JOHN DAY — No column this week.

MONUMENT — Well, the end of the year 2024 is very near! Oy veh! Everyone, including myself, has decided that time is accelerating. I really believe it. In the past, days sometimes seemed to drag on forever, but now, I wake up and start the day and before I know it, it is night and time for bed already. I don’t believe it is a sign of old age though. LOL.

Our greeters at the table were Bob Cockrell and Sue Cavender. They checked in all the guests, collected and counted up the money. Jan Ensign filled out the paperwork. Bob led us in the flag salute and yours truly prayed the blessing over the meal. There were two Christmas raffle giveaway gifts, and the winners were Bob Cox and Craig Ensign.

Our cooks, Terry Cade and Carrie Jewell, made us ham and scalloped potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, and Grinch cake for our dessert. We were all thankful for our cooks, our facility, our community and our meal. How blessed we are here in Monument!

We want to thank Brian and Kathy Woodell for donating an elk for next year’s Buckaroo. We also thank everyone who showed up to help cut it up the previous week. Brian and Kathy also donated new tires for the food bank truck, which was in dire need of new tires. We are grateful and thankful to them for their generous support of our community. This is part of the reason why my family and I love living out here, people helping people and being an integral part of the community. God is so good!

Julie Erickson made announcements concerning the upcoming EMT Christmas Bazaar at the Monument Senior/Community Center. There will be over 20 vendors and lunch of chili and corn muffins served for $7. We hope many people will participate and help to support our EMTs.

We had some snow for a few days. It is all gone now and melted, but we had enough to even have a snowball fight. I went into one of the goat pens and did not know that underneath the 2 inches of snow was a complete sheet of ice. I slipped and fell — three times, I might add. I think I need to change out my boots to my Sorel winter boots. I had moved the baby goats out of that pen to the other one while the mamas were getting bred. Since they were not in there to trample the ice and break it up, it was a solid sheet. I am just thankful that I did not get hurt.

As I reflect back on this year, I am just certain of one thing. Jesus is my Rock. He is my Salvation, as the Scriptures say. He took care of me and my family and my community of Monument, and our neighboring towns that also went through the fires. It says in Psalms 34:8, blessed is the man who trusts in Him. I pray that all of us put our trust and hope in Jesus because He truly is faithful and good all the time. Jesus is the reason for the season, and nothing else matters in this world. Blessings to everyone!

Colossians 1:12-14 Giving thanks unto the Father, Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son. In Whom we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

PRAIRIE CITY — Boy, was the ol’ Hall jumpin’ today! Christy Winegar and helpers walked the Prairie City Elementary School first graders over to have Christmas dinner with us. We can all be very proud of this class. They sold $1,000 worth of raffle tickets on a load of gravel and gave away every last cent to various organizations in Grant County. They not only paid for the meals for our in- house diners, but added to that for a very generous donation. Thank you so much!

Before dinner, they led us in the flag salute and then sang “Keep Your Eyes on the Grand Old Flag.” Another blessing was the donation of a lovely Christmas wreath to be given away at our dinner. And the winner was Colin Kolb.

Tom had put a few hidden pictures in the artwork on the white board representing the 12 days of Christmas. He then asked if the kids could find them. They did real good! Then he asked what would be the total of gifts from those 12 days. Would you believe 364?! That’s really true love, right? Then he asked the blessing on our meal.

Our volunteers today included Janna in the kitchen, Carla, Mary, Sharon and Gwynne delivering, and Tom, Teresa, Natalie, Verity and Uriah helping in the dining room. Thanks to you all for all your good help.

We ended up with 89 meals in-house and delivered. And what was the meal? Ham, scalloped potatoes, green bean casserole, yams, deviled eggs, fruit salad, Jell-O, and pumpkin pie. There were some pickles and olives, too, and topping for your dessert. I didn’t get hungry again until 7 p.m.!

But our day wasn’t over! Andi and Kim from the Bank of Eastern Oregon came to warn about the scams that are going on (or ongoing) to separate you from your money. Our senior programs manager was even contacted by a scammer just this morning! So be careful. Know who you are talking to.

We will not be having another meal at the center until Jan. 8, 2025. You have been informed. Why? Because Christmas and New Year’s Day fall on a Wednesday and they are federal holidays. I got to wondering how often that happens. Every seven or eight years? But we usually take a year-end break to give our fabulous cooks a vacation.

A friend is spending the holidays in the San Diego area. It’s 80 degrees and blue skies. She encountered another traveler who said he was cold. She asked where he was from. “Hawaii.” O-kay …

I have worked my way through most of the Christmas CDs and movies. Still have a bunch of LPs to listen to. Only a week to get it done …

Luke 2:10, 11 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today … a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the LORD.”