Grace at 90

I went to a birthday celebration for a 90 year old friend last Saturday. There must have been 70 or more people there to honor her - family, friends from her career as a teacher, friends from her days as a WAC (Womens Army Corps), friends from church. Grace was touched that so many came, and that people were not bashful about taking the mic and telling how she had touched their lives.

And there was cake! I always like it when there is cake.

I guess I've known Grace for maybe the last five years. She and her daughter Joyce changed churches and started coming to Glendale Christian - that's where my husband and I have our membership. Grace is a magnet - she's tiny, she's friendly, she twinkles, she smiles and she exudes warmth. She doesn't see very well, but she gets around easily with the help of her daughter. She's at church when the doors open and is involved in Bible studies outside of Sunday morning. She's wise, and funny, and she doesn't take herself or her life too seriously though she is pretty darn serious when it comes to eternal values. I'd say she is a role model for a lot of us.

One unanticipated benefit: I ran into a friend of Grace's that I had not seen for over 25 years! We'd worked together once, and she looks great - just as if it had been yesterday. Now there's a woman who takes good care of herself! And I had no idea that she was Grace's friend. Small world.

It's truly an honor for me to be counted among her many friends.