Josephine and her jacket of many colors
Where? A classroom on the campus of Lake Yale Baptist Conference Center in Leesburg, Florida
When? Mid-October 2023
What? Florida Christian Writers Conference (FCWC)
Who? Aspiring and/or rookie KidLit authors
9:57 a.m. Our ten-minute class break is almost over.
Maggie is seated next to me. She’s doing something on her laptop. Not wanting to startle her, I gently touch Maggie’s arm. Her smile says: Go ahead. I’m listening. Pointing to our classmate who is seated directly in front of me, I whisper, “Would you look at that gorgeous jacket! Where in all the world do suppose that Josephine got it?”
”It is pretty,” Maggie agrees. “Josephine is your friend.?” Maggie asks.
”No, no, no. I’ve never met her. But when we have our next break, I’m going to see if she would like to join us for lunch,” I reply.
”If you have not met her, then, how do you know that her name is Josephine?” Maggie quizzes me.
”I have no clue what her name is. Josephine is the nickname that I have given her. Look at what she’s wearing. Don’t you get it? Josephine and her jacket of many colors!" I reply.
Maggie softly chuckles, and we both return our attention to the instructor, Michelle, as she begins a new class session.
Well, she accepts my invitation for lunch—where I learn that her
real name is Donna. And within only a matter of minutes, I realize that much like Joseph in the Old Testament, Donna is a mature, obedient believer—a woman of strong faith.
After lunch, I share a concise retelling of how she earned her nickname. Thankfully, she recognizes (and appreciates) my wacky sense of humor.
It’s quite interesting how a complete stranger can become a beloved and trusted friend in such a short period of time. I believe that this can only be a “God thing.”
Yes, she is Donna—but only when we must be serious. In our lighter moments, her nickname prevails.
Josephine has a nice “ring” to it. Don’t you think?
This past week, I received an exciting message from Donna confirming that she will be at the FCWC conference again this year. YIPPEE! I can’t wait to see Donna/Josephine. We have lots of “catching up” to do.
Here’s hoping that she wears her jacket of many colors!