Folks, I really do have a good excuse for not posting for nearly three weeks. Really I do.
Three weeks ago today, Tom got "The Call."
It was all very sneaky. Tom has been on the stake high council for the last two years, so the Stake Exec Secretary calls all the time. I know this because we have caller ID and when I see the name "Church of Jes" on it, I know that it is not for me, because it is the SESec calling from the Stake Offices. So over the last two years we have been lulled into complacency by the sometimes multi-weekly phone calls from "Church of Jes", and gave them nary a thought.
So when on a Sunday evening three weeks ago, the phone rang and I saw that same ID on the phone display, I let Tom pick it up like I always do. Later, as we were getting ready for bed, Tom semi-casually mentioned that we had an appointment to meet with the Stake President on Tuesday evening.
I looked at him blankly for a second, my progress in putting my pajama pants on arrested. "Wha...?"
He repeated his previous sentence, a little more slowly.
"But but... but... you meet with the Stake President all the time, don't you? Don't you?!"
"I think this is It."
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggghhhhhh!!!
And that is why I haven't posted. Because in that moment, life as I knew it ended, and I began to contemplate my future as... The Bishop's Wife.
Oddly enough, after the initial shockwave that blasted through my mind had subsided, and I had cried my eyes out until all that was left were smoldering holes, I felt an unanticipated sense of calm and... rightness.
Today he was ordained and set apart. About two dozen people stopped me and told me they "knew" he was going to be the next bishop. Either I live in a ward full of seers, or that was their way of saying that they like and admire him and feel he will do a great job. I happen to agree completely with that assessment.
His wife is a completely different story. The word "trainwreck" comes to mind.
I just realized that in all the times I have tried to describe you to someone else, your qualities, your character, I could have summed it all up with,"She's like the Bishop's wife...only funnier!". With Tom's calm spirit and soothing voice he will have even the primary kids hypnotized each week. This is the perfect calling for both of you. Although I hope you will still be clogging next year. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteLisa, I hope I can say this without sounding too hammy, but I think that this is the perfect calling for Tom and you also and that your family and ward will be so blessed because of it. I was amazed when I was the "ward mom" of the many ways that the Lord strengthend me and led me in little ways to perceive the needs of the ward members when sometimes those sitting on the stand were too busy to notice. You will be a great help to your ward too. I am thankful for some of the relationships that I developed while stepping in and helping out when there was no one else to do it. Thank you for being willing to serve. We will be praying for you!
ReplyDeletei must say that this comes as no shock to me...it was never an if but when. i think that tom will be a wonderful bishop and that your family (including you) will step right into this new chapter in your lives without skipping a beat. glad to hear we can still do fast sunday dinners! see you soon BW!
ReplyDeleteLisa, you and your sweet family will be exactly what the Lord needs for your ward right now. I have had too many close friends who have their husbands called to bishop to not have an idea of what the past few weeks and future weeks will hold for you. We love you. We appreciate you. And we know that you will be and do what the Lord needs you to. And remember, that as you need your own support structure, we are always here to help.
ReplyDeleteMarjorie, that's nice. "Ward Mom", not Bishop's wife.
ReplyDeleteI love my daughter's husband with all my heart, and I am so proud of both of them. Thank you, Marj and Norm, for raising a son who loves the Lord.