Fall Festival 2013

Well, put another Fall Festival in the books. I loved that we did it last night, the night BEFORE Halloween–it makes tonight so much more relaxing. And, for the families in our church, they are still able to take their own kids Trick or Treating as well as participate at the Fall Festival. (Our church is next to the “richest” part of Giddings, so THE place to go Trick or Treating is right in our neighborhood. Tonight our church parking lot was PACKED with cars, parking there to go walk the neighborhood).

There was an 80% chance of rain ALL DAY yesterday and a 100% chance of rain LAST NIGHT….they said (over and over) “It’s gonna rain, it’s gonna rain!” We planned to do everything outside (originally) but then taking into consideration the ENORMOUS amount of rain we were supposed to get, we decided to move it inside. We decided to NOT do the inflatables because the grass was already wet (from rain last week) and if it started raining, then we’d have to hurry and put them up, in the pouring down rain!!

So…..Plan B.

We cleared out the Fellowship Hall and the Bus Barn for our Carnival Games……

I could not have done it without Paul! He was a total rock star yesterday, helping me sweep, move stuff, put up chairs, and most important…..putting together Carnival Games!

We borrowed games from Camp Tej*s, which was such a blessing, but they all had to be drilled together (which I didn’t know), so Paul helped me do that!

(All this time we are still anticipating rain)…..

Guess what?!!! It NEVER RAINED!!! I was so mad…..

But, Paul said I got what I prayed for!! I prayed on Tuesday that it WOULDN’T rain on Wednesday and it didn’t!!! So, I guess God answered my prayer….but Wednesday I was changing my prayers and praying it WOULD rain just because we planned everything INSIDE and decided not to do inflatables!! So, I guess God got confused!! Ha, ha, ha….

Either way, we survived!!

Hadley playing “Go Fish”

 

 

Hanna throwing a sponge at Gina’s face (in the Sponge Toss)!

Dominick taking a snack break…..

Me sitting in the Sponge Toss. I think some of the kids who go to the schools (and I have had in class before) enjoyed throwing a wet sponge at Mrs. Tanner’s face! 🙂

A beautiful Egyptian queen

Taking a popcorn (candy) break

Presley as a ladybug!

The youth girls helping with popcorn!

Fernando and Armando playing “Tic-Tac-Toe”

Presely and Jennifer playing “Tic-Tac-Toe”

“Go Fish” (the girls in the back had to “duck” because sometimes those kids would throw those “hooks” PRETTY hard)!

Zoe and Denise

Luke and Kaydence

Kids enjoying Carnival Games

Vanessa and Lindsey

Then, after the Carnival Games we had Trunk or Treat. We had about 10 cars lined up, ready to give the kids candy!

So….all in all, it was a success!!

Thank you, FBC and the community for a great Fall Festival 2013!

Just a Few Pictures…..

Nothing too exciting going on around here….here’s just some pics from the last couple of weeks!

Last weekend we drove over to Rockdale and had dinner with Kris, Heidi, and Aubrey.

(It’s a little fuzzy, sorry)….

A couple of weeks ago Paul was out of town for 3 days (@ Youth Conclave) and while he was gone, he sent me flowers….just because!

This past Sunday (selfishly) I thought I looked cute, so Paul and I took a picture together.

This past Wednesday FBC packed 300 boxes for Operation Christmas Child. With everyone’s help (old to young) it only took 30 minutes!

     Last night Paul and I drove over to La Grange to watch the Buffaloes play the Leopards. We lost, but they played hard!

 Today (after a morning at the Food Pantry) we have just been relaxing: watching TV, watching football, and taking naps!

The Game of Chase…

To Whom It May Concern,

Please know, first and foremost, I do love you. I love you with the love that Christ has called us to….

• I love you because a friend loves at all times. (Proverbs 17:17).
• I love you because Christ loved first. (1 John 4:19).
• I love you because I believe in you and want to support you. (Proverbs 27:17).

However…..I cannot chase you anymore.

I want to, but I can’t.

Some of you are small fish, and frankly, I’m just kind of tired of chasing small fish.

My mind is constantly trying to keep up with you (chase you), figuring out a way to GET you to church (as if getting you through the church doors is going to make my game of “Chase” any easier). I am constantly talking about you, stressing over you, worrying about you, worrying about our job because of you….and frankly, I’m just tired.

Small fish tend to be a distraction to those who have been “called” into ministry (in a specific leadership role) because they hold us back, pulling us away from the path that is in front of us. It’s almost as if it’s “one step forward, two steps back” when we try to chase you.

So, why do I do it? Why does anyone do it?

• Maybe it’s a lack of self-esteem (my own)
• Maybe it’s the numbers in ministry that the Church (big “C”) seems to be obsessed with.
• Maybe it’s the idea of pleasing others that has us so wrapped up in getting YOU to get involved and invest.

No matter the reason, the only thing we end up doing is wasting a tremendous amount of energy in accomplishing something that will never be complete. I cannot make you love Jesus. I cannot make you invest. I cannot make you get involved. I cannot make you see that Christ has called us to serve one another. I cannot make you understand that your relationship with Christ is the #1 most important thing that matters.

• Not work
• Not softball
• Not camping
• Not visiting grandma
• Not seeing the latest movie
• Not going to the grocery store

NOTHING is more important than your relationship with Jesus Christ……and your relationship with Jesus Christ CANNOT grow without being with and being around other believers. Those who love you, care for you, support you, pray for you, and want to fellowship with you.

And until you figure that out, I’m sorry, but I can’t chase you….

I have to trust God. Trust God that He knows what He’s doing. I trust Him, so I hand you over to Him. I have to be secure in knowing what God has called me to do in my ministry and my relationships.

I want to invest in those who, no matter what, are excited to support our vision, our direction, and have joined us in the journey to God’s path which is right in front of us. I want to place my time and energy into those who with swim WITH ME and who share the same passion and commitment to God and to the church (little “c”).

Looking at the Scriptures (and the life of Jesus) we see that Jesus didn’t chase small fish.

• In the face of his accusers He remained silent (Matthew 27:12).
• To Pilate he gave a simple answer (John 19:11a).
• To the religious leaders he gave a rebuke (Matthew 23:2-7).
• In the face of those who didn’t welcome His followers, He told His disciples to not waste their time and to leave (Matthew 10:14).

But to those who grasped His vision, grasped who He was, He became their leader. He poured into them, loved them, empowered them, and sent them out to duplicate the pattern. He refused to chase the small fish. He refused to expel the energy to change the minds of people He knew didn’t get it and—wouldn’t. I know this seems contrary to what we think of Him, but the truth is He left the small fish alone and focused on the ones that would swim with Him.

An excellent article written by Thom Rainer was posted earlier this week (how appropriate) and I think he “hit the nail on the head.”

“But many of them (the Millennials) are walking away from our churches, and more of them are not attending at all, when they witness or hear about negativity and divisiveness in those churches. They want to see unity among Christians, and they are often disappointed.” -Thom Rainer (and I believe you cannot be unified if you’re NOT there)…..

I’ve said it before…..

“If Jesus was a….pastor in today’s church, He would probably be fired because He spent three years discipling twelve people, one of which fell away from the faith. Jesus was truly the talk of the town…..but He wanted no recognition. He knew that the twelve (really, the eleven) would one day be the foundation of a force that swept the world….”

Shortly before He went to the cross, Jesus told His followers these words: “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35 HCSB).

That’s what is important to the Millennials.
And more importantly, that is the command of Jesus Himself.

So, my point is this.

• I love you.
• I support you.
• I want to be there for you.

But….I’m not going to chase you.

Quotables

Almost every time I substitute there’s always those kids who say things that just make you go….”What!!??” Or they say things that just make me laugh…..

(I’m writing these down, so I don’t forget)….

1.) Conversation with a student who had a broken arm, in a sling
Me: “What happened? What did you do?”
Student: “I fell off the back of a mule.”
Me: “The back of a BULL….what were you doing riding a bull?”
Student: “No, Miss, a mule, not a bull.”
Me: “Well, what were you doing riding a mule? That’s weird.”
Student: “No, Miss, a mule….like an ATV mule, not a donkey.”
Me: “Oh, well, that makes more sense.”
Clearly I am NOT a country girl…..

2.) A day when I subbed 4th grade…..

I bumped into a students desk today. I apologized.
Students response: “It’s OK. You have hips. Most women do.”
This coming from the same boy who told me my forehead looked shiny and I needed some powder…..
He clearly has women in his life and needs to work a little bit on “tact.”

3.) A conversation with one of the little boys that comes to our church on Wednesday nights….

I saw Q today (he’s 4)….
Q: “Miss Callie, are you going to church right now?”
Me: “No, today is Thursday.”
Q: “But, you said you were going home. You live there, though, right?
Me: “No, Q, I actually have a home.”
Q: “Oh, OK.”
His mom and I laughed and laughed….

4.) And, lastly…from PE on Friday.

I subbed in PE today at the Elementary School….
Student: “Mrs. Tanner, I need a faster hula-hoop. This one is too slow.”
Me: “Ummm….honey, the hula-hoop is not the problem….your hips just need to move a little faster.”
Students: “No, it’s the hula-hoop. I’m trying, but it keeps going slow and then falling down. I think it’s broken.”
…..Sounds to me like someone needs to work on their hula-hoop skills a little more!

I subbed every day this past week, and I’m subbing 3 days this week! 🙂 Thursday night I went to bed at 9:45PM, Friday night I went to bed at 9:30PM, and Saturday night I was in bed by 10:00PM….this working everyday makes me TIRED!! 🙂

 

 

Tex*s Night Out

Last night was “Tex*s Night Out” (Nation*al Night Out was in August, but you know Texas…we gotta be different)! 😉

So, FBC had a Neighborhood Block Party last night….we had about 60+ people there total.

Cole brought his big smoker and we had hot dogs and spicy sausage. Bluebonnet also donated 2 coolers of water, which was super nice! 🙂 We also had the LEO club paint faces….

We had 2 inflatables for the kids, which was great! They just ran themselves ragged (and hopefully slept good when they got home)!

I jumped for a little bit–it did not go well!!

The police, ambulance, and volunteer fire department also came and the kids go to climb on the trucks and in the car.

  I had a good time, and I think our church did, too.

See You At The Pole 2013

“If my people,

who are called by my name

will humble themselves

and pray

and seek my face

and turn from their wicked ways

then I will hear from heaven

and I will forgive their sin

and will heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

On September 25th GISD had about 50+ students/teachers come together and pray for their school, their teachers, their leaders, their community, and their leaders. It was all student-led (no adult involvement, except for the breakfast burritos we passed out at the end) 🙂

We are very proud of those students who chose to take a stand for Christ on Wednesday morning.