Princess Party Lots of Fun Despite Freezing Rain

The weather couldn't put the kibosh on the 5th Annual Princess Party. These are the ladies in my small group doing their best Charlie's Angels pose in front of my tree. Gosh everyone was SOOOOOO pretty.

Providence was upon me this day. About a month ago part of the siding on my house blew off and I needed to get it fixed. I was able to schedule that fixing on the day of the Princess party so I had to take the day off. I used it to clean like a mad woman and get everything set up.

Here is the spread. Cheese, crackers, chocolate, spinach dip, fruit and veggies.

This is my buffet table in the kitchen where I made Bride's Punch and we had sparkling cider.

I was bopping around taking pictures of everyone but eventually handed the camera off to one of my friends and she took pictures of me with the different groups of my friends. This is my favorite picture of me - - mainly because I don't look fat in this picture.

So anyway, what is the jist of the Princess Party?

"In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons and daughters through Jesus Christ. In Him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that He lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding." Ephesians 1: 5, 7-8

This is the "theme" verse. God is the King - - the BIG KING, the ALMIGHTY KING and in this verse it says that we have been adopted as his daughters. Well, if we are daughters of The King, what does that make us?

Princesses.

We get dressed up in formal gowns, eat and socialize then we have the 'crowning' ceremony. Everyone selects a gift box or bag along with tiara from under the tree. Every year, I've been able to find some poem or reading that is specific for this event and I read that. Then one by one everyone opens their gift box and pulls out the Bible verse and reads it to the group. (also in the box/bag are some really good chocolates).

The neat thing is, it seems like the verses people get in their boxes always mean something or really touch a cord with them. That in itself is pretty amazing because I randomly select a bunch of verses (more than I need) then randomly put the verses in the boxes and everyone randomly picks a box. The Holy Spirit is pretty awesome. Its kind of like a Biblical fortune cookie. After everyone has read their verse we go around and we share what the verse meant to us. For some people, this is too personal- - you only have to share if you want to.

My verse last year was about finding rest in the Lord - - I have horrible sleep issues so I did cry when I read that verse. This year my verse was Matthew 25:40 "The King will reply, "I'll tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

This year our verses also contained a small verse from a poem - - mine was George Eliot, "Every soul that touches yours - - be it the slightest contact - - gets there from some good."

Last week in Bible study I had talked to the girls in my group about this. How I wondered why God was putting certain people in my life. Guess this was a reminder that there is a reason and its either that I am to get some good from them or they from me - - and whatever I do for anyone I meet - - however I treat someone or act - - I should do it as if doing it for the Lord.

Above, my friend K, who had been the leader of the first Bible study I had ever been a part of, with the ladies in her current small group. Five years ago, these ladies were in High School, now they are in college -- I feel so old!

And I just saw on facebook that the other ladies that had been part of our first small group, had their own Princess Party. They formed a "Young Married Women's" group - - so they all wore their wedding dresses to the party. How cool is that? One of the girls commented that her husband thought they were crazy - - but she figured they all spent a lot of money on their dresses so why not wear them again. I think that is so awesome!

I had to include a shot of Ranger. Silly boy. He looks really annoyed, doesn't he? He realized I was having people over so he was positioning himself to sneak out the door should someone take a little too long to come inside. He realizes I'm on to his little plan. But who knows, maybe he is annoyed because I tried to put a girlie tiara on his head for a picture.