'Twas the Night Before Christmas Eve

Today was very busy, with giving out gifts, hunting down people to which to give gifts, and trying to accomodate requests for gifts that we didn't know were coming. The last shipment of gifts arrived tonight at 7:30, so tomorrow I'll be calling people trying to get them to come get their gifts. This last shipment from James Island Christian Church is packed with some awesome gifts. I guess if there are any leftovers, I'll have to take care of them myself!! Two thousand people packed the Coast roads to visit the newly reopened Imperial Palace Casino yesterday. The owner said, "You would be hard pressed to find a slot machine." The Mayor of Biloxi blindly thinks that people just want the economy to come back. With all due respect, people who have a pocketfull of insurance and FEMA money have decided to invest it in a loser's game. With nothing left to lose, I'm afraid that the addictive spirit of gambling will take a new hold on South Mississippi. Perhaps we need to get Gambler's Anonymous started at our place ASAP. Tex can help me with that. I think he's coming back next week. (By the way, keep Tex Nolan's wife in your prayers, as she had a surgery on her hand that is giving her some difficulty.) Wednesday I told about Bill and Christine, and Lucas who wrote to them from Iowa. Wednesday we took them an oven, and that Christine got to baking right away. Today we took them a washing machine. In return David and I came home with a fresh coconut cake - one each!. Talk about good! I think that oven is going to get some good use! Please pray for Richie. He is the grown son of one of our members. Cancer had spread to the liver, and they were unable to remove all of it. Treatment will likely follow a Christmas spent in the hospital. God bless all of the Carpenter family. On a personal note, my family is mostly feeling better, except for Maggy - who spent the day in bed. This terrible virus caused us to miss a wonderful dinner at a friend's home. Ah well. Also John Robert and I put together a futon that was given to us by a wonderful friend. This will be JR's bed, and it looks great. Thanks Bill! Also, some decking was laid in my kitchen today to prepare the way for ceramic tile. That'll come after the first of the year, I expect. I'm guessing people are much too busy to read this blog, but I'll post anyway. Maybe some faithful reader will stop by and leave a comment. Did I mention that I love comments? Have a wonderful Christmas eve, which begins in about 15 minutes. Below: Christine, David, Bill. Christine has been cooking cakes ever since we gave her a new stove. Good ones, too! Sorry for the blurry picture!