saying she would save Donna a seat.

Dilemma

With that confirmation, I happened to look down to realize what I had on! Sweatpants and tennis shoes. Now, I know that the Lord does not care what a person wears to church, but sometimes I do struggle with not dressing too casually. I grew up wearing my Sunday best.

Donna laughed and said, “Well, I don’t think I can offer you shoes or pants to wear, but I might have a T-shirt you can sleep in.” (Her shoes size is a 61/2 versus my 91/2, and I could not button her pants around me if my life depended on it!)

Perseverance and Ideas

“I’ll go to Walmart in the morning to get another shirt, some leggings, and shoot, some underwear too,” I added as I realized I’d need that as well. “Man, I just broke down and bought new undies last week!”

We wrote and talked and wrote and talked until around eleven. I walked into the bathroom and hollered, “Ugh, got an extra toothbrush?”

“Yep!”

“Face wash?”

“You know I don’t use any, but I’ve got soap,” she unwrapped a new bar.

“Shoot, I don’t have my mouth guard. You know how I clench my teeth at night. Ugh!”

“Don’t have one of those.”

“Man, I don’t have my melatonin to help me sleep.”

“Don’t have that either.”

“Your shirt didn’t fit me!” I yelled into her room and got into bed with the one I had worn for the day.

“I’ll get a pillowcase and the scissors!” she burst in laughter.  

Intentional Perseverance Continued

The next morning I woke to realize I did not have my thyroid medicine with me. Donna hollered that the deodorant was under the cabinet. I soon realized I didn’t have my make-up! What was I thinking? With our totally opposite skin tones, I knew I couldn’t wear Donna’s so I added that to the Wal-mart list. However after some convincing from Donna, I used hers anyway.

As we got ready, we thought about giving Lucie a gift. Donna has a book of questions about yourself. You answer them as a gift for your children. We thought she would enjoy this to share with her grandchildren one day.

Showered and dressed, we headed to Walmart to grab the needed things. We discussed how although there have been times in my past when I have changed in the car, I was probably a little too old to change my panties there. I took everything out of my purse and stuffed in my new clothes as Donna pulled into the parking place at Barnes & Noble. She darted to the shelf she knew housed the desired book as I headed for a stall. (Note to self: when changing clothes in a public restroom, use the larger stall, the one that has a changing table. This will allow a place for the extra pair, so they do not need to be draped around your neck.)

We walked in to Friendship Baptist Church, with a smile on our faces, and were greeted with an even bigger one in return.

• New shirt at Walmart $8.99
• New pants at Walmart $14.59
• New pack of panties at Walmart $12.50

The surprised look on the face of someone you love and have persevered to surprise, priceless!