Have you ever had to plan something and then wondered, “What am I going to do!!?”

Sometimes planning is not just a matter of entertaining or cooking. This is a celebration of someone’s special time of service. We are celebrating Roberta Stephens' retirement and service of 37 years in Japan! No ideas are coming to mind but you must press on because 20 people are coming for dinner and a party at your house! What if it takes only 4 steps?

Step 1: Admit you have a problem and ask for help! When I have no ideas, I ask Lee Ann for help. She helped me break the party into smaller pieces: food, activity, and video slideshow.

What causes a blank brain? I don’t know. I think in concrete, random terms. I can get overwhelmed with too many things at the same time. That is why God gave me a partner in Lee Ann! She can see the big picture. If you don’t have someone like Lee Ann, then pray that God would provide help and wisdom.

Step 2: Divide and Conquer. We enlisted the help of friends. One friend offered to lead singing and bring song sheets. Others offered to bring dishes to complement the barbecue menu I thought of and to come early to help with preparations. (Thank you Jesus for bringing Costco frozen turkeys to Japan!) Lastly, I got inspired with an idea for a slide show. I found many old pictures of Roberta that she didn’t know I had. Also, friends gave me some of their old pictures as well.

Step 3: Teamwork. We had a fabulous time celebrating 37 years of service in Japan for Roberta. Three guests came over early and helped prepare the side dishes and setup. The barbecue turkey was a hit. We enthusiastically sang for Roberta! The songs were fun and we sang in a round almost like a choir. Roberta and guests happily received the slideshow. We saw pictures of her early years, mid-career, and recent days in Japan.

Step 4: Show appreciation! Roberta gave little favors to each guest as a memento of their time celebrating her retirement. We are so thankful to God for giving us this short time with Roberta. Already, we miss her very much.

 

Find out more about our ministry on our webpage. Here is the link and thank you very much!

 

http://www.internationalministries.org/teams/103-hwang

 

May the Lord continue to richly bless you!

 

Gordon (and Lee Ann) Hwang

 

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5 NIV