Christmas Banquet 2006

Mama PC Well, another year has rolled around and another Christmas program is under our belts...

We've probably done greater than 20 Christmas Musicals together, John and I...

I look a little worse for wear... he always looks great! I think my man gets better lookin' every year!

We've done big huge musicals - with as many as 50 singers...with huge lofts, real live animals, billowing clouds, full-sized manger scenes, dry-ice smoke...to these more recent, much simpler mini-musicals with ensembles...

All I can say is that as we mature and learn to work together, and learn to not sweat the small stuff nor try to do the "other person's job" the work becomes more enjoyable... maybe not as "perfect" or "wowwing" as other productions, but just as effective spiritually for the participants, audience, as well as us...

John used to do things that I now do... and I used to try to do what he does better... we were both frustrated... Now, I do more administration...and he does more of designing and sculpturing what I dream of and produce...

The Lord is perfecting us in love...

Our first Christmas together (before we were married) John and I played "Topper and Ruth" in A Christmas Carol... the Scrooge story done at our church. We spent time together in rehearsal and grew to love each other more as we rehearsed our lines, and waltzed out onto the stage together as a couple... That was in 1980... I wish I had a picture of us back then...

But, now... 26 years later... we are still arm-in-arm and still waltzing through life...rehearsing lines, smiling face to face...working out plans and facing the world together...

Me and My Man

Nannaw and The Gingerbread House

Mama PC

Nannaw is 86 years old and had never built a house out of gingerbread before. Her eyes lit up when we talked about building them...and she seemed to enjoy it more than the younger adults.

When Christmas gets near, I have a game I play with my Nannaw where I'll sneak out at night and put some little trinket or toy on a fence post by her chicken pen....so that, early the next morning, as she comes out to let the chickens out, she'll find it. Once, I put a toy mouse. Another time, a plastic frog.. I haven't done any surprises like that for a while, so I'd better go find something soon... It's fun to hear her reply the next afternoon when we talk...

It's fun to bring excitement into a lonely lady's heart. You should try it sometime!

We never know how much time we have left with our loved ones... Spend as much time enjoying each other as you can... Even a cup of hot cocoa with a widow, or a small box of cookies brings smiles to those who are lonely. Take a little time today to send a note in the mail to someone who's "shut in"... or to email someone that rarely hears from you.... or drive by and drop a surprise gift on their front porch...

Little things are big things to people in need.

HANNAH'S GINGERBREAD CHURCH

Mama PC

Hannah and Meme made the Gingerbread Church. It was the biggest of the houses we made. They put the walls together and started to put the roof on, but then realized that they needed to put people in FIRST or it just wouldn't be right.

So, they put some gingerbread men inside. The preacher kept falling down... being slain in the spirit... They made "pews" out of graham crackers...

Churches... they are not buildings but groups of people... so that, even if there were not a building, there would still be the Church.... we are the Church... we are the Body of Christ.... we are the Bride... fitly joined together.....

Here's Hannah's gingerbread house church...

GINGERBREAD HOUSES

Mama PC

Lindsey's Birthday (24) and Gingerbread

Mama PC

Lindsey and Hannah and Meme have been wanting to make gingerbread houses this year.... so, for Lindsey's bday, we got together and made a few! It took hours of prep time for Meme, but when it was all said and done, we all had a great time. Lindsey's friend Caren came and made the most perfect little house. Brian and Lindsey both made houses...but, Lindsey's beautiful, colorful, entertaining house fell flat with all the weight of the icing and candies... so, she ended up transferring her porch over to Brian's stable house. Hannah and Meme made the church, complete with windows, steeple and manger scene in the front. Janice made a house that would not fall, and Nannaw and I joined together to make the most colorful one. Oh, and Jeremiah and Aubri put together a very nice house, but because they added so many decorations, cookies and candies too quickly, the whole thing fell within minutes... there must be a lesson here...

It's good to have family close-by. None of us had ever made gingerbread houses before... and none of us think we will do it again...

But, at least if one day my grandkids ask me to make them with them, I'll know a bit more about the sacrifice.

Building a house and a home take time, wisdom and Godly endurance. Start with a good foundation, and it won't fall. Make sure the glue that keeps the house together is given enough time to solidify. Add love and it will keep the house secure. Place candies and gumdrops and licorice sticks that will keep the place exciting. Build your house with someone you love and that loves you. Sprinkle with smiles and dust with love and your house will last a lifetime.