Graduation and the associated party over, I started the day feeling strangely tired and drained. I didn't know if it was a hangover form the prep and stress of company, the remnants of my cold, a hormonal imbalance, or just what, but my remedy was to take a cup of coffee and a brownie and go sit on the deck with the birds and the trees and talk recent events over with God. The good news is that it worked! The beautiful day was impossible to resist, as was the combination of chocolate and coffee in the presence of the Lord! The moment could only be described as heavenly, a word that I suddenly realized described the history behind the brownie I was so quickly consuming. They were baked and delivered by a lady I met over the cash register at Kroger. We had become good friends over the course of her infrequent shopping trips, and when she heard I was stressing over my graduation party plans, she sent me a note saying that she wanted to deliver some treats for the event. Of course I told her not to do any such thing, but to simply come and be a part of the celebration. She didn't expect to be able to do so, however, with two other obligations scheduled for the same day.
Party day arrived and soon the guests did, too. The house was filled with friends old and new, and lots of food and laughter. Suddenly my husband spotted a car pull into the yard and a woman get out of it that he didn't recognize. I did, however, and ran to the door, where my shopping buddy handed me the promised treats - brownies baked to perfection, individually wrapped and tied with gold ribbon, and layered in tissue in a beautiful gift bag. Refusing to come in because of the other places she needed to be, she merely hugged me and left, despite the dog's best efforts to hogtie her with the rope on which he was tied and make her stay.
The brownies themselves were the hit of the party, people declaring them to be the best they'd tasted and some upcoming grads asking shyly if perhaps she could make them for their graduation parties, as well! My pastor simply buried his in scoops of ice cream and layers of hot fudge sauce, declaring himself ready for a nap when it was consumed.
Thinking about it later I remembered that I'd asked God to be present at the party. I just hadn't expected him to arrive in a pink dress, wearing pink shoes and with his blonde hair piled high on his head, carrying His love for us all in his heart and his hands. I guess I should've known...!
