My Saturday Night

*JMJ* A few weeks ago, out priest announced that our parish would be holding a Spaghetti dinner for a fundraiser for St. Vincent de Paul. They are in desperate need for food for the poor. Our priest told us that at least a couple of people would come to the parish to ask for some food probably twice a month. Now our priest told us that people are coming in daily to the parish and asking for food. Our priest asked the whole church, if every family could go to this spaghetti dinner to help St. Vincent de Paul feed the poor. He said that this was an important fundraiser. The Men's Club who was hosting the fundraising dinner was also asking for donations for the food that they had to buy for the dinner. So I was getting my family all geared up for weeks now telling them that we will be going to Mass on Saturday instead of Sunday. My family was like, "Ugh, why Saturday?" I told them because of the Spaghetti dinner fundraiser was following mass. We were going to the dinner anyway so why not go to mass before hand. Well hubby got a bad cold so he didn't go. So it was just me and my two sons going. After mass our priest told us that the church was more filled this evening and he was hoping it was because everyone was planning on going to the spaghetti dinner fundraiser after mass. And boy did they! Let me tell you! The line was going out the doors! I repeat OUT THE DOORS!!! I mean, my parish, was the place TO BE on a Saturday night! The place was just hopping. There was a buzz in the air and everyone was in wonderful spirits. You could just feel the excitement in the air. It was spectacular! I was taken aback. The dinner cost $6 for adults and $3 for children. They gave you raffle tickets upon arrival as you entered into the social hall of the parish where the dinner took place in the church. There was also a bake sale going on. Once you got into the social hall then there was another long line to get your food. Once you got up there they gave you a plate of spaghetti and asked you if that was enough. Then they asked you if you wanted marinara sauce with that or meat sauce. They gave you a huge piece of garlic bread. You could also get a bowl of salad with any salad dressing you could imagine to chose from. They gave you those nice heavy duty paper plates with real silverware and those thick napkins. Then you could go over and get any drink you wanted. They had all kinds of pop, coffee or ice water. Then you had to try and find your family a place to even sit down. The tables all had table clothes on them. And each table had a Christmas center piece on it. One table would have a sleigh. One had bells, a snowman, etc. Our table had a white candle with artificial snow sprinkled in the center. So pretty. Then there was Christmas music playing in the background. It was so nice. People were chatting and talking and having such a wonder time. I heard a lady walking by say that they ran out of spaghetti and had to cook some more. The lines were still going out the doors at this time. But when I looked up I soon seen that they were already serving the people with more spaghetti so it didn't take them long to get the line going again. I have to say, that the dinner was delicious! The garlic bread was crispy with baked pesto and cheese on it. I'll have to try and bake pesto on my garlic bread next time. I never thought to bake it like that. They also had chopped up garlic in their spaghetti. I love garlic. Our priest was going around through the social hall talking to everyone. You could just see how happy he was with the turn out of people showing up. And I am not kidding! When my family was done eating, I cleaned up the table as much as I could for the next people to sit down who was still in line. I am not kidding. When my family was getting up to leave, there was still people lined up OUT THE DOOR to get in to eat!!! I just couldn't believe it! As my family walked out of the church doors, into the snowy night, I was just so touched of what I had just experienced by the whole church. As I was walking to my car with my children on this wintry night, I just felt so good. The thing that came to my mind, was the team effort of all of the volunteers as they hustled and bustled to do their job...together. And also the parishioners...who came for the support of the poor...together. What a nice feeling. What a nice feeling to be apart of that. And what a nice feeling, that my children witnessed that. And I could just feel the Lord's presence hovering over our parish tonight. And what a nice Saturday night it was.