JOHN DAY — As you are reading this, it is only five days till Christmas. ’Tis the season to be jolly, and remember the reason for this season. The birth of Christ was the most important happening ever.

Monday, Dec. 11, Dave Pasko and Darlene Nodine greeted all of the in-house diners who came by to sign in and put their names in the drawings. Thank you, Darlene and Dave.

Elsie Huskey led the flag salute and did the announcements.

Jeff and Jodi Cyphers, Barb Comber, Father Christie and Rick LaMountain delivered 54 fresh meals and 48 frozen meals into our community, to folks who cannot come dine in person with us. Thanks to all of you for your service to others.

Our servers today were from the St. Elizabeth Catholic Church: Allison McCoster and her three children, Cora, Marshall and Graham. They were a joy as we responded to their acts of kindness as they brought coffee, water, milk and juice to the diners.

The Grant County Jammers played music and sang from 10 a.m. to noon, and what a boost that is to have them with us. They even asked the boys to sing, and they accepted. A couple tunes they did were unknown by many. Laughter was heard all across the front of the room where they were. Thank you, Marshall and Graham, for singing with the group. Several others came in and sat to listen to the great music.

Porcupine pie, Jell-O, three-bean salad, garlic toast and tapioca pudding were on the menu today, and boy, did it get raves. Shay did a great job putting together this unusual meal. Father Christie asked the blessing and sang a song in his native tongue and “Silent Night,” and then everyone headed to the widow in turn to get their lunch. The servers did a great job, too. Cora even asked a few diners if they would like their drinks refilled. She was great and enjoyed by everyone.

Several common announcements were made, and then it was time for drawings. Darlene Nodine won the Chester’s card, and Lonnie Davis won the free meal. Congratulations to both of you.

On Thursday, Dec. 14, Sonie Guttu and Judy Thomas greeted all diners and made sure everyone was signed in and had their names in the drawings. Thanks, Sonie and Judy.

Fifty-seven fresh meals, 41 frozen meals and 27 takeout meals went out of our kitchen early this morning. The drivers of the delivered meals were Jeanette Julsrud, Rayme Lacey and Pati Davis. Thanks to all of you for your service of love.

Our server today was from the Cornerstone Church. Valeda Grant is a natural for getting jobs done. Thank you, Valeda, for your service to our seniors. She was joined by Chris and one other lady who is also Chris. All three were very helpful and took good care of the needs of diners and cleaned up when lunch was done.

A new lady in our midst was Maria, and it was her birthday so we sang “Happy Birthday” to her. She was very pleased but shy as well. It was so cute.

We dined on beef empanadas with cheese sauce, black beans, sweet corn, and birthday cake for dessert. Pati Davis asked the blessing for this meal, and then tables one by one headed to the window to get their food. I had never had an empanada, so it was very interesting. I loved black beans with the sweet corn. Good choices, Shay.

Judy Thomas won the Len’s card today, and Joe Phippen won the free meal. Congratulations to both of you.

We had a board meeting today after lunch and got a lot of things said, done and in the works. The Elks Lodge directors came and shared news of the parking lot we share with them and the property our center is built on. We discussed Christmas and fundraisers and teamwork, as well as getting caught up on news of happenings this last month at our center and maintenance of the building.

It was a good day, and now it is a few hours closer to Christmas. The next time you read this column, Christmas will be over and preparations for the new year will be in the focus.

Tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 21, lunch will be honey mustard glazed ham, potatoes au gratin, spinach artichoke dip with chips, rolls, veggies and raspberry cheesecake. Monday, Dec. 25, will be Christmas dinner at noon put on by the Palmers, just like they used to do. This meal will be no charge. There will be a jar for donations.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

John 3:16 God loved you and me so much that He sent His only son to us; and that happened on Christmas.

MONUMENT — It’s been really cold over here in Monument. It has also been super wet. This is the type of weather where one does not want to go outside, where one wants to eat a hot bowl of soup and nestle themselves on the couch with a very nice, soft and fuzzy blanket. LOL.

That was what I desired to do, anyways. Does that happen often? The answer would be no. I am usually busy doing something, sewing something, cleaning something or doing something outside. One can dream of just being lazy and staying warm inside their house, right?

Well, our greeters at the table were Linda Abraham and yours truly. We checked in all the guests, collected and counted up the donations. Judy Harris led us in the flag salute and made the announcements. Yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal.

Please mark your calendars for Saturday, Dec. 30. This will be the Monument alumni game going on at the Monument School. If you have any questions, please give the school a call.

We had a couple of the girls from the Monument School present with their baked goods for sale. They will continue to come and sell their baked goods on the second Tuesday of every month until their trip to Boston in May. They have some wonderful goods for sale, and they are thankful for all of our support. I picked up a lime cream pie for me and my family. Rusty Baughman beat me to the big pan of chocolate cake. Hmm, next time! Ha.

Our special Christmas lunch was provided compliments of Judith Bustardo of Alder Creek in Spray. Judi generously donated all the cost of the lunches for everyone! We thank her for her wonderful support of our Monument Senior Center and our community. Larry Vote was the winner of the free meal ticket.

Our cooks, Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell, prepared for us a wonderful meal of ham, scalloped potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, and cheesecake for our dessert. It was a very delicious meal, and we are so thankful for our cooks.

Our senior center was quite the place to be for lunch. We really are so blessed to have our center and share in our very wonderful meals. Praise the Lord. We are all very thankful for the Monument Senior Center and community.

I am really losing track of time. I don’t know if there is just too many things going on or if I am just not paying attention. I suppose it could be a little of both.

I have been moving goats around. I am not done, for it is a little bit of a brain-racking kind of thing. I have to remember who gets along with whom, which goat goes with which group. I know, maybe I am making it a little complicated, but those are some of the things my little brain keeps track of. I have to remember who is what goat’s mama, and who is related to whom, and who is not related for future breeding purposes. See? Maybe that is why I lose track of time! LOL.

Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous and give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness.

PRAIRIE CITY — Hope you have all your Christmas cards done. I discovered a whole lot of them that have been accumulating in the Christmas file in the attic. I get lots of cards from various nonprofits (that I don’t support), so I usually don’t have to purchase any. Others have this same situation, so they bring them to various places to give them away. Anyway, the end of the story is that I used up all the free cards this year. Even had to take some of the free ones that someone else had to give away. But it is all done. Now to think on something else …

Oh, yeah. Column! Ginger led the flag salute, and Tom asked the blessing. Jimmy Lunzman was the winner of the free meal. The Christmas Elf gift certificates went to Gwynne Wulfert for Roan’s and Gail Kolb for Bar WB. Thanks again, Elf! Our volunteers for this day included Sharon, Mary, Tonya, Gwynne, Tom, Teresa and Pam.

We were served a tremendous chef’s salad — both in content and volume! Took half home for supper! There was a roll, pears and a cupcake to round out the meal. Thanks to our super-duper cooks, Pam and Pam. Next week will be a traditional Christmas dinner with ham. We also want to acknowledge the donation of a turkey by the Prairie City Assembly of God congregation. Thanks so much! And while we’re in the thanking business, we want to also acknowledge The Ye Olde Thrift Shoppe for their continuing donations from their business operation.

Came in early today to do bookwork for the board meeting next week. Was going great until the printer ran out of paper. That’s what happened last time, and the printer just hates it! Gives out loud bangs and all kinds of error signs pop up and it refuses to print even if you put more paper in! Oh, these modern conveniences! They are great as long as they work right, right?

Tom’s trivia was supposed to have been for next week because it is all about Christmas. But the other trivia person had to be gone this week, so it all got moved up a week. Which works out because by the time you read this, it will only be five days until Christmas. So … you have seen the word Xmas for Christmas. Some have been quite upset that someone removed Christ from Christmas. But actually, it was just a shorthand way of saying the same thing.

The X is a Greek letter representing the sound of kee and written chi. So when you say X-mas, don’t say our English sound for X, but say the Greek sound and it becomes Key-mas. And why do we celebrate on Dec. 25? That used to be the celebration of the Roman god Invictus. Does anyone celebrate that anymore? One other item: Do you know what “Feliz Navidad” means? So when you hear it being sung you can say to yourself: “Holy Night, Christmas Eve.” Anyway, that’s what Google says …

Matt. 2:1,2 … Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked “Where is the One Who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”