Friends are Family Potluck

The Christmas season is a time of joy and celebration. A time of hopeful waiting and anticipation.  It’s a time to reflect on the greatest gift God gave us- Jesus. And a time to enjoy and be grateful for all of our blessings.

Italian Dinner Theme 

It’s a time of sharing- of coming together around the kitchen table and sharing the gifts He has given us.  Quite a few years ago my friends and I, began a tradition of a “Friends are Family” Christmas potluck.  Each year we rotate host homes and menus.  The host provides the main dish and the rest of the gang brings a dish to accompany it.   

It’s a time of Love- of expressing the greatest commandment through our actions towards one another.  

It’s a time of Friendship- of celebrating one of the most special blessings a person can have- a group of people to cheer, support and love ever so kindly.

It’s a time of hope- of reflecting on the gift of life and the babe that God gave us over two-thousand-years-ago.  This year my best friend is literally celebrating life for she is pregnant with her first baby- what a Christmas blessing!

It’s a time of children-  we began our potlucks as single girls and the additions of husbands and children have made our traditional festivity so much more complete.  Being around children is just such a joy- they make life so much better! And the roots of this holiday, the reason for the season is a baby - Jesus!  

It’s a time of Family- Every year our family grows and though we have our disagreements in the end we are a family who forgives and grows in love.  It's been such a memorable journey traveling with these folks from childhood or high school- we have many years together and our family just gets better with age (smile).

I have so many reasons to be blessed this Christmas.  The people above are just the beginning of my list of gratitude.