weekend recap.

"Life just feels like I'm on the edge of everything changing."  I didn't know when I wrote those words how true they would become this past weekend. 

Friday evening was one of much fun and celebration!  I ran a few errands after work and then headed to my Bible Study's Christmas Party.  It was an Ugly Sweater Party, which I failed to find, even after braving Wal-Mart.  I did bring the pizza, though, so at least we had something to eat!  As we ate the said pizza, we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol.  That movie was definitely a favorite growing up and I hadn't seen it in such a long time.  We paused the movie and got ourselves set up to create gingerbread houses.  I actually don't remember the last time I had done this, so it was pretty fun.  We used graham crackers for simplicity's sake.  (The last time we made houses we baked gingerbread, which only led to frustration because it was weak and misshapen.)  Anyhow, we had quite the array of candies...and the fun began!  It became apparent very quickly who had skills at making gingerbread houses, and who did not...ok, some of us had moderate skills.  Or maybe that was the perfectionist coming out of me.  We spent quite awhile on them, long enough to finish the movie once and watch it again another whole time. 

Our Gingerbread Village

Noah's Waterfront Home, complete with raft

A Mobile Home

An outhouse with solar panels.  We're very green...ha.

Maggie was creative in the fact that she used lots of different candy...and she finished quickly so she could eat candy.

Courtney's was a masterpiece.  That's all I really have to say.

Tad and Alisa joined forces to create this pirate ship.  It not only won the "tallest" award, it has a stockpile on that back roof full of candy..."just in case"  

This is mine.  I decided after the fact that it looks like a barn.

Kevin's structural masterpiece.  The chimney was practically in working condition. I think that was the fun part  for him, because he wanted nothing to do with decorating with candy. 

Here's my Bible Study group for the last year and few months...such wonderful friends! (Minus a few of our newest members that either didn't make it or had already left.)

That was Friday.  Saturday consisted of staying in pajamas all day.  I haven't done that since summer, I think, so it was really quite grand.  I did quite a bit of work or stuff around the house, but I still didn't have to get dressed to go somewhere, and that's what counts.

Sunday, oh, Sunday.  That was the day that things began to change, at least for me.  It started pretty normal.  Woke up earlier than I wanted to in order to get to First Service Sunday School at church.  Those 4 and 5 year old really make me smile.  I see such joy in them that it makes me smile.  I particularly loved this week as we continued to tell the Christmas Story of Jesus' birth to them.  The man telling the story is very animated and engages them in it.  It was one of those strange moments where I looked around and saw pure, childlike faith. So sweet and so refreshing to see and hear the miracle of the Christmas story through them. 

After Sunday School I headed to the main service.  From the moment I walked inside, it was obvious something had happened.  Someone told me it's a good service, but "there's a lot going on."  Hmm.  My mom walked in to sit with me shortly after, then a friend came over to tell us what was happening.  I'm not going to go into details, partially because I don't have them, but mostly because it doesn't really matter.   In a nutshell, our lead pastor gave his letter of resignation on Friday.  He's been at the church for 18 months after more than a year of a pastoral search.  To say that Satan is attacking the Church would be an understatement.  That probably means we are doing something right, but at the same time it's hard.  The high school pastor stepped in to preach and did an excellent job handling the difficult circumstances.  Our God is Sovereign and will not fail us.  That's the promise we are clinging to as the Body and as a church family.

Sunday night we gathered again at church for a time of prayer and praise.  It was a hard time in some ways, but so good to be able to turn the pain into praise.   Only God knows what is next for us.  After that, I went Christmas Caroling with some friends.  It was slightly spur of the moment, so I was totally unprepared for the cold weather.  Thankfully I had gloves in my purse with me.  I had fun, though...I think we all did...and the houses we stopped at were loving it too.

Overall, it was a strange but great weekend.  I think I did more social activities this weekend than all of the past few months combined.  Ok, so maybe not, but it does feel that way a bit.  I guess I need to get out more...