Sunnyside Ladies Newsletter ~ December 2007

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

Come they told me, pa rum pum pum pum
A new born King to see, pa rum pum pum pum
Our finest gifts we bring, pa rum pum pum pum
To lay before the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
So to honor Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
When we come.
Little Baby, pa rum pum pum pum
I am a poor boy too, pa rum pum pum pum
I have no gift to bring, pa rum pum pum pum
That's fit to give the King, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Shall I play for you, pa rum pum pum pum,
On my drum?
Mary nodded, pa rum pum pum pum
The ox and lamb kept time, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my drum for Him, pa rum pum pum pum
I played my best for Him, pa rum pum pum pum,
rum pum pum pum, rum pum pum pum,
Then He smiled at me, pa rum pum pum pum
Me and my drum.

Christmas come and gone

Christmas has come and gone once again. And again! this issue brings about the business of the season. After a trip from seeing my father in Calgary, my plans were to have a simple dinner that you would prepare and could serve to the men in your life also. Well! It turned out to be quite a feat to get ready.

The stockings had to be filled, planning what to put inside, decorations all in place, table set, and groceries to be purchased, what to put on the bulletin board, Whew! and then I realized we only had one hour in which to cook, so things had to be simplified some more. Some of the food had to be precooked.

Three thirty, and all was done, not a thing left out, not even the dessert! The evening turned out incredible. Each of the ladies just took up their spoons and knives and worked away at preparing a great meal.

Down to the last minute, the men have arrived and as this was not our regular meeting we did not go thru the usual preliminaries. We did have a moment of worship just before the meal was served. I will set the stage with pictures and You enjoy the rest of the evening. Thank you for coming each one. Thank you for your generosity in Giving to the Smithers Transition House. Four large boxes were overflowing with goodies as well as the thanks they gave when they received the stuff.

Boxes and boxes of stuff were brought in each for the different items to be served like blenders, mixers, pots and pans, bowls, you would think my whole kitchen was moved in! I started with the potatoes as they had to be peeled and ready for someone to cook.

A huge bowl for the fresh Strawberry Salad with greens - parsley, spinache, kale, romaine, celery and walnuts. A spray on balsamic dressing on the side also Hemp/lemon/maple syrup salad dressing too. Florence and Laura on the Salad. Yes! Even the walnuts have to be washed!! Ruth helped with the salad too.

Betty came next and tackled the precooked mixed macaroni salad with colored peppers, onions, olives, and a French dressing.

Becky Santos prepares the Bread Stuffing, Lots of ladies in the small kitchen, we had fun bumping into each other! and also worked hard to get everything ready in one hour. We DID it!.

Jo was one of the first ones to arrive and she stepped right up and put the soup together with the Hazelnut Cream on top. Yum! Looking good already! When you make this soup, make sure you have an extra big soup pot along for the transfer from the blender to the other pot.

And then the dessert, Chocolate Truffles, very sticky stuff to do, but we rolled the little balls into cocoa and coconut. A nice finish to the meal. Someone ate three of them! Charlotte also brought cookies from her bake sale. SHHH I forgot-the cranberries- you know who you are! They were good—Bonnie right!

Main course was prepared by Alma who saved the labels from the Cans of Swiss Steak from Lorna’s store. I think she saved the cans too. They make good bread pans!!! Are you getting hungry again Ladies???

We are just about ready!!! The men are here…………… The table is set with white roses at every place setting. White ribbon for snow and Green Christmas balls for accent and pine branches that Ike cut for the occassion.

With dinner waiting in the background and everyone seated Valerie and Jo combined story and thoughts of the song “The Drummer Boy”, Valerie did sing some of it –pud umm pudum or was it rum a tum tum!! Anyway- You can find the story in Christmas in my Heart.

Prayer and Praises

To keep with tradition we had prayer request and prayer before we settle down to eat. Then the Pastor prayer for the thanksgiving of our meal.

1 Thank you for the great supper and food from His grocery store

2 Remember Harvey in your prayers, and Cori, and Gail’s husband.
3 Remember Rex and Phyllis as Rex has been in and out of hospital
4 And also my father Marvin who has been in hospital also. We have taken him off all medication and are giving him only pain relief now He cannot eat and has gone thru a couple of strokes.
5 Jo and Florence have had surgeries and remember Florence’s broken arm that it will heal quickly
6 Pray for Dolores and the SDA School and traveling mercies for Ike & Valerie and the teacher and others you know about
7 Alma’s brother will come to visit
8 Curt and his new wife and they will keep bible faith
9 Remember our pets – Homer the cat

By the time of this publication holidays will be over and most of us survived the holidays in some form or the other – thank you to both Donnies who worked fixing my water over the holidays

That was our time together, celebrating the Christmas season as Christ the baby was born, grew up, is risen from the grave and just like God's final Banqueting table in heaven, as we sit together here, I pray that we will all be there. Thank you for all coming and helping to clean up. God bless.

The rest of the pictures you can see on line on the Webshot link. Here you can see Bonnie saying good bye. Your stockings are filled with dish soap, sesame crackers and an orange except for the men they got the other half of their stocking!!!. Each one took a rose home plus a CD of the music that was playing with a Martha Stewart calendar craft inside the cassette. Look on the link above also.

A Selah Moment
READ: Psalm 24
He is the King of glory. Selah. —Psalm 24:10
King David proclaimed: “The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory” (Ps. 24:10). The word Selah was later added to the end of this psalm and many others. Some believe it refers to an instrumental interlude because the psalms were often set to music. Biblical scholars also suggest other possible meanings, including “silence,” “pause,” “interruption,” “accentuate,” “exalt,” or “end.”
Reflecting on these words can help us to take a “Selah moment” to pause and worship God during the day.
Be silent and listen to the voice of God (Ps. 46:10).
Pause from a hectic schedule to be refreshed in spirit (Ps. 42:1-2).
Interrupt the day to do a spiritual inventory and be cleansed (Ps. 51:1-10).
Accentuate the joy of God’s provision through thanks-giving (Ps. 65:9-13).
Exalt the name of God for answered prayer in spite of disappointment (Ps. 40:1-3).
End the day by reflecting on the Lord’s faithfulness (Ps. 119:148).
David’s reflection on God included a Selah moment. Following his example will help us worship our God throughout the day. —Dennis Fisher

From your heart give God your praise

For His blessings all your days;

Lift your voice to God above—

God of mercy, God of love. —Hess

No day is complete without worship.

Oh! Glorious Love

VERSE 1
In the darkness Jesus found me
Touch my eyes and made me see
Broke the chains that longed had bound me
Gave me life and liberty

CHORUS
O glorious love that Christ my Lord, divine
That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine
Through all my days and then in heaven above
My soul will silence never
I'll worship Him forever
And praise Him for His glorious love

VERSE 2
Oh amazing truth to ponder
He whom angel host attend
Lord of Heaven thou somewhat wonder
He became the sinners friend

REPEAT CHORUS
O glorious love that Christ my Lord, divine
That made Him stoop to save a soul like mine
Through all my days and then in heaven above
My soul will silence never
love
And praise Him for His glorious love I'll worship Him forever
And praise Him for His glorious love

TAG
And praise Him for His glorious

God's Shepherd--a Christmas Story

The frost of forty winters had etched deep lines into the shepherd's face. Having spent his entire life outdoors on Bethlehem's hills, he was old at forty -- and cold. The hillside where he sat this day was cold, too, and he pulled his mantle close about him to block the wind.
Every so often he would shift position, not out of discomfort so much, but from a sense of unease, anxiety, crowdedness. Instead of hundreds of sheep with whom he felt quite at home, this hillside was flocked with people -- thousands of them -- listening attentively to the Teacher. They could hear him fairly well, except when the wind whisked away his words.
Tobias ben David (pronounced da-VEED) was the shepherd's name, though people called him Toby. His flocks were in good hands this week, cared for by his grown sons, but Toby had left them to listen to Jesus of Nazareth. Today the Teacher was talking about salvation, how God came to save his people from their waywardness and sins, to rescue them and gather them close.
Now Jesus' illustration turned to sheep. Toby felt better. He knew a lot more about sheep than people.
"The good shepherd," Jesus was saying, "lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand who doesn't own the flock runs away when he sees the wolf coming, but not the good shepherd...." One night, years ago, the men Toby had hired to watch the flock with him fled when they saw a mountain lion roaming the hills. But Toby had stayed. Shepherding was his livelihood. He knew the sacrifices that good shepherding required. He knew about defending defenseless lambs. He knew about putting his life on the line for the sheep. That's what good shepherds did.
Jesus continued, "Suppose you have 100 sheep and when night comes one is missing. What do you do? You leave the 99 sheep all safe together and then climb the hills, looking, searching until you find the lost sheep. Then you pick him up, put him on your shoulders, bring him down the hill to the camp, and ask your fellow shepherds to rejoice with you."
"Your heavenly Father is like that," Jesus said. "When you have lost your way, he will rescue you and save you and never give up on you until he finds you -- and you find him."
Toby's heart was racing. He felt a lump in his throat. He understood. Toby had combed the hills for lost sheep, not stopping, not quitting. He knew the joy of discovery, of rescuing the sheep from a thicket, of bringing it back and celebrating with his friends. He had been that kind of shepherd.
But he also knew how it felt to wander off, feeling lost, aimless, trapped. Clueless about where he was and where he was going. Flailing about, struggling to climb out of what seemed like a steep ravine. That's why he came today to hear the Teacher, hoping to regain the faith he had felt as a child, a ten-year-old child.
His mind spun back to the evening of his tenth birthday. Like nearly every night, he was out on the hills with his dad or his uncles, caring for the sheep. The stars were brilliant, dancing in the black sky. But suddenly an overpowering bright light flooded the hillside. A voice boomed out, "Behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people. For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!"
A savior, a rescuer -- shepherds' work. He had often wondered about the boy-child they discovered that night, lying in a manger, just as the angel had said. Toby had knelt down and worshipped the baby who bore the world's destiny upon his tiny shoulders. What had become of him, this baby? By now he must be thirty-something. Had this savior saved anyone yet? Rescued anyone? Could he rescue me from my aimless existence? Toby wondered.
Just then the wind caught Jesus' words and blew them Toby's direction. "I am the Good Shepherd," Jesus was saying, "who lays down his life for the sheep. Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me," he said with warmth and joy full on his face, "for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
I wonder? thought Toby as he felt big tears begin to roll down his cheeks and into his beard. I wonder? thought Toby as joy and the certainty of God's love began to fill his heart until it seemed like he would explode. I wonder? thought Toby, if this Jesus is the little baby I saw that night, the Savior of the world? Yes, thought Toby, he must be. His words found me and, frankly, he sounds just like he's ... God's shepherd.

One more Story

The Doll & A White Rose
I hurried into the local department store to grab some last minute Christmas gifts. I looked at all the people and grumbled to myself. I would be in here forever and I just had so much to do. Christmas was beginning to become such a drag. I kinda wished that I could just sleep through Christmas. But I hurried the best I could through all the people to the toy department. Once again I kind of mumbled to myself at the prices of all these toys. And I wondered if the grandkids would even play with them. I found myself in the doll aisle.
Out of the corner of my eye I saw a little boy, about 5, holding a lovely doll. He kept touching her hair and he held her so gently. I could not seem to help myself. I just kept looking over at the little boy and wondered who the doll was for. I watched him turn to a woman, and he called his aunt by name and said, "Are you sure I don't have enough money?" She replied a bit impatiently,"You know that you don't have enough money for it." The aunt told the little boy not to go anywhere, that she had to go get some other things and would be back in a few minutes. And then she left the aisle.
The boy continued to hold the doll. After a bit I asked the boy who the doll was for. He said, "It is the doll my sister wanted so badly for Christmas. She just knew that Santa would bring it." I told him that maybe Santa was going to bring it. He said, "No, Santa can't go where my sister is...I have to give the doll to my Mamma to take to her."I asked him where his sister was. He looked at me with the saddest eyes and said, "She has gone to be with Jesus. My Daddy says that Mama is going to have to go be with her."My heart nearly stopped beating. Then the boy looked at me again and said, "I told my Daddy to tell Mama not to go yet. I told him to tell her to wait till I got back from the store".
Then he asked me if I wanted to see his picture. I told him I would love to. He pulled out some pictures he had taken at the front of the store. He said "I want my Mamma to take this with her so she don't ever forget me." "I love my Mama so very much and I wish she did not have to leave me. But Daddy says she will need to be with my sister."
I saw that the little boy had lowered his head and had grown so very quiet. While he was not looking, I reached into my purse and pulled out a handful of bills. I asked the little boy, "Shall we count that money one more time?" He grew excited and said, "Yes, I just know it has to be enough". So I slipped my money in with his, and we began to count it. Of course it was plenty for the doll. He softly said, "Thank you, Jesus, for giving me enough money."
Then the boy said "I just asked Jesus to give me enough money to buy this doll, so Mama can take it with her, to give to my sister. And He heard my prayer." "I wanted to ask Him for enough to buy my Mama a white rose, but I didn't ask Him, but He gave me enough to buy the doll and a rose for my Mama. She loves white roses so very, very much".
In a few minutes the aunt came back, and I wheeled my cart away. I could not keep from thinking about the little boy as I finished my shopping in a totally different spirit than when I had started. And I kept remembering a story I had seen in the newspaper several days earlier, about a drunk driver hitting a car and killing a little girl and leaving the Mother in serious condition. The family was deciding on whether to remove the life support. Now surely this little boy did not belong with that story. Two days later, I read in the paper where the family had disconnected the life support and the young woman had died. I could not forget the little boy, and just kept wondering if the two were somehow connected.
Later that day, I could not help myself and I went out and bought some white roses and took them to the funeral home, where the young woman was. And there she was, holding a lovely white rose, the beautiful doll, and the picture of the little boy in the store. I left there in tears, my life changed forever. The love that little boy had for his little sister and his mother was overwhelming.

Sunnyside Ladies Newsletter ~ December 2007

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY

manger

Christmas come and gone

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Drummer Boy

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Transition House 1

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more food

Here are the Cranberries

Florence's Limousine!!!!

decorations up on the windows

men have arrived

table decoration

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Stockings are all hung

with care for each one

God's Shepherd--a Christmas Story

One more Story