No Pain...

We had our Staff Christmas Party last night.  It truly is one of the highlights of my year.  Especially the every-other-year just staff and significant others.  
You see... our pastor is the King of Fun!  And I don't just mean some simple games kind of fun.  It's the kind of fun where this kind of quote would be used...
"The only way that winning can stay sweet, is if losing stays painful"
We received an email yesterday with the "top 20 things you need to know for tonight's Christmas party!"
My favorite rule of the email was #14... 
"All rules are subject to later clarification, modification, unjust amendment, cruel interpretation and mockery at party designer's whim.  The law office of Howard, Crotty and Ward are not available for representation for you b/c they will be tainted by participation in the process."

We arrived to receive 200 tickets where we could bid on items.  But for every item you bid on, if you won, you also must "pay" for the item by performing the "task" that was on the card.  

And another great catch... every ticket that was put in an envelope would then be put in a really big pile and one drawn out, that person would have to perform ALL the "tasks."  

Another motto for the night, "things are not always as they seem."
There is not another Christmas party out there that is as intense as this one, and I love it.
A few of the things involved... carrot cake, fleeces, Family Feud, fruit loops, coats, luggage, SPAM, Deal or No Deal, singing, high kicks, creepy mustaches, and 52 swims.

I am sooo thankful that our pastor chooses to take the time to make our parties memorable.  

We laughed until our sides hurt and at the end, we were blessed to watch the generosity of one staff member give their "big prize" away.  What a gift to get to work with such an amazing group of people!