This past Tuesday before we all took off for Christmas, we had our annual LPM Christmas party. When I came on staff I kept hearing rumors that LPM knows how to celebrate, and I am here to tell you that every rumor was true. Let it be said, Living Proof Ministries knows how to throw a party, and I say that with much gratefulness in my heart. I told someone the other day that I felt very spoiled, but not in the bratty kind of way, more-so in a I am so thankful for this group of ladies I get to serve alongside kind of way.
We started out the morning hosting our volunteer breakfast at a tea room. Words cannot express how thankful we are for our volunteers and all that they do. I am slowly learning how much time and effort they put in at LPM to serve each and every one of you. To say we couldn’t do it without them would be a vast understatement. So, like anybody else would, we wanted them to know our appreciation. Our taste buds were also very thankful as we were served fruit, a muffin I judged before I even tasted it that ended up being one of the best muffins ever, and the glorious ham and cheese quiche. I’m not sure when I became a quiche lover, but I’m forever smitten now. I’m just going to believe it’s an acquired taste and thank the Lord he’s given me favor with the quiche.
Here is the staff and all of our beautiful volunteers after breakfast. It is amazing we have this picture and that it came out good, because do you know what a chore it is to get 30 people all smiling and not blinking at the same time? All in the name of a picture we will cherish forever. We love you, ladies!
After saying our goodbyes and giving out 30 separate hugs, the rest of us piled into a few cars and spent the middle part of our day at Beth’s house doing our gift exchange while sipping on some delightful hot cocoa. This year we were all instructed to buy a general gift that anybody would like. For me, it was really stressful because I take gift giving really seriously, and oh, the Christmas party pressure! The last thing I wanted to do was screw up my very first LPM Christmas party. And I say that in the most joking way. These ladies are the epitome of graciousness. Anyway, after a while we all drew names out of a cup and that was the person we were to give our gifts to. At that point I got really stressed because my gift was really specific, and what if the person I drew didn’t even have that item?
Fortunately, as He always is, the Lord was really into the details for our gift exchange. For instance, Jenn was wearing a certain set of earrings that particular day and when she received her gift, it was the matching necklace to her earrings. Can you believe that? Do you understand that someone purchased that necklace without knowing they’d draw Jenn’s name? Also, I was gifted a scarf and a costume ring (and by costume I mean big and adorable), which, if you know me at all, you know my scarf collection is quite ridiculous. I may or may not be slightly obsessed with all things scarves. And lest you think Curtis took home a nicely scented candle or something very girly, he took home a power washer from our gift exchange. Perfect if you as me! I purchased an iPhone cover, and when I realized who we drew was who we gave our gift to, I panicked until I realized the person I drew literally got an iPhone last week and needed a fun cover. Details, folks. It was amazing!
To me, it felt very much like Christmas morning with my co-workers.
Then, after we had all the fun we could have there, we piled in the cars once more and went to eat a late lunch at Trio, where we basically had the entire restaurant to ourselves, which I think was due to our later arrival. The food and company were both, as you can imagine, delightful and when we thought we couldn’t eat one more bite, we each ordered a dessert. Some of us tried to share, but then after getting confused and bringing out more than we needed, we each enjoyed our own. We were stuffed and happy!
At that point, we all deemed it nap time, snapped a few pictures, said our goodbyes, hugged for years, hopped in our cars and went our separate ways, after all, at that point it had been almost an entire work day. However, most of us wouldn’t see each other for at least a week and that is forever in LPM time. Once I got back to my car, I sat still for a minute to thank the Lord for all He had done and all that He is to us. Truly, we don’t deserve one iota of His goodness or blessings, but He so willingly and lavishly gives it to us. My heart was so thankful and spoiled by Him and by my sweet co-workers, and I know I’m not the only one that feels that way.
Vangie, Beth and Diane.
Sabrina, Susan and Sherry.
Jenn, Lindsee and Linda.
Melissa, Curtis and Amanda.
Johnnie, Lindsee and Jenn.
KMac, Kimberly and Nancy.
Lindsee, KMac, Kimberly, Nancy and Beth.
Beth, Sabrina, Lindsee, KMac, Kimberly and Nancy.
Merry Christmas from all of us to ALL of you! We hope you know the love of Christ this Christmas and that He fills your home with much joy and peace. He is truly the reason for this season and the greatest gift of all. Blessings!
Merry Christmas to Y’all!! Thank you for all your hard work!
This was such a fun post! Thank you for sharing about such a wonderful day of celebration. You lavished and loved on one another as God lavishes and loves on us. I loved seeing the pictures of the beautiful faces that volunteer and work at LPM. I’m certain the hearts of these people are just as beautiful. Bless each one of you.
Merry Christmas, LPM!
Much love,
Shelly
Christmas Joy to you all!
I’m sitting here listening to Travis’ “Thanks Be To Our God” and rejoicing in God’s unfailing love at work in and through all of you to bless and encourage so many of us.
Thank you for your gift of service in Jesus’ name!
Happy Jesus’ Birthday! Thank you for serving!
So sweet! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
May you all have the merriest of Christmases this year!
Rebecca
Merry Christmas! To you all. Thank you for sharing your party with us. I wish I could have been there. Looks so fun! Enjoy your time off.
Love, your siesta Lawan
Lindsee – can we still order our Siesta Memory Index Card thingy! I can’t find it in the store!! Help!! Thanks!
Thank you for this fun post and thanks to all the staff at LPM for serving us. Loved the pictures!
Have a blessed Christmas!
Merry Christmas y’all!!!!!
Love,
Adrienne
Selina, from Kentucky
Beautiful ladies!!! This blog has been such a blessing to me and I thank God for each of you. Merry Christmas
It sounds like you ladies had a really great time. Loved hearing how perfectly the gift exchange worked out! God continues to amaze me regularly with just how into the details He is! Merry Christmas to all of you and thank you for all that you do! And Merry Christmas to all of you Siestas as well!
P.S. Thank you so much for including all the pictures of the staffers with names. We hear of different LPM staffers from time to time and it is so wonderful putting faces to names!
Merry Christmas LPM team! I am confident the blog community would agree with me that we esteem each and every one of you down to the last volunteer.
Love seeing you all in pictures, but confess I was wondering how married life is treating Vange?!?!
Loved this post! Lindsee you are gifted in expressing yourself in a way that you help us to be “right there” with you all ( or I better start practicing y’all). Thanks for including us in your celebration! Praying a blessed Christmas to all! Julie
That is sooo grand! I loved reading about your day and your first LPM Christmas breakfast, lunch and gift exchange. I also so get about feeling overwhelmed with God’s goodness in planting you in a job/position that you absolutely love! I am the recipient of His goodness in that same manner! I never dread getting up and going to work because it is such a joy and delight for me! After 4 1/2 years I still feel the same giddiness and thankfulness as I did when I started.
Merry Christmas to you, Lindsee, and to all of my dear Siestas! Soooo grateful for a BABY KING who changed my life for all of eternity. Oh come, let us all adore HIM!!!
xoxoxooxox
I hope you all have the wonder-fullest Christmas ever!! 🙂 Thanks so much for all you do for the glory of God!
Thank you Lindsee for a fun filled post! I enjoyed seeing all of the pictures too. Merry Christmas everyone!
Thanks for sharing. May God’s presence flow over all of you in abundance as you celebrate the day our baby Savior came into this world. Thank you for serving us in love so well! Merry Christmas!
Thank-you for a beautiful post! Here was my day Dec 23,2011. It was 4 PM the sun was starting to sink in the southwestern sky. I was busily brushing my little black gelding (horse). It was 38 degrees in ND there was no snow on the ground but it was the day to take the antique sleigh to church. My son and I busily got the harness on him while he nervously tossed his head anxious to do his work. I had my big goose down coat on with a heavy scarf and heavy gloves as I knew the mile ride would be cold. Sassy took off at a smart trot so typical of the Morgan breed. It seemed odd to be riding in the open sleigh and not feel the little snow pellets brush by my face. Instead of hearing sleigh runners crisply cutting through the snow I could hear gravel stones crunch beneath the wheels. It is not often we need to resort to wheels but it is a treat to use them as it means mild weather. The jingling sleigh bells sounded so clear and melodic in the late afternoon air. I thought of my father so many years ago now and how he would pile into a huge sleigh with his big family. They would heat rocks and place them in the sleigh along with lots of straw. Then the kids would bed down under a huge feather tick for the two mile drive to church. They too would dim the church lights and light the candles and sing Silent Night just as we did. I have noticed how words to some of the old hymns stir my heart and often I am moved to tears as I stand next to hubby singing bass and I alto and our son Scott doing tenor my daughter doing saprano. My heart is filled with thanksgiving and I wonder what our heavenly anthem will be some day as we all sing together. The little ones sang Away in a Manger loudly amazing! Thank-you Beth and all of LPM for helping to bring my relationship to Jesus to a much deeper level. Something I am eternally grateful for. The best of all things in the coming year and the most blessed Christmas to you all!Hugs from the heartland, Betty M
Dear Betty, Thanks for sharing. What a treat to hear of the wonders of His love. Merry Christmas.
Karen,
The expereince was priceless! That is one of the neat things about Christmas. First of all His birth and then the awareness of how so many Christians throughout history have celebrated His birth and for a moment in time you can sense you are holding hands with many generations of Jesus lovers as you stand with the creatures at the manger side and listen to His little baby sounds as the hay rustles around him. Thank-you! Love, Betty M
Merry Christmas to you all at Living Proof! God’s blessings for the New Year, too! 🙂
We had the FSNs in the office over yesterday afternoon for dessert and my husband shared that the most important thing about Christmas is, of course, Christ and that He came to reconcile us in relationship with God. Further, Christmas is a time to remember that relationships are so important- rejoicing with you that LPM fully enjoyed theirs! Merry Christmas!
So worth staying up to read this post and see all your smiling faces! Merry Christmas everyone!
Lindsee a marvelous detailed Office Party from you. You don’t miss a thing; just like beloved Beth, so happy for each and every single one at LPM. Quich…have you ever eaten at LaMadlein Restaurant (spelling) has truly awesome quiches. They are addictive. Enjoy your time with your own family because you sure made LPM staff happy being so serving. I appreciate you!!!
Wow, it’s good to see the faces behind the ministry. What must it be like to be the one guy among all those women?
Merry Christmas to all of you at LPM that make so many lives strong in our Lord Jesus. So very grateful for your commitment to serve God in such amazingly fruitful ways. I have truly been blessed by Beth’s teachings and encouraging words. May you all know how much you are appreciated!!
Merry Christmas! You all are certainly blessed. Would love to volunteer and help you all out but Northern Canada is a long ways a way. Thanks for the opportunity to pray for 2 girls going to Passion, I am blessed and honored to do this!
Dear Beth & LPM staff,
Thank you so much for the beautiful gift you have given personally to me. You have brought happy tears to me.
Have the most blessed and merry Christmas ever! I know I will!
Love in Christ
Merry Christmas! We are all truely blessed. I hope you will enjoy this poem as much I I did. With Renee’s permission I am sharing this. It so touched my heart.
The Manger of My Heart
by Renee Swope
This Christmas, Lord come to the manger of my heart,
Fill me with your presence from the very start.
As I prepare for the holidays and gifts to be given,
Remind me of the gift You gave when you sent Your Son from Heaven.
The first Christmas gift-the greatest gift ever,
You came as a baby born in a manger.
Wrapped like the gifts I find under the tree,
Waiting to be opened, to reveal Your love to me.
Restore to me the wonder that came with Jesus’ birth,
when He left the riches of Heaven and wrapped Himself in rags of earth.
Immanuel, God with us, Your presence came that night.
And angels announced, “Into your darkness, God brings His Light.”
“Do not be afraid,” they said, to shepherds in the field
Speak to my heart today, Lord, and help me to yield.
Make me like those shepherd boys, obedient to your call.
Setting distractions and worries aside, to You I surrender them all.
Surround me with Your presence, Lord, I long to hear your voice.
Clear my mind of concerns and all the holiday noise.
Slow me down this Christmas, let me not be in a rush.
In the midst of parties and planning, I want to feel Your hush.
This Christmas, Jesus, come to the manger of my heart.
Invade my soul like Bethlehem, bringing peace to every part.
Dwell within and around me, as I unwrap Your presence each day.
Keep me close to You, Lord. It’s in your wonderful Name I pray.
MERRY CHRISTMAS !
How completely adorable! Thank you, Lindsee, for the LPM “Christmas Card”! I’m a total Christmas card junkee. At this very moment, they are hanging from the shelves at the end of my kitchen island. I considered sending one to you all. But I’m also a recovering teacher’s pet, so my motives came into question. Though it is certainly a stationary faux pas (I looked up the spelling; why commit two in one paragraph), I may send one post Christmas 🙂 I made them this year, so I seriously running out’a steam right about now. I remember Beth saying she told someone she’d been thinkin’ them a card all week! Well, gals, I’ve been thinkin’ you a Christmas card all week!
Sorry (somewhat) to give Absolutely Anyone more work today by having to review and post comments, but many blessings to whomever this falls to. I love you girls and pray for many of you by name. Now I know all your names. Frightened? “Fear Not!”
Merry, merry Christmas!
Our God IS with us!!
Thank you for sharing those great pictures. Merry Christmas all LPM family, may God’s blessings be on you all today and through the year. <3 🙂
Merry Christmas and love to all of you! Thanks for all you do!
Hey Lindsee,
I love it when you post – I feel the need to tell you that I used to scan through comments and check out people’s websites, and the ones I liked, I saved the link and referred back to, and you were one of them before you ended up with LPM 🙂
Hope you have a great Christmas, you are a blessing!!
Love
Hannah
Thanks Lindsee for this lovely update. It’s fun to watch all of you having fun. And, we do appreciate all of you, especially at this wonderful time of year. Praise our Father God for the gift of His powerful and wonderful Son.
Merry Christmas to you all. Sondra
Beautiful Women of LPM ~
What a blessed photo of such a giving,loving,& goofy group of Texas women.
By the way, Ya’ll are lookin more like my neck of the woods ~ Where did the big hair go???
California hair is straight and long!!!
Texas hair is poofy and heaven bound=UP!!!
Ya’ll ( pretty good for a Cali girl) are (as we say)”Awesome and toeeetally hot” 🙂
I love seeing all your bright faces on CHRISTmas Eve.
I took a 10 minute break from cooking to check out the LPM blog. So glad that I did. Touched every part of my heart and soul!!
I LOVE YOU & THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU GIVE TO US!!!! 🙂
What are ya’ll doing for CHRISTmas????
((((((((((((((( HUGS ))))))))))) from Cali Kim !!!!!
Enjoy your new home Beth & Keith ~
Dave and I are enjoying ours.
Melissa, I am getting you red Fingernail polish for New Years!! giggle giggle!!!
Amanda, Give those gorgeous children a smooch on cheek from Auntie Kim. 🙂 Homer sends his greeting too! MEOw
Last Sunday morning in the Young Married Bible Study class I asked a gal to please read the part of the scripture we were studying from. She said “I can’t it is in Japanese”.Another gal said “read it anyway”. We were blessed to hear the Christmas story in both Japanese and English. (we had 6 people in class and spoke 4 languages!)
As I read your blog and remembering this story made me think HOW FUN CHRISTMAS WILL BE IN HEAVEN! Friends and family in faith! Merry Christmas!
What a wonderful time you all had! Merry Christmas to you Momma Beth and to all the staff at LPM! Thank you for all of your hard work for us all year long! God’s blessings on all of you as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! May you each have a happy and prosperous New Year as well! We love you in Shawnee OK!!
Siesta sister-Janie Wood
Lindsee, it is so clear that you were meant to serve with LPM! I just love how God brings together the right people to accomplish his purposes. Have a Merry Christmas.
Thanks Lindsee!!
We are greatful for all of you @LMP volunteers and staff that rock our world for Jesus! Thank you and Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas! I loved reading your post. Thank yu.
Merry Christmas!
Shelli
Only twenty more minutes left to celebrate Christmas! After a late-afternoon nap, I’m wide awake at almost midnight. I spent a wonderful day at my daughter’s house; she’s a great cook (but then she learned from the best, LOL) and we all ate far too much.
What a wonderful office party you had! It made me think of the last one I attended, BD (before downsizing). We had a “gift exchange and stealing”; I got a beautiful Yankee candle that I wanted desperately to keep but someone “stole” it. She just about had to pry my fingers loose. I am all for Christmas parties where one gets to keep their gift!
This morning I read the Christmas story for my devotional. How simple it was compared to our lavish celebrations, and how exquisitely beautiful. Silent night, holy night!
Lindsee, what a wonderful post, thank you- I have been caring for a mother suffering from dementia for the past week and it has “wiped me out” to say the least- she has turned negative and directed at me- OUCH!
Dear friends hosted us for dinner tonight as I returned home- God Bless all of you at LPM, you have provided such a “divine” support for me during the past 14 years ( the most difficult I could ever imagine surviving) Lots of love and blessings to you and yours for the holidays and the new year
Siesta Kathy,
My heart,thoughts and prayers are with you as you care for your mother.
I love the pictures! I sent a copy of the Merry Christmas from LPM picture to the Ladies Bible Study group of which I am a member. We are starting Beth’s James study on January 3rd, and we can’t wait. I know they will be thrilled to get your Merry Christmas pic!
Thanks!
Thank you so much for sharing! Love seeing pictures of you all. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to work there. Aaaahhhhh….seems wonderful! Merry Christmas to you!
I love the last picture, the large group picture, thanks for sharing LPM with all of us, wish the picture was bigger!
Oh, I love seeing the pictures of the ladies I’ve come to know and love. And was all out excited hearing how the Holy Spirit orchestrated the gift giving – I am so glad you shared those details – what fun!!! And the gas lamp lights are beautiful and I love the architecture of the door and window panes.
Oh, my! I was sooo in over my head with having my first Christmas at home and all that I haven’t been on here in forever! I could sort of do twitter and facebook on my iPod while doing other things, but blogging takes a little more concentration! Or at least it does for me! Plus, I actually have to get my laptop out whereas that little iPod is so handy! (How did I ever live without one?!!) Anyway, you all look lovely and Christmas at my house went splendidly! The only thing I realized halfway through preparing the gigantic meal in my tiny trailer house kitchen, was that I didn’t have nice serving plates and things to serve with! It was a minor detail considering all the things that could have gone wrong! So my turkey had to be served in a baking pan, and we had to improvise with spoons and such. My son, believe it or not, helped quite a bit with this as my daughter and I(she helped as my sidekick:) in the kitchen) took showers and got dressed for dinner! He never ceases to amaze me with the number of talents he possesses! We had a great Christmas with minimal sadness over not being able to spend it with grandma. Nobody missed Papa or their cousins, sad as theat is to say. Just my bro, Adam (Uncle Adam) and grandma (my mom). Love you all. See you next month:)
Hey LPM! Your Christmas pics are fantastic! I think ya’ll are precious:)
You have changed my life Beth ! This month marks 3 years since I first met you through breaking free ! I am in James now and Yes ! I am doing all 5 levels ! I have memorized James 1:1-8 so far ! I pray for you sister ! Your love for Jesus and His word is contagious !
We are moving to Austin, from California, in July and you will be there the week after we move into our home in Leander, which is 5 miles from the event center ! I will be there !
I have become a Beth Moore groupie ! In a good way ! I have fallen more and more in love with my Lord and His Word !
Love you eternally ! Gayle