Holiday House '09

I love being involved in ministry with other women!  So, when our family moved to Florida almost 3 years ago and began serving with the folks at Northside Baptist Church, I was excited to learn about the Holiday House event that took place every year in November.

The Holiday House is an annual event that the Women's Ministry Team hosts.   Tables are set up and different ladies volunteer to decorate a table.  Usually the tables are decorated in a Christmas theme.  What makes it so unique is that each table is completely different.  Look at the tables from this year:

That last picture is the table where the daughters of some of the women sit a.k.a. "the kids' table".  Although I'm not sure they appreciate it being referred to as that.  You know they are all so grown!  My sweet 11 year old, Cecily, decorated that table.  She takes items provided to her by another lady in our church, Ms Jill, and she puts the table together.  She has done this table for the past three years now and loves doing it.

Getting her picture taken...not so much!

Take a look at the beautiful place settings at each table...

We meet together around these beautifully arranged tables and enjoy a meal of baked ham and a plethora of side dishes and desserts prepared and brought by each lady attending.

These are our kids, oops, young ladies!

 

But not before enjoying some appetizers and punch provided by our Senior Pastor's wife, Mamie...

You have not had punch until you've had Mamie's punch!  She's told some of us the recipe, but we never get it to taste like her's!  I pick on her and tell her she sneaks a secret ingredient into it when none of us are looking or something.  It is so yummy!

And the ham...

was so good!

Now we don't just get together and eat.  The most enjoyable part of the evening is being involved in this...

 

Operation Christmas Child, a ministry of Samaritan's Purse and Franklin Graham.  You have not seen a group of ladies any more excited than the ladies at Northside when the packing begins...

Our young girls even jump right in and seem really happy and excited about packing the boxes, which encourages me so much!

I was able to catch a couple of sets of mamas and daughters packing boxes together, which delighted my heart to no end!!

I am thrilled that at the last count I am aware of we have 111 boxes we will be sending off to children over seas!!!

Heavenly Father,
I praise you for the ministry of Samaritan's Purse and the impact it is making around the world with the gospel of Your Son.  May the 111 children receiving the boxes from Northside Baptist Church be blessed not only with the material gift, but may they be drawn into a saving knowledge of Jesus through this simple expression of love.  Meet their every need and draw them to Yourself.
Counting it all Joy,
Jennifer