GREEN-EYED MONSTER

After worship service Easter Sunday morning, Steve and the kids and I enjoyed dinner and an afternoon of visiting with the rather numerous Kendall relations. I know, I know....you hear about folks who can barely tolerate their in-laws, much less their extended in-laws, but my husband's family sort of breaks all those stereotypes. They are a truly delightful bunch of folks to be around.

So why the title of today's post and what does that have to do with Kendall Sunday? Well, during the Easter festivities, I got to spend time with two of my three sisters-in-law. My generation of the Kendall women. Let me tell you about these ladies...

My husband's sister is a highly-educated, very articulate, beautiful woman in her late 40's. Even after having given birth to three children, she is very petite, and she almost always has a twinkle in her eyes and a smile on her face. She is unassuming and possesses a quick wit and a propensity for saying kind things to and about others. She is earnest about her faith, lives what she believes, and conversations about the Gospel are as natural for her as breathing. She has worked her entire adult life as a teacher dedicated to nurturing and helping children with learning disabilities. Simply put, an extraordinary woman.

Then there's Little Brother's wife. Wow. Although ten years my senior, this woman looks to be ten years my junior. She is muscular and tan and moves with the grace of an athlete. This sister-in-law always looks fabulous...she is like the prototype for a glamour Barbie. And, her house looks like the feature home from an edition of Southern Living. And she's a gracious hostess, inviting the horde to spend Kendall Sundays in her beautifully landscaped back yard during summer months, providing the rest of us an opportunity to enjoy the sparkling pool and outdoor kitchen/barbeque. And, she's a doting grandmother (although you'd never guess she had grandkids just by looking at her.) And, she's a super savvy businesswoman. And, she's an intrepid traveler and explorer...Sunday, we enjoyed viewing pictures of their latest trip, an expedition to the jungles of Costa Rica. She really should win some kind of an award for Woman of the Year.

(The absent sister-in-law? Well, she lives with Big Brother on the beach in St. Thomas. She's musically talented, a funky, fun woman with spiked, bleached-blonde hair and a voice like a jazz singer. She's a hard-worker, but also knows how to get loose and have a good time.)

Then, there's me. Can you understand why I might feel a little "small" in the company of such women?! Frumpy, soft, introverted, no super-fantastic education, no amazing talent, no exciting adventures. My house...well, let's just say it frequently looks like Bubba is living here. Yes, in the company of the Kendall women, I do indeed have to fight occasional feelings of envy. Why couldn't I have just a smidgen of the finesse and pizazz of these extraordinary ladies?!

But I can't feel envious for long. Because, in addition to being beautiful, intelligent, talented, adventurous, and very sociable, they are also all gracious, kind-hearted, and loving. And that puts even the Green-eyed Monster at bay.