The Coronation of the D.W.

This past Sunday night was a pretty big night in the Isbell household. Jim was ordained as a deacon in our church, Calvary Baptist Church. He and six other men were nominated for this position by the members of our church. It is quite an honor.

While I knew the ordination service was going to be a big deal for Jim, I wasn't sure what role I would be playing. On Wednesday Jim forwarded me an e-mail from our pastor and informed me, "Sorry dear, but I think you gotta dress up for this one." As I proceed to read the order of service, first I noticed I would be sitting on the platform and secondly I read BOTH of our names under the heading "Introductions and Testimonies". I thought to myself, I have to wear a dress AND I have to say something in front of the whole church? Great, just great. I'm just the wife of the new deacon. You know the D.W.---the Deacon's Wife!

Well, I resolved the fact a dress was in order and was reassured that I would not have to say anything.....phew, this is getting better. Now fast forward to Sunday afternoon...I decided to wear a black skirt and the fancy top I wore to my brother's wedding in Japan. Of course, in my mind I wanted something less fancy, but stuck to my guns-- with encouragement from my mother! As I arrived in the church parking lot I spotted my friend Lorrie, who is also about to be coronated as a D.W. I immediately noticed something different about her....she was wearing PANTS! What?? Then she dropped the bomb that she and Tiffany made a pact to wear pants for the ceremony. Why wasn't I on that phone call list...I should have been at the top of the list! Oh well. As all 7 of the couples gathered for the ceremony, 3 of us wore dresses and 4 wore pants. I sure wanted to be in the pants group. *sigh*

We all sat on the stage while each husband gave their testimony, during which their lovely wife stood at their side. Next, the ordination part of the service began. Each of the men knelt in the front of the church while all of the ordained men lined up and prayed over each of the new deacons. During this part of the service, a slide show played that provided information on each new deacon and his family. You know the usual: family photo, names, kids ages, job, education.....blah blah blah.

Our slide was third, and I was eager to see what information Jim had sent in. As I begin reading my eyes came to a screeching halt.....here's why:



I was thinking, who in the Sam Hill is Lillian??? I had to refrain myself from a sudden outburst of hilarious laughter. I had lost all focus of why I was there and could not look at another person. I knew my mom was sitting back there thinking "Lillian, who is Lillian". Because there were so many ordained men there, the slide show repeated many times, so if no one knew my name before this ceremony they still didn't know it!

About the fifth time the slide show played I realized that one of the other wives name was indeed Lillian. And, no, her slide did not say Tammy.

You can imagine my relief when all was said and done. However, I had to answer one question a million times the rest of the night.....that being, "Is your first name Lillian?". No, I can assure you my first name is not Lillian and I never wanted it to be. I am just plain ol' Tammy, the new deacon's wife!