Friday Foto Friends~Christmas Fellowships

 Happy Friday the 13th!  Not that it means anything to me...it's just the date today! I am expecting only GOOD things to happen today...planning to get out early this morning and go "shop 'til I drop".  I tried going with hubby the other day, and he wanted to come home by 10:00 am, so that didn't work very well. Today it will be just me, myself, and I, and hopefully the three of us will be able to get the job done!  I know all of you who do all of your shopping months early or online are chuckling at me and my inefficient manner of doing things, but hey, it works for me! I've tried all the other methods, and still it just seems that I work better under pressure, even if it does cause me to have meltdowns in aisle 4 of the store! LOL.  It wouldn't be Christmas if I didn't have a meltdown or two in the process of shopping, wrapping, and all the other "fun" stuff that has to get done!  So I will be putting on my "running shoes" this morning and heading out as soon as I've had my tea, breakfast and finished all my other morning "duties"...like trying to write this post!

It's been a busy week already...Wednesday was our church "Women in Faith" annual Christmas luncheon/party.  Do you want to see the pictures? Sure you do...so here are the collages I put together of everyone at the party. We had a larger group than normal this year, with one table filled with our "sisters" from the Florahome church...which is the same church where we went last night for the Caroling and Candlelight service...but more about that in a minute! First things first:

Can you find me in the group?

Our youngest new member of the group slept through most of the laughter...

I'm the one wearing the shirt with the pink flamingos and palm trees with Christmas lights on them. Yeah, that would be me. Here's a close up in case you missed it:

And here's all the fun stuff: gifts and lots of food and desserts and ladies laughing and talking and having a wonderful time of fellowship! That's what Christmas parties are all about...

Plus, we always have a special tradition of having a birthday cake for  Jesus, and we sing Happy Birthday to Jesus.  

And one of the ladies from our sister church also led us in a special devotion about the birth of Jesus. It was a wonderful time, filled with joy and many blessings and fun!

Then last night we braved the cold (it was in the 40's) to go to our sister church in Florahome for that wonderful Christmas Caroling and Candlelight service.

Here's the church:

And this is the outdoor nativity scene, where we would gather after the service with our candles and sing Silent Night:

These pictures were taken inside their beautiful little church, which was filled to capacity with people from our church, their church, and another "sister" church from Palatka. This is an annual event, and our choirs sing a few songs and there was an mini-organ concert by a very excellent organist, and even a miracle happened, when the other church choir could not get their accompaniment CD to play correctly in the sound system...it looked like they would have to either sing their songs a capella, or pick a hymn to sing out of the song book.  Suddenly a man unknown to them or us stepped out of the congregation and offered to play their music for them on the piano! He had NEVER seen this music before, and it wasn't just some simple music that would be familiar. He sat down at the piano and accompanied them as if he had been practicing with them all along! It really was a miracle! I love it when God shows us that He is present and there for us even in the special things like being able to provide music for a choir in need of some assistance! What a blessing that was for all of us!  The man was a guest from out of town, with a God-given talent that he was willing to use on the spot so that the people would be blessed. I wish I had taken his picture! 

After the service we bundled back up and went outside for this candlelight time of singing Silent Night together.   It was very special to see everyone gathered together, holding their battery-operated little candles that were provided instead of real candles that always would blow out before...great idea!, but the best part was hearing everyone singing together in harmony and full of the beauty of that moment, remembering the night that our Savior was born!

It really was a special moment.

Then we went inside to their newly remodeled Fellowship Hall and had some delicious refreshments. I forgot to take any pictures of that as I was too busy eating and enjoying the sweet fellowship of friends.  It was a beautiful night.

Well, folks, I need to get a move on if I am going to go shopping this morning. Remember to keep Jesus in your hearts and minds as you go about your Christmas duties. He truly IS the Reason for this season!

1 O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,

O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem!

Come, and behold Him, born the King of angels!

Refrain:

O come, let us adore Him;

O come, let us adore Him;

O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

2 God of God, Light of Light,

lo, He abhors not the virgin's womb;

very God, begotten not created; [Refrain]

3 Sing, choirs of angels; sing in exultation;

sing, all ye citizens of heav'n above!

Glory to God, all glory in the highest![Refrain]

4 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning;

Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv'n!

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing! [Refrain]