Laughter and fun

Today was our women's ministries luncheon. We had a blast! Last year the ladies kidnapped me and took me to lunch with them. We had just moved from Florida and had only been here in IL for 3 days but here I was climbing into a van as snowflurries whirled around my head and I was freezing because I had no coat! This year was much different. Oh, I was still climbing into a van, literally, my poor knee was screaming the whole time. But as I looked up into the van that had 12 other women waiting for me I realized, "Wow, It's been a year!" Someone who had gone last year made that same comment as I was thinking it. Or at least a comment close to it.

So off we went 13 ladies, me sitting in the middle of the van able to hear and try to be part of the conversations going on in the back and in the front. The funny thing being a pastor's wife is that the women often times get real quiet when talking about the previous pastor or if they plan to attend another churches Christmas programs. I did my best to reassure them that Sean and I support what other churches are doing and that they should not be afraid to say they plan to attend another church for this program or whatever. We know they are faithful to our church and more importantly faithful to God.
So off we went, driving east towards KY. Yes, these ladies drive 1 1/2 hrs away for food. But boy is the fellowship fun. I brought along a Christmas song game, "Thanks Mom- It was hit!" We laughed and they were really good at getting me to slip and give them the answers! All well we still had fun.

Our destination was Patty's Settlement in Grand Rivers, KY.

http://www.pattis-settlement.com/main.htm .

Each room is decorated in a different theme for Christmas. Beautiful!!!! I mean out of this world beautiful! I mean better than Disney at Christmas beautiful. Did I say it is beautiful?? Even better it is owned by a Christian family so there are lots of rooms centered around Christ! Plus the fun candy room, the Christmas fairy room and the Santa room. They have out of this world food and to die for desserts! They have this lemon merange pie (or lime, chocolate or cococut) and the merange stands 6 - 8 inches high! I am not kidding! You know the old Wendy's commerial, "Where's the Beef?" well with this pie you can say, "where's the custard?"

One of the women wanted to cut part of the topping off the pie and as she did it landed in her lap. Well if that wasn't funny enough, she then went to pick it up and it landed in/on her daughters purse! Oh we laughed so hard!!! We really had a good time talking and laughing at and with each other. As I sat with the ladies around this large oval shaped table I began to realize just how many of the m were related, whether by marriage or directly (mom/daughter, sisters, cousins) and I realized how much I wished my Mom or Sister could have been with us. Last year I felt like an outsider, I knew no one, had no idea what they expected of me as the PW and I was so full of emotions just from moving, the holiday season and honestly just plain tired. This year to be honest I still felt like an outsider. These women have either known each other all their lives, grown up together, went to school together or are family. Here I am the PW and I still don't feel like I click with these women as much as I wish I did. I am sure as time goes on that will change....or so I hope. Small towns like ours are tight knit and the women in those small town churches are even tighter. I do my best to be honest, open and giving. Maybe too much but that is who I am.
All in all we had a great time and everyone said they wished we had more time. The plan is to go out and do this more this coming year. I think the more we do it the more I might fit in...and if I don't that's ok too.