Singing For God

One beautiful Saturday evening in October our family was invited to come to a small get together out in the country.  It was a beautiful fall evening.  The friend that invited us is an amazing man, who serves God and loves people.  He became one of Eric's close friends about six years ago, when they met in Norton, KS at NCF.  Over the next couple of years Eric and Carl spent lots of time together...  They both applied and were accepted into the InterChange Freedom Initiative Program together at LCF.  They studied together, learned together, supported each other, worshiped together, and grew in Christ together. They became life friends and are a blessing to one another.  Carl recently came to Wichita and has accepted a job as a Youth Minister at a church here.  God is working hard and fast through him to reach children and teens.  His youth group is growing by leaps and bounds.  

On this particular Saturday evening we enjoyed a beautiful sunset, hot dogs and smores cooked on the campfire, a large bonfire, and music.  Carl is an amazing guitarist and can play just about anything that is requested.  Adults, teens, children, Carl, and our family sat around the campfire together singing and worshiping God through our songs and music. My heart was filled that night with love and thankfulness.  God shined his light down on each of us there.  God is using Carl in a tremendous way to reach out to people of all ages.

Phoebe and Silas eating some graham crackers and marshmallows by the campfire...

The lady who owns the land and home where we all were gathered is a pilot and owns this 1964 plane.  The girls and I took a closer look and the girls were invited to climb on in!  They loved pretending to fly this little 4-seater.

"As long as I live, I will sing and praise The Lord God."  Psalm 104:33

"Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth:  Make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise."  Psalm 98:4

"Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things."  Psalms 98:1

Carl came to our house for dinner a few weeks ago.  He played the guitar for us then too and we all sang together.  Eric was talking with Sarah later after Carl left about singing... I heard him tell her "that it wouldn't have mattered if any of us were singing with Carl, Carl would have still played the guitar and sung because he sings for God."  What a wonderful example and living proof that God uses all kinds of people to reach others.  He loves each one of us.  God's love, kindness, and mercies pour forth from this man whom he has sent out to minister to the lost, broken and fearful.  Thank you Carl for your friendship, and for what you are doing for others, and the light you are shining for God into so many people's lives.

ACC Fall Festival 2013

A week ago our church had its annual Fall Festival.  The Festival includes a chili supper, a pumpkin carving contest, and a silent auction.  Money raised from the silent auction goes to help support our church's children's ministries programs.  I want to give a shout out to a few people who helped me a LOT to prepare, gather items, set-up, and tear-down, and make possible another successful silent auction... THANK YOU ~ Eric Hendrickson, Charles and Wyonna Hastings, Ras and Nancy Reyes, Amy and Terry Harper, Jensen Family, Jonathan and Christy Newland, Carol Ball, Cindy Williams, Elaine White, John and Mary King, and Nathan King.  And, to all of those who donated items... THANK YOU! 

We had LOTS of great items at the silent auction again this year.... several handmade wooden items from Hastings Woodworking, hair flower clips and headbands, reusable plastic sack baskets,

Thirty~One bags, china dishes, crocheting and knitting themed baskets,

handmade Raggedy Anne and Andy dolls, an autographed picture from Casting Crowns,

jewelry from the Rusted Chain,

a Jim Shore nativity scene, handmade scrapbooks, a Fall floral arrangement, handmade hats and scarves,

homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, and salsa, and an autographed cookbook from Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman, 

a couple autographed pictures of Kansas City Chiefs players, tools, fishing equipment, a cooler filled with goodies, an old Coca~Cola vending machine,

Fall and Christmas themed baskets, baking baskets, pink themed baskets, movie night baskets, and a school supply basket, and lots of gift cards and certificates to local restaurants, zoos, museums, and shows in Branson.

My parents were here to help us out and so that Popee could team up for the third year in a row and carve a pumpkin with Sarah in the pumpkin carving contest.  (Sarah and my Dad look forward to this each year.  They plan out their carving design, have secrets about their pumpkin, and make a great team carving out memories with each other!)

We had a great Town Crier this year!  His job was to keep all of the Fall Festival guests aware of what was going on, where things were happening and when things were happening.

Phoebe and Daddy teamed up again for the third year.  They had a special carving plan in mind this year...

Sarah was very interested in seeing how Phoebe's pumpkin would look, (checking out her competition).

And, here is Phoebe and Daddy's pumpkin... the Cross~Eyed Pumpkin.

It had a cross nose, cross eyes and the word SHINE for its mouth.  On the back was carved, 4 JESUS.

Sarah and Popee's pumpkin took a lot of cutting around and around....  As Popee started cutting their pumpkin into circles, he said everyone just stared at them, trying to figure out why he was cutting their pumpkin the way he was... What did this team have up their sleeves for this orange pumpkin???

Next Sarah started cutting...

Then a little more discussion, figuring, and planning...

And, the end result was a mummy pumpkin!

It was a fun evening!  The silent auction raised approximately $2578!  This is more than the previous two years!  Thank you again to all who helped make this a successful silent auction.

A Pumpkin For Silas

A couple days before Halloween we carved the small pumpkin that we picked out at Papa's Pumpkin Patch for Silas.  I wanted Eric to try to make a face on this pumpkin that looked like Mater from the Disney movie Cars.

Silas helped take some of the seeds and goop out of the inside of the pumpkin.  The goop makes everything pretty slippery, so each tiny seed kept slipping out of his fingers onto the counter.  Then it would take forever for him to get it picked back up again.

And, there it is... sort of like Mater... well at least two big front teeth like Mater.