Scones, Stones and Stuff   Thank you for making this first time event a huge sucess! GRACE PRESBTERIAN WOMEN HONOR THREE WOMEN WITH PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN HONORARY LIFE MEMBER PINS On November 13th, while our Grace Family members were enjoying our version of a Thanksgiving dinner gathering – with turkey, ham and all the trimmings including a table laden with all calorie free???? desserts (We have such wonderful cooks in our congregation!!!!); we proceeded to honor three Women of Grace. I’m so glad our church name is Grace Presbyterian because it sounds so great to say Women of Grace! The honor being given was the Presbyterian Women Honorary Life Member pin and certificate along with a letter from the National Church office of PW, explaining the meaning of the design on the beautiful sterling pin. Our own PW donates $95.00 for each pin to the National PW, to be used for mission work. This year we purchased two pins and had one very special one to “re-gift”. We had honored Edna Walters and after she passed away, Ronnie and family asked if we could give his Mom’s pin to another Woman of Grace. We got nominations of ladies to honor and our budget would usually handle one at a time. We could not make a decision so we bought two awards to add to the very special “re-gift”. Your purchases of our Let’s Say Grace Cookbooks and the Western Wall note cards keep adding to our PW funds so we can do extra things. We thank you and both items are still available in a limited quantity. Get them before they are gone! The ladies had no idea what we were doing behind their backs and how many wonderful “white lies” were told to make it seem perfectly reasonable that some of their family would show up for the Grace Thanksgiving luncheon. We also asked these families for “stories” about their Moms that would relate to life in the church. We had a crowd for this special day but if you missed it, you missed a lot of laughter and finding out how much these three ladies were so involved, so intertwined and still are, in the life of Grace and the congregations that became Grace those many years ago. Their children who were with us were all in the Grace Youth Group – they grew up in Grace. Not only were they hugging their Moms, they were hugging each other like family does when it gathers together. Who were the ladies? The “re-gift” pin was presented by Averill Walters to Ann Wanek. Ronnie Walter’s Mom, Edna and Ann were dear friends and neighbors. Averill and Ronnie’s sons were in that youth group as well. We now know that Ann allowed no dozing off in church, as well as no drawing on the bulletin or chewing gum – pay attention to the preacher! The next pin was given to Armeen Stone. Daughter Katrina put the pin on her Mom with lots of giggles about so many stories Katrina had told to make her Mom think it was perfectly normal that she would fly into Corpus Christi for a 24 hour visit. We now know that the only place Armeen could find to quietly read her Bible (with a busy home filled with kids and activity) was on the “throne”. Armeen had called Ann to tell her Katrina was coming so she could not pick her up to go to church on Sunday as she and Katrina would not be coming. Yeah right! I had talked with all three ladies during the week and heard various stories and it was so hard to keep from bursting out with laughter and say – oh – you have no idea what is going to happen on Sunday! Our third lady is Eulene Coker – our quiet little Eulene who pays attention to every last detail and works to make everything right. It was Eulene’s determination that we could have lunch after church every Sunday (at the Gollihar location) to raise funds to buy the church van. They were simple meals that we donated money for and the van happened! Her daughter Connie gave us a new insight on Eulene. Ask us about Eulene and son Bryant’s wonderfully big and overly friendly dog Sunny!!!! They say laughter is the best medicine. When that note came into our computer and I sat here reading it, I laughed so hard tears rolled! Eulene’s precious little great granddaughter was present and what a joy to have four generations at our Grace Thanksgiving luncheon! If you missed this – you missed a totally warm hearted, welcoming, hugging, tummy stuffing time in the life of Grace and in the life of three totally deserving Women of Grace!          Margie Schroeder Grace PW Moderator