Things Around Here

We had a big Halloween in the neighborhood, with the neighbors pulling out the hot dogs and chili along with s’mores and more. There were lots of kids but we still have lots of candy left-over. Kris took the older two boys to our church’s Fall Fest on Friday night (over 9800 people attended…Oh. My. Word.) and they were pretty pumped about just handing out candy on Saturday. Aron didn’t really know what was going on and at one point was at the door without anyone else and freaked out when a pint sized Darth Vader approached the front door and peered in the window at him. Yikes. He was very upset. Even after I got the little boy to pull his mask off for Aron, he was not comforted. Fear is clingy.

Sunday we had an illustrated sermon at church. Pastor Davis is always one for impact and he certainly did that. He has been very concerned with the lack of knowledge people (even in the church) have about hell. No one seems to believe in it anymore. So he decided to bring hell to church and show them what it is. It was big, hot, smoky, nasty and graphic. Without going into too much detail it was called “The House of Hell” and was a depiction of a family that ends up in hell. I have to admit that as much as I like church drama and as much as I believe in that medium I am not one to be impacted by that particular sort of performance. I am much more moved by a simple monologue…or something that pulls at my emotions by heart felt and honest confession. However, this service really wasn’t for me.

The crowd was HUGE. They literally had to turn about 50 cars away from the parking lot and people were double parked all over the campus. Inside, Pastor was urging the ushers to close the doors for fear the Fire Marshall would have issue. There was overflow seating and people watching the monitors in the hallways and overflow rooms. This was just on Sunday. The room was almost as full on Saturday night as well. In total there were over 7,000 people who attended and 438 decisions made during the alter services over the weekend. People were standing to receive Christ in the hallways, in the foyer, in the overflow room and all over the sanctuary. Last night was a big (free) dinner at the church for all of those who made decisions. Kris was there along with one of our care group leaders and many, many other volunteers to help plug people in, get them connected to the right people and make them more than just a number at a well marketed service and into the disciples God intended them to be.

Someone has surely cursed my mornings this week. I was awakened by Ivan on Sunday and Monday mornings. He had to go potty…he was cold…whatever. Early Tuesday morning the entire family was awakened by Aron screaming like crazy. He had come out into the playroom upstairs and when I found him in the dark all he would say is “I pooped.”

I didn’t even smell anything but he was still screaming even after I picked him up so I knew something was definitely wrong. I took him downstairs and changed his diaper and yes, he was pooped, but apparently it had happened several hours earlier and then of course made his skin all raw. He was in a lot of pain and it took him a long time to calm down. He was still walking funny most of yesterday and I talked him into wearing underwear for his nap instead of a diaper. I figured the air would be able to get to him a little easier that way.

This morning, I got to sleep until I woke up on my own but Ivan had peed in his bed. He hasn’t done that in a very long time so I was a little surprised, but on the bright side. I had planned to wash all their sheets this morning anyway.

What will happen tomorrow? I’ll be praying over that one.

Today I finished another pair of mini-Mary Janes. This set is for My sister’s sister-in-law who is expecting her first baby this month. I need to get these puppies in the mail and off to California tomorrow, but I wanted to show them off a little first.

PS – For those of you who remember my little sundress quilt top…I finally found it. I had packed it away somewhere when I organized all my sewing stuff a year and a half ago and as my organizing is somewhat unorganized I lost it in a box of other unfinished projects. So…I just need to sew some strips of fabric around it and call it a border and then I can put it in a frame and start quilting. Wouldn’t that be fun to have done before year end? Yes…yes it would.