PARTY TIME WITH THE ELDERS

Yesterday we all gathered at the home of our fine "Dinner team" Hostess for our Christmas party. Another time of food, fun and fellowship. As always this time of year her home is filled with Christmas charm. As soon as you walk into her home, you have that warm cozy feeling. Her home went from being a quiet serene place to being filled with talk and loud laughter in a matter of minutes. Even with the hard rains, we were blessed with 19 members being able to get out and join us. As everyone gathered 'round in the living room we played "white elephant" or "cajun Christmas", which ever you prefer to call it.

Here we are drawing numbers...from 1-18. If you never heard of this game there are 18 gifts in the center of the floor. You start with number 1. If you have that number you choose a gift first. When number 2 is called you can either take what No. 1 has or choose a gift from the floor and so on and so forth. When it got to Mr. Ed's number he choose a gift, opened the cookie tin and it was filled with shelled pecans! He was excited...until Mr. Bill took them from him and therefore Mr. Ed had to choose another gift. He wasn't as excited about this gift......Needless to say, Mr. Ed went home with his new "monkey" buddy in tow....As the game went on Mr. Bill lost the pecan's to Mr. Wayne and he in turn lost them to Mrs. Beverly. Mr. Wayne had to open another gift and it was a singing/dancing Rudolph...very cute! Well, he lost it to our Hostess, and in turn our Hostess lost it to Mrs. Jean, who in turn lost it to Mrs. Inez...who went home with him in tow.Mrs. Inez allowed me to hold Rudolph while she and I had our picture made...but she made sure he didn't get far from her!

After we finished playing....Doc and Bev. stood up, paper in hand and began to read from a paper...OH NO I thought, it's about me! They have set me up!! They blindsided me...I thought they loved me. The two of them..with the others being in on this...stood before us and read a poem/song they had written describing me....such as being a ding a ling when I sing....hmmm maybe thats a nice way of asking me to leave the choir...I'll have to give that one some thought... haha. After they "roasted" me they gave me (which I found out later) was suppose to be a booby gift, a pair of pink flamingo's!! It couldn't have happened any better because before any of this started, I was admiring the Christmas village of our Hostess in which there were a flock of pink Flamingo's around a preacher. I told Mrs. Beverly my parents use to call me that alot because I also stood like one, with my right foot on the side of my left knee...now I'm too old and decrepit...maybe even a little bit more lady like, to stand that way..even tho caught off guard and my joints are ok you will still catch me being a flamingo.

Another member stood up, handed to me another gift explaining how much they loved me and wanted me to have something for me...I opened it and to my surprise there was a gift certificate to a dress shop! I was thrilled beyond belief because I never have had a chance to just shop for me! I'm anxious to put this to good use!!

I in turn had printed out the blog (busy, busy,busy) and laminated the pictures I used on my blog, read it as I passed the pictures around. The laughter continued. In closing I gave to them a blanket with Jolly Elders Christmas 06 embroidered on it.... I wanted to get them that just right gift...something special. I'm the type that it has to feel right before giving someone something. When this came to mind, I knew that was it! The day before our gathering the blankets had not come in. The company ran around trying to find them. The head of the company had them overnighted, picked them up himself...drove back to his shop to get them embroidered and to me by 10. He called while I was at our party, I told the group I had a call from Church, had to run but would be right back. (they thought God was calling me from Church now! ha) I was meeting him there to pick them up....They were BEAUTIFUL and I was pleased to receive them on time.

They seemed to be pleased with them and already thinking about how cozy they would be for their naps. To me they signify the warmth I feel when I think of each of them and the beauty they each hold. I pray when they wrapped themselves up they will sense the warm gentle arms of God surrounding them and they will know how much He loves them and how much I love them too.

You most likely can't see her, but our Hostess is in her kitchen preparing a wonderful meal. She asked for prayer/blessing then called us all to begin filling our plates.

Chicken, BBQ brisket, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, gelatin salads, and etc. were lined up in buffet style for us to enjoy. It was EVERY bit as good as it looked! After lunch, dessert was lined up the same way...pound cake, pecan pie, chess pie, slices of apple, and etc. with a flowing chocolate fountain. If you didn't get enough to eat it was our own fault for sure! As always Mrs. DJ did a great job!

The Lord provided for us a rainy, but WONDERFUL day to come together as friends and enjoy His goodness. He has allowed us to bond as a group in such a way.....it seems more like going to visit family now...and really we are....the Family of God!

Have a WONDERFUL day in Christ and allow Him to have a WONDERFUL day in you!