Prom

We experienced our first prom last night. I say “we” because even if only one Monico actually attended the event, it was a family affair.  When my daughter asked if we could host a pre-prom dinner, I immediately said yes and counted it as a blessing. 

It took all six of us to pull it off.  My boys moved stuff, hung stuff, and picked up.  My girls helped me decorate, and my hubby mowed.  For a variety of reasons, gatherings at our home have happened less and less as the kids have gotten older.  Therefore, it was really exciting for me to think of creating something beautiful out here in the country for a group to enjoy.  Somewhere in the middle of the dishes and laundry, I forgot that God created me to be creative!  I desperately needed our prom dinner to remind me!

The dinner was only a small portion of it… let me tell you, getting ready for the prom is quite an extensive process.  First, the perfect dress must be selected. No matter your budget, style, make, or color, the dress is a must.  This is followed by choosing shoes, accessories, make-up, and even dates and or prom groups.  Nails, spray tans, and hair appointments come the day before or even the day of the prom.  Sleeping late on prom day is not an option, since getting prettied up is an all-day affair. 

My daughter had quite the crowd here to marvel at her when she first walked down the hallway dressed and ready.  Her entire family and several close friends were present for her entrance.  Let’s call that phase 1. 

Phase 2 should be called “Paparazzi.”  There are individual pictures, date pictures, group pictures, family pictures, and the ever popular “selfie” pictures.  Phase 2 is not for the weary.  Smiling and knowing which camera to look at when several are flashing takes experience. 

Phase 3 is usually dinner.  I mentally prepared three settings for our prom dinner.  The first was a lighted area in the front of our house with a view of the lake.  The second option, depending on the weather, was under the carport.  Strands of lights were ready there too.  Lastly, our “big room” was set up and ready.  The girls voted after pictures to move the dinner inside.  The kitchen crew stepped in and everything was relocated indoors with ease and efficiently.  My Fiestaware dishes and silver must have loved the activity.  Our dinner guests ate, visited, and seemed to enjoy this particular phase of the prom.

Finally, after an often entire day of pomp and circumstance, it was prom time!  The group left here in a limo about 8:45 and were back to the house much earlier than I expected.  It seems that getting ready for the prom and everything leading up to the prom may be more exciting than the prom itself.  You might say they loved the “process” of the prom more than the actual “product” of the prom!  I refer to this process vs. product concept often. 

Life is a process. I pray daily in this crazy process called life that I am personally getting closer to Jesus Christ.  I will, we will, never be finished products until meet up with our maker to live forever in heaven.  Psalm 3:4-5 is a great verse to keep in mind while muddling through your own process.  It says “I call out to the LORD, and he answers me from his holy mountain.  I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me.” This week call out to the LORD and thank Him that He “does” life with you!