I'll dive into one of the topics I do remember though, as this particular item is something I have the pleasure of seeing every day!
When you get ordained, you get a fancy-schmancy ordination certificate. It's got nice calligraphy, a diocesan seal on it, and maybe a ribbon. They are pretty. And even though it's just a piece of paper, when you spend six years waiting to get ordained, said paper feels pretty good. One of the bonuses of being Episcopalian is that you have two ordinations - diaconate and priestly - and consequently two fancy-schmancy certificates. I've been admiring my friend's certificates for years now - it has been three years since we were all ordained. But I have been unable to admire my own because... well I didn't have it.
Evidently the diocese was in a time of transition right about when I got ordained. The person who had always done the calligraphy for the certificates could no longer do it, and they had yet to find someone new. When they finally did get someone new, my ordinations had long since passed. My certificates were finished, but then, as far as I know, waited in a draw for the Bishop's seal and signature. Then after they had the neccessary seals and signings, they sat in a drawer waiting to be mailed.
Now in fairness to everyone involved, we church folk are pretty busy, and I can see why a certificate would not be high on anyone's priority list. I don't blame the Bishop's secretary for losiong track of them, and I hadn't called myself. But I did wonder about them sporadically. A few months ago I finally remembered to call during business hours to check on them and see if there was any chance they could grace my walls all these years later. In less than a week a tube with the certificates showed up at my office in North Carolina. I admit, I was thrilled to have them.
No sooner had I opened and admired them that I realized they would have to go BACK into the tube until 2011 when I could finally have them framed. Bummer. But I figured, what's a few more months at this point? And that was that. I showed them to my husband so he could see, and then prepared myself to forget about them.
Then I went away for a week in early June to see a friend. And when I returned, Jonathan had a surprise for me: he had made a frame for one of my certificates! I was super excited. The best part of this is that the frame he made is gorgeous - mahogany and cherry (or is it curly maple? shoot... one or the other), and it's custom made for my print, leaving space for the seal and ribbon. It is beautiful. And if I had had a custom frame like that made for me it would have cost us an arm and a leg! Here I was just going to hit one of the sales at Michael's, and still pay a bunch of money! But instead, I have this wonderful custom frame, made with all supplies from our house. We simply took the glass out of an old frame we don't use anymore for the new frame. How cool is that?
Everytime I look at the thing now (and it hangs directly above my desk, so I look at it often) I'm overwhelmed with gratitude towards my thoughtful and talented husband, and towards our little Stand-off, which has now offered me something I never might have had otherwise. Let's hear it for creativity being born out of necessity!
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