To Just Be or Not to Just Be??

One of the biggest highlights of my year is the Just Be BBQ! It was going to be a one time thing and everyone kept pushing me to do it again so the following year we did the Second Iteration of the Just Be BBQ. At the end of that one we already decided we had to have a Just Be 3! And so we did!

But weather didn't get it's invitation I guess, because the days leading up to it were absolutely beautiful, and the days after it was scheduled (and was) absolutely beautiful! But the day I scheduled Just Be 3, weather reports showed the worst rain showers imaginable! OF ALL DAYS!

I got really upset. I kept trying to be positive but it was already a stressful weekend as I had just returned from Georgia, had to handle things at the school, Mike Lee Kanarek came to TMAFC, I was soooooo bummed about what the weather was going to be. I had no contingency plan, and there was no way to reschedule it as there was so much going on for everybody. I kept thinking of plan Bs. Maybe a park? Maybe I should find an empty church basement? Maybe my parent's house? I was at a loss.

I wanted to cry like a five year old. I don't like not being able to come up with solutions. I even looked up how much to rent party tents, and there was no way my wallet was going to manage that. So my dear friend Master Kathy happened to call me while she was in Reno. She already had a huge weekend ahead of her, yet she took the time to call me to see if I had come up with any solutions! God bless her. She reminded me "There is not one pretentious person who goes to this event! The purpose is to be together and everyone loves everybody so it'll all be good!"

Well those must have been just the words I needed to hear. So I got off my couch and MOVED toward a solution. I drove to the Walmart near my house in this God forsaken downpour and walked over to the "summer" section and found this canopy tent that was ten feet by ten feet! I went to the backyard of Ara's house in the rain to set it up to see how it would look. When Heather found out what I was doing she redirected her car to me to help and then Ara saw me and came outside to help.

The tent I tried the night before.

As we got it up the rain began to let up as I got more excited about how it would work. I looked at Ara and said "Well? I think this could work!" So I went and got three more!!! I set it up, and I decided I was going to do it anyway! No cancelling, rain or shine! What made me more motivated was that I kept getting phone calls, texts, and messages from people saying "What should we bring?" and "What time is it again?" and reassurances "We are coming no matter what!" That really warmed my heart.

I thought whoever comes will come, and in the end, majority of them were able to come. I was so happy, and we had a great time. If only everyone knew the running around and figuring out a solution with such a vengeance the night before. I am glad that we all chose to JUST BE. It was a good choice! (BOWS)

Yours in service,
MASTER A TRENTO