As I was out taking pictures today, it looks cool with the clouds, but it was warm and balmy.
A hawk soared overhead.
Liked this picture of the palm trees and the clouds with the sun trying to peek through.
Here comes Carolyn and Sadie!
Click. Then I got in the cart and rode with them.
Such a cute little face.
Got to go get ready for the Candlelight Service.
Around the “Q”…. 
Around the park….
Merry Christmas
from
The Baker’s
creative daughters!!
Received from Stephanie today… this bag she embellished and…
this word art block she made.
Don got a new blue pin stripe dress shirt. Button down collar. I love him in button down collar shirts. Well, I love him…. period. I’ll stop there.
Thanks, Stephanie, Rick and kiddos!
General Director Dennis and Sally Maloney.
Salvador, our waiter. I have a crush on him.
After the meal, I was in charge of ice-breaking and passing out the gifts. Everyone brought one gift for a man and one gift for a lady… $10 limit. The icebreaker I used was “Truth or Lie.” I started it by stating that I was a car sales-person and I snorkeled, years ago, in Hawaii. I picked Linda and she guess that I snorkeled. You should have seen Don almost “bust a gut” trying to keep a straight face. I can’t even swim!! But guess I’m a pretty good liar, because Linda didn’t guess the truth… I was a car sales-person, two different times in my life. Preachers wife; good liar. Hmmm. That may need some attention. (wink.wink) Now it was Linda’s turn to tell a truth and a lie about herself and pick someone and then she got to pick a gift. You get the idea now how we got the gifts distributed. It was a lot of fun and everyone had a good time.
Next, six chaplains tag-team preached from Romans 
MERRY CHRISTMAS
FROM ALL OF US AT
CHRISTIAN RESORT MINISTRIES, INTERNATIONAL!!
Dave Sauter stopped by this morning to show us the basswood he had just gotten out of his utility trailer, which he brought full of basswood from home (Wisconsin). Basswood is used in the woodshop for carving. I know. You’re asking where is the wood? It’s behind the door.
On our way over to visit Pat, a lady who has injured her back, we walked past the veggie man and his mobile veggie stand. Just like clock-work, he’s here every Tuesday morning.
This afternoon, I had Chorus practice. Nancy makes it so fun! I’m convinced that organized singing should be prescribed for anyone who is depressed. I’m not depressed, but just not really at my best, but after Chorus practice, I feel so much better. Maybe it’s not just the singing, but maybe it’s partly the director… I’m sure that’s it. Nancy is the best!
I was very upset that I missed the eclipse of the moon last night… forgot about it, then I learned from a friend here that she went out in her nightgown to see the eclipse and it was too cloudy to see it. I regret it for her, but I’m glad I didn’t miss it.
Temperature is in the mid 80’s today with a very tropical breeze…. four days until Christmas. Jingle bells, jingle bells?
Speaking of jingle bells, here’s what our granddaughter, Emma did at school today…
Have you ever received a Christmas card from a park you stayed in sometime during that year? We received our first from Angel Camp RV Park in Powderly, Texas. Impressive outreach, IMO, thanking us for staying with them.
Also in today’s mail were hand-drawn Christmas cards and precious letters from our kids at the Children’s Haven in Reynosa, Madely and Ricardo. They aren’t siblings, but aren’t they sweet looking. What a blessing to be a part of helping these children grow up to know Jesus and be positive contributors to their world.
This picture does not do this bougainvillea justice. It’s very red in reality.
It’s MMM (Monday morning meeting) time. Don gets to open this meeting with prayer every week. Again, we are thrilled that prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and the national athems are still important in this park.
I just can’t seem to find words…
Immediately following MMM was the Village Chapel board meeting. The board meets once a month. Treasurer Delores (2nd from right) reported that the offering for the local Food Bank, collected Sunday during church, was over $2,700.00, the largest ever for this park. Way to go, Village Chapel attendees! Praise the Lord!
I know you won’t believe it (that I was up that early), but this is a picture of the eastern horizon just before dawn this morning. Really not all that early… 7:00ish is when the sun comes up here.
Our choir director, Jane, is 80 but there is no moss growing under her feet.
Sisters Lyla and Carol and a friend, Shirley, sang “O Holy Night” this morning in church. It was just beautiful. From where I was sitting in the choir, I couldn’t get a good picture of Shirley.
The message this morning was “The True Meaning of Christmas” and it was so good.
After church, we went to Irma’s Sweet Shoppe with Lyla and Monte for brunch. What a quaint little store. When your order is ready they yell out your number and you yell back or raise your hand with your order ticket number. Then a waitress or waiter walks out and yells, “Coffee! Who needs coffee?”
This is Marie. She’s not asleep, just closed her eyes when I snapped. Marie is 93 today!!! She’s here with her daughter, Jan, and son-in-law, Warren. We all sang “Happy Birthday” to her and then….
twp waitresses came over and instructed the whole place to sing “Happy Birthday” to Marie and they brought her pastries made in the shoppe. After that, everyone that walked by as they were leaving stopped and loved on Marie and wished her happy birthday again. Even Irma the owner came out, but I didn’t get a picture of her.
Lyla and Monte. They are such an encouragement to us. This morning, before church service, Monte prayed with Don and told him he would make this a regular habit each Sunday morning. Thank you, Monte!
Roger and Warren (laughing).
This afternoon, we rested and watched football. Jane came by for a few minutes to visit. I love how comfortable she feels with us to just drop by and chat. Love this spunky little lady. We laughed when she told us about how hard hearing her Gerald is… when she pillow talks to him, they can hear her six doors down! She’s such a hoot.
