June 9 GIR Ladies Brunch

Tuesday Morning:  Every spring/summer, Mary hosts a brunch at her house and invites all of the ladies from GIR. I went for the first time last year, after just joining the class a few weeks prior. It was a good time to get acquainted with these women as well as to re-connect with some old friends.

This morning was the Ladies Brunch, so I picked Beverly up and we went! Mary and her husband live on Lake Bella Vista. It was raining this morning, so we did not get to have a ride on their pontoon boat--but I don't think we all could have fit on it together anyway.

Mary is a really wonderful chef who LOVES to cook and entertain. She is not at all pretentious or proud. She does not set herself up as "better than" anyone. She's just a really fun person, who would never guess in a million years is 78. I would have guessed in her early 60's maybe.

From L to R: Sue, Cheryl, Birgit, Ruth, Debbie, Pam, Christa, ??, and Betty.

Cheryl is a second grade teacher in the Kentwood School system. I love her. We have been friends for many years, and it is because of her invitation to join this class that I am now part of it. Birgit goes WAY back, probably 30+ years to other groups at Calvary. I have only recently become acquainted with Ruth and Debbie. Pam goes back quite a ways too--she was originally in one of the small groups at Women's Bible Study. I don't know Christa very well yet, or the ??mark woman sitting next to her; however, I've known Betty for many years.

Mary baked 4 kinds of delicious muffins: lemon, chocolate chip, banana, and I forget the other one. Plus, she had two kinds of quiche', which were delicious, and a bunch of other good food.

From L to R: Mary (our hostess), Lynda, Marilyn, Paula, & Arlene.

See Mary? She is the first named person on the L in the picture above. She plays the piano beautifully. She is warm and welcoming, very fun to be with, and just a genuinely nice person. I feel like I have known her much longer than I have! Lynda has been in my Monday Night Bible study small group for about two years now. She is a very interesting lady with lots and lots of challenging situations in her life. Next to Lynda is Marilyn, who I do not know at all. The same is true of Paula, who came with Marlene this morning. Marlene used to be a full-time missionary to the people of Pau Pau, New Guinea. She teaches music and still travels 2x per year back to the same place she lived over there to bring "free" instruments and teach small children about the joy of music. Evidently Paula, worked with Marlene for 14 years in Pau Pau, New Guinea. Anyone who has ever "served" in Pau Pau, New Guinea is fascinating to me because I've read "Peace Child", "Lords of the Earth", and "Eternity in Their Hearts", all by Don Richardson who was also a missionary to the tribes in this area. He tells some beautiful and amazing stories of really scary people who believed in actual treachery and betrayal in order to trick other tribes into massacre, etc.

Anyway, once we finished eating, we played a few games. Mary loves games, and she gives PRIZES too. The first game was 25 questions regarding ladies in the Bible. I missed two answers, but won the game! The other question game was on WWII, and I wasn't even close to winning that one: 8 out of 15 correct. Yikes.

We also sang some praise to the Lord and had a time of prayer for each other. It was a super nice time.

This is the view of Lake Bella Vista from the back deck of Mary's house. What a peaceful and beautiful place.

I should make Mary a card to thank her for such a nice time! Perhaps I will go and do that right now!