The "Not SO PERFECT" Dinner Party

I love themes.

I love entertaining.

I love family parties celebrating milestones.

I love the details...

but what happens when nothing seems to be going the way things were planned?

Welcome to REAL LIFE 101!

It would be a wonderful way to live LIFE... if perfection were not expected and real.true.treasures were discovered in imperfection...

Months ago it was decided that dessert would be served at the wedding since it was a 7:00 evening wedding and the reception dinner would be held at our home the following week.

This would be the perfect time for our families to come together to enjoy a lovely dinner at twilight in our backyard and then to watch the honeymooners open their gifts!

Initially, I thought I was really setting my high expectations aside by dealing with the yard that we had hoped to level out and being okay with mix match chairs!

Not only were we planning the wedding, but I was so excited about the reception dinner.

The date was set.

The menu was finalized.

The evening was planned...and I was in heaven!

The day had come and everything changed with one.itty.bitty.phone conversation with our new son-in-law.

To make a very long and complicated day short, sweet and to the point...the honeymooners were delayed by 10 hours!

Despite all of the planning, decorating, yard landscape, light hanging, table and chair getting, settting up and re-arranging {EVERY momma needs a CALEB!!!} grocery shopping, food prep and the list goes on...we would be celebrating without our sweet guests of HONOR!

How was it possible to celebrate the newlyweds while they were sitting in an airport far.far away?

You can't get any further away from an imperfect evening...or so it seemed.

We decided {with the blessing of David and Lauriss} that we would celebrate the occasion anyway.  It was a great lesson in laying our expectations aside and letting God teach us something of value.

The highlight for me was having my love read I Corinthians 13:4-8.  He challenged us all to put into practice what he read.  To not give up.  To cherish those in our lives and to pray for David and for Lauriss as they begin their new life together.  I looked down at all of the brothers and it was an overwhelming thought that this is a new generation of what we are leaving for our children.  I hope they will all remember our evening and the challenge we were all given!

It was not perfect in many ways...{I realize in the grand scheme of things...these are no biggies!}

*With no rain in the forcast, it rained once the tables were set.

*The garden lights, with new bulbs, would not turn on.

*The propane grill that registered "full" was full of AIR and empty.

*The frozen cheesecake was still frozen after being at room temp for hours!

*The strong lemonade needed major adjustments!

...but that is exactly what made it perfect in every way!

I can't think of a better way to bond two families together!

How often do we put things off in fear of imperfection?
What would happen if you planned a dinner with friends or family despite your fears...that have the potential of becoming a reality?

I say you try it and you may just have the greatest memories to deposit into your bank of "cherished moments".

I Corinthians 13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
⁸ Love never fails.

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