handsful

Last day of our Power Up Club was fantastic!  If you’ve been reading my blog for the last few days, you’ve seen how our weather has been less than dry lately.  Everyday, it’s been blue skies until JUST before it’s time for our club and the rains come.  Thankfully, we have the back porch and it’s worked perfectly for those days when we’ve needed it. 

Abbey douses her brother during a game of “drip drop’ (think duck, duck, goose with a pail of water).

But, Thursday is always “Tidal Wave Thursday”, meaning WATER games.  Kids come in their swim suits and get seriously wet.  I SO wanted the kids to be able to have this day, without having to improvise on the back porch.  So, I prayed.  I gave the outcome totally to God, like I’d done each day.  He’d use it as He saw fit, and if that meant rain then I’d take it.  But, I asked God to give the kids their water day.  

As the club drew nearer, the clouds started rolling in and it looked a little dark behind us.  But amazingly, as the kids played, the clouds just rolled by without a drop of rain. 

No rain!  And, the kids had a blast. 

Abbey the interviewer (picture a microphone in her hand…)

Wanna know the interesting part?  About 5 minutes AFTER all the kids left, it started raining :)  Thank you, God.

We thought we might avoid the rain tonight…

At one point, the ominous clouds appeared to be blowing over. 

But, eventually it was clear…we had to head to the back porch again! 

I’ve never been so thankful for this porch than I’ve been this week.  Our club has been awesome, all the kids have loved it, our team of teen leaders has been amazing.  I hate to see this all end tomorrow!  Tomorrow is called Tidal Wave Thursday – the day set aside to play water games.  Makes me laugh, considering everyday has been water-filled!

I don’t see any rain. 

I mean, would we REALLY still have our Power Up Club if it was pouring rain outside? 

Of course not. 

That would be irresponsible, letting all those kids get wet and all. 

Downright silly, dont ya think??

But, if we did decide to hold the Power Up Club when it was raining, the least we could do is offer our back porch. 

A little dancing…

A little drama…I guess it could be fun.  Maybe we’ll consider it.  If it ever rains on Power Up Club night.

Day One of our Power Up Club was a success…I’m partial to this particular team member :)

Here she is, giving her testimony.  She did a great job. 

Games, drama, music, dancing, snacks, small group time, lesson, more games…who wouldn’t love this?  More pictures to come as the week goes on!

The big kids had a fantastic time at Out2B these last three days.  We dropped them off at the church on Monday morning, and the event ended with a banquet tonight at church for all the kids and their families.  The kids slept at church (boys room and girls room were WAY apart from each other and had adults staying in both rooms!), ate all their meals together – it was like a mini camp.  During the mornings, the kids were in group sessions taught by Charles Covington, an incredible bible teacher who has taught at Out2B for the last three years.  (He spoke at church last Sunday, so I can attest…the guy is fantastic and hillariously funny to boot). 

During the afternoons, the kids split up into groups and went out into the community doing various service projects.  What did our kids do?  Let’s see, ministered to a nursing home, painted a playground, worked at a food bank, worked at a thrift store, worked at a charity that collects clothing for missionaries, helped with another church’s kids program, and watched children dropped off by moms in our church so they could have a few hours to themselves.  Cool stuff, and they loved every minute of it.  They kids were SO wired after the banquet, wanting to tell me everything about their time away!  These few days taught them to truly look outside of themselves and serve with a servant’s heart.  I’m so thankful that our church has THE best Jr. High ministry and works so hard to equip our kids with God’s truths.   Welcome home, kids :)