“The very hairs of your head are all numbered.” (Luke 12:7)

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Day 43 of 365.

Meet Mary Jo (Thieme) Sashegyi. Mary Jo is Tom’s sister. He’s the baby of the family and Mary is 3 years his senior. When Tom and I were freshmen at Lafayette Central Catholic High School, she was an upperclassman. That fairly close in age connection made it a little easier for me get to know her. She was still around the house, you see, when we started dating while his oldest sister Jennie was off in college.

Mary Jo celebrated a big milestone birthday last year around this time, and we SO enjoyed that day and getting to know some of her terrific friends a little better. Her birthday was yesterday! So, while I am a day late, I hope she’ll forgive me as I honor her, though a little off schedule. Her life is certainly one worth celebrating to the fullest!

The scripture quote above sort of chose me today, rather than the other way around. You see, I had already decided today would be Mary’s day, and then this little line hopped into my way in a book today and it made me laugh and think of Mary Jo. She’s a really beautiful woman with this big and (occasionally) unwieldly head full of curly hair. So, I was taking the verse LITERALLY in that moment. I have always been a bit jealous of her locks, if truth be told. It would take me several days and only the good Lord knows how much hair product to get the graceful curls she wakes up already having.

The fact is, God already knows and loves a whole lot about Mary– curly hair and all. That quirky little giggle, the soft-spoken voice, and the kind heart she has– the Lord did all that. Mary cleans up like a queen. She’s truly a graceful and stunning woman. However, she’s also annoyingly lovely with her hair all a mess, no makeup, and no primp. She’s the kind of gal who doesn’t have to wear designer anything. The Lord simply drew her from the riches of His imagination and made her a loving, kind and beautiful human.

Mary and I once took a trip to New York City together to visit her brother while he did a college internship with IBM. The three of us laughing uproariously through the streets of the “Big Apple” is still one of my most fond memories. She was up for whatever fun was happening, and it simply cemented in my mind that her (much lower) volume than mine should not be construed as lack of enthusiasm or substance. She’s a good egg.

Mary is the mother of my sparkplug of a nephew Thomas and her very bright, multi-lingual, German/Canadian husband, Andreas. She’s got her hands full with a busy family life. However, she keeps going, trusting in the Lord on her journey. Her faithfulness and kind heart are her enduring qualities. Mary Jo, I want you to know that there is just so much I admire and appreciate about you. I definitely should have said so sooner. Also? I truly hope you had a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Much love!