Weekend Wrap Up

As many of you know.... I spent the last few days at the Joyce Meyer/Hillsong Conference. It was AWESOME! (and that is an understatement.)

FIRST - Vacation Bible School was most awesome for the girls.... And our church!!!!



VBS - had a presentation on Friday evening that was AWESOME!!!!!! Natalie's friend Zoey was there (as well as her parents) and a new friend was made as well. Rowan was the oldest in her group and it was interesting to she her take a semi leadership role that Nat always seems to have the opportunity to take. I think they both inherited my temperment. God help us - please pray for us!


They put on an AWESOME presentation of all the songs they learned in VBS. It does my heart good to see them so in Love for Christ and proclaiming His love to others innocently!!!!










Of course I had to take many shots of the wee VBS kids doing their presentation.











After the VBS presentation - our Pastor gave a short message and read out of one of my favorite books - the Ragamuffin Gospel. I thought this was ingenious. Who ever thought of preaching during a Kids presentation! The opportunity to share the Gospel is never overlooked. Our Pastor is sold out for God and leading others to Jesus. Praise God we found this church!!!!




After the VBS presentation - the kids and families mingled in our cafe' lounge in our church. The lil guy on the corner - Caleb - our pastor's son. Isn't he the most adorable!!!!!


The girls had their own lil pile that I am still able to observe them wear around the house. Cute lil crafts they made..... Made me wish I was at a Vacation Bible School for adults - what would we make? Knitted Bible covers? Crochet'd beaded bible markers??? The mind wonders..... I think I am on to something here....





I thought the areas they had set up for the VBS kids were well done and most awesome!!!!




The Summer Missionaries had finished up their tasks with the close of VBS and this was the LAST GROUP shot. They were most awesome in what they got accomplished this summer. This was our church's FIRST VBS and it went smashingly!!!!!




Silly Summer Missionaries assuming silly shots for their last pose.......





Now - while they were doing VBS - we were taking in the conference!!!


Thursday night we had reserved seating because we were invited to a reception prior to the confernce. That was truly an honor and a blessing from God. Even more of a blessing was the baby sitter that we got at the last moment!!!!!! Praise God!!!


Joyce mingled with her partners and answered questions as well as just plain ole TALKING!

Imagine that????



I ran into a dear friend from India who I have been thinking of since we got back from India. Dana - I quickly found out - as I walked past her - IS PREGNANT! Praise God!!!!



Saturday morning the girls were able to join us - so at the ripe hour (and hot hour too I might add) the girls joined us. We were there early enough that we were one of the first people in line. BONUS!!!!

Rowan was let loose with the camera to kill her time standing in the hot sun in line. She captured some cool pictures of her mama knitting. I personally liked this one.


The parking lot was EMPTY when we got there....... Sad statement in reality for Chicago - the UN CHURCHED major city of America!!!!



Every minute or so a plane would take off..... did you know you could hear it from inside the Alstate Arena.... that's just absurd......





Dad rescued us from the heat..... Way to go dad!!!!!





Natalie passed her time by reading - you go girl!!!!!

And - you ask what this has to do with knitting?

I was knitting all weekend - taking in the word - and knitting.... ACTUALLY - I was waiting in line here - in the HOT HOT HOT sun... knitting away at my jay walkers....... (did I mention I was done with this pattern - awesome funky cool pattern at that - I was done!)


Inside.......


As always - an awesome stage awaiting us.....





Natalie was just about ready to BURST with all the excitement!!!!






Pastor Brian Houston had plenty to say about this hat.... GO CUBS!!!! But you have to go HERE to read the whole story (trust me - whether you are a St. Louis Cardinal Fan or a Cub Fan - you will want to go HERE to read it).

You won't be disappointed!!!!!

BTW - just for you CUBS fan - the CUBS swept the Cardinals all three games since Brian was there!!!!! I am banking on the Prayer Walk!!!!

What does this have to do with knitting?

Now - I did not knit while the sessions were going on. Honest.... I knitted inbetween, before and after..... now if I was SURE that the camera wasn't near - I might just have pulled out that knitting..... Okay - I did.... I did knit.... but behind me (precisely one seat behind me) sat another woman KNITTING a bag!!!!!!! I am not alone!!!!!! But the preaching is very fast paced and you are constantly flippin in your bible..... No ADHD going on there.....




What I did accomplish these past three days knitting before, (during) and after.....

I FINISHED MY JAYWALKERS!!!!! YIPEEE!!!!!

(I was so done with them yesterday - I wanted them done....isn't that funny. I love the pattern and the yarn.... just ready to move on I guess.....)

For more pictures of my weekend adventures and the conf. go here!

I will say this..... It is odd to think that last year (at this time) we were wearing winter coats and hanging out at Hillsong Church in Australia.... They showed a clip of this years conference and at the end Pastor Brian mentioned how it made him HOME SICK a bit. I looked at the hubby and agreed that it made me slightly home sick as well. I then turned to my children and started wondering which one I was going to send to Hillsong University...... Natalie Or Rowan? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Hope everyone else had an awesome weekend as we did!!!!!!

Be Blessed!!!!