Take You through the Fire

This week has been a renewal of spirit for much of our church as well as trying time for some members in the "church" of Christ. We had the opportunity to help out the community this week and it was not only rewarding for the people we helped but also for the 700+ that signed up to help. Our church did a restoration weekend with the theme of "Don't just GO to church, BE the church" and the verse that was used was
Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

On Sunday we didn't have the traditional worship service but it a service where the spirit of the Lord showed up. People were standing and applauding, shouting and if we had kept singing...we may have had a few runners. One of the songs that we sang was "Through the Fire" and it was not only inspiring for those who heard it but it touched me personally as I have been reading about the trials of the Bucks and the Hummels and watched as those families know what it means to be in the fire. God never promised that we wouldn't be in the fire as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego found themselves but he promised that he will SHOW UP and take us through the fire. I included a video of the Crabb family doing this song with the Brooklyn Tabernacle choir. (it may take a few times running it to hear the whole song...but worth the time)



The service ended with "Who can satisfy my soul", here are the lyrics...

Chorus:
There is a Fountain Who is a King,
Victorous Warrior and Lord of everything,
My Rock, my Shelter, my very own
Blessed Redeemer, Who reigns upon the throne.

Verse:
Who can satisfy my soul like You?
Who on earth could comfort me and love me like You do?
Who could ever be more faithful, true?
I will trust in You, I will trust in You, my God!

So if you read my mom's blog you know that we had a very busy weekend. I was in charge of your family reunion this year for the Grate Family, mainly because NO ONE likes to do it and I thought that I would plan something for the younger generation. So after being elected as president last year, I went searching the internet for the perfect spot...I found it Hocking Hills Family Fun Center, mini-golf, sand volleyball, go-karts, and canoeing for all. It couldn't get much better. So I called and got our names on the books cause I figured they were probably booked for months in advance...luckily they had an opening. So then as the time approached I made out 70+ invitation with the address for the Family Fun Center from their very well put together website and sent them out. I called about a week later to confirm our reservation for the shelter house and found out that the address on the website was for their canoe livery and corporate office. WHAT? I thought the canoe livery was at the fun center. NO...it was six miles away and the address on all of my invitation where off by six miles. I told the lady that I spoke with about my disappointment in their website giving the wrong information to which she said...well it is only six miles away. Like if anyone had shown up they would have piled out of cars only to have to pile back in and drive to the "FUN CENTER" which was situated on a lovely hill that required a monster truck to climb. It went straight up. So as I drove up the hill to our lovely fun center... I about had a heart attack...YIKES...The place hadn't been used in 10 years or more!!! See the pictures below.

These are the brochure pictures of the FAMILY FUN CENTER...



THIS IS WHAT WE GOT!
I never knew that you could MOW a sand volleyball court but they did. When we questioned where it was at, they said...we will send "LeRoy" out to mow it. GEEZ!!! Despite all of the miscommunication, we did have almost 50 people (but I did see a couple of cars come and go and it could have been family leaving, can't prove it). It all turned out wonderful. The next day, Sunday, we went to another family reunion, The Hersman reunion. This is the second year in a row that we have went since I was in high school. The reason is...the Grate reunion used to be on Sunday and well...it was always the one that we knew everyone at. The thing I enjoy the most about this reunion, other than the food, is the pictures. Some of you know that I am a bit obsessed with ancestry stuff and they have pictures from every reunion since 1963-present in photo albums. So this year I took my digital camera and snapped a few pictures of my great grandparents that I didn't have.

Other than all of the reunions...we made a trip to Indianapolis that same night and back in Ohio by Monday at 2 so Wayne could go to work. We are starting this business in a big way...more on that later. I am also in the process of planning the popcorn festival parade float for our church...all of this AND...the doctor told me last week that she thought I might have a brain aneurysm or AVM so I had to have an MRI on Friday or it could be a blocked artery in my neck so today I had an ultrasound on my neck. She also said it could be nothing. So far the MRI is clear and Tom will be happy to know that the doctor doesn't "see" anything there. I am waiting for the other test which is suppose to be read by Friday. WHO KNOWS!!! This all started because I have had this obnoxious swishing sound in my ear that is about to drive me crazy.
Sorry for such a long blog. I could write all night and still not get everyone caught up on what is going on .

I'm back....

Well sort of...I don't really have too much to write which is surprising considering I have so much going on right now. Since my last post Wayne and I spent a week painting my grandparents condo, we made 2 trip to Indianapolis, and we are in the midst of planning the Grate reunion. When I sit down at night I really don't feel like writing. So why today? I guess because my brother blogged, my cousin blogged and my mom blogged and I was about the only who hasn't in a while. I have had a really long day. Last night I went to 45 minutes of choir practice at 6:30 and then took off for Indianapolis for some stuff that I bought online at liquidation.com to sell on Ebay, stayed the night at a hotel that should have been named "Rambo Inn" instead of Ramada Inn, and then drove back this morning so Wayne could go to work by 2. Then at 2:30 we were off to the local pool so we could get some relief from the heat, it was great, there were several people there from the church. If you are wondering why I would drive all that way for a few things to sell, well it was more than a few things...it was 4 pallets of things. We went a couple of weeks ago for the same thing and were able to pick up 3 bikes, 1 tricycle, a LOT of camping stuff and we paid next to nothing for it and then we sold it and made all of our money back on the first item we posted so not only did we make money on this little adventure but we got to keep all of the camping stuff and 2 razor scooters. I am starting this little side business to raise money for our trip to Africa which leaves in less than 3 months.
I am really excited about this trip and all that God has planned for us but I am a little freaked out by the amount of time that I will be spending in the air, we leave on the 13th of October at 12:10 pm and arrive in Jo'berg S. Africa at 4:10 pm on the 14th. 28 hours later....Yikes...
But I can't wait to get working over there. Well...that is it for the day...I would write more but my desk chair is broken and I have to sit on my knees to type and I can't feel feet and the last time I did that, I think I broke a toe as I fell on the floor because I had no support under me. Maybe I can find a pallet with desk chairs...Off I go to search.

PS....the new song on here is for my mom.