My Sister is the Color Purple

For as long as I can remember, my sister has loved the color purple.

She wears purple sweaters, purple lipstick, purple boots. She even had her bridesmaids wear ruffled purple satin gowns in 1992 (a classic look no doubt). Luckily for me, I got to wear the only HOT PINK satin gown as the maid of honor!  Ahhhh… the privileges of sisterhood.

Colors have personality, and when I see purple, I think of Kendra.

A few years ago, well into her thirties, my sister declared that she had an announcement.  We all waited expectantly as she burst out, “Ok, I know you all think I’m a pretty {but not fast} skier.  From now on, I’m going all out!”  Those words did not come out lightly.

It’s what she said.

And it’s what she did.

From the first time she clicked on those skis that year, she went for it.  She pushed herself further than her comfort zone allowed and before we all knew it, she was a downhill rocket.  That’s purple.

A mother of two sons, Kendra and her husband, Eric, felt God nudging them to adopt a little girl.  After countless hours of prayer and process, they flew to Russia to get their daughter.  Every year we celebrate her “gotcha” day with Russian candy and a pinata, and everyday we celebrate that God gave us Olivia.  Now she has organized a family led non-profit called The Jeremiah Project that helps others adopt.  That’s purple.

Every fall, my sister and I host a large party with our families called The Hootenanny.  We spend days preparing gift baskets, decorations, potato sacks, picking apples for the bobbing, and lining up the generators for the crock pots that hold prize winning recipes.  It’s a tradition that reflects every bit of her fun, energy, and heart.  Again… purple.

She is the kind of color that draws a person in.  So full of life.  So beautiful.  So authentically rich in depth and tone.

There is one thing in life you don’t get to choose:  your family.  Mine just happens to be my very best friends – the kind of people who you love so much it hurts.

So on this day of Easter celebration, celebrating the greatest gift of Love’s sacrifice.  I also celebrate and thank God for the gift of my sister born on this day.  How fitting.

Purple is the color of Easter.  

My sister is the color purple.