A Weekend to Remember

This weekend was a combination of things I had never seen before and moments of deja vu.  Here we go:

1.  Friday we left for South Carolina for a family reunion.  It was also my mom’s birthday on Saturday.  It was a quick trip that didn’t allow for the normal meet and greet with SC friends.  The reunion was more of a “meeting” in the sense that I had to meet people I had already met but couldn’t remember and we have a treasurer and president in charge of family reunions.  I was also shocked to see K-Fed there.  I think he is my third cousin.

2.  Friday night my dad and I hung out at the Mcalister’s where they were cooking a pig for a BBQ on Saturday.  Around Pendleton, my dad and Steve McAlister have become famous for their barbeque and Steve’s son(and my best friend), Alan, has taken the torch.  Alan married my cousin, Angel, so it’s great because I get see two of my favorite people.  Angel was like a sister growing up and still is.  Not surprisingly, the conversation centered around Clemson football and the debacle that is Tommy Bowden.  Saw this great article today.  Best moments of the night were the argument about closing the gate so the cows don’t get out and the trip to Wal-Mart.  Alan and I got in this old truck and I said, “It’s Friday night around midnight and we just got in an old truck.  Are we in high school again?”  Memo to Wal-Mart, you do need to have more than one register open when there are 20 people in line.  Why did a mother have a 2 year old in Wal-Mart at 12:30 AM?  Caution-rant ahead-skip to #3 if you don’t want to hear what I have to say-you’ve been warned!   Due to conviction I just deleted my rant because I really shouldn’t judge a person’s whole life based on the fact they had their kid at Wal-Mart at 12:30 AM.  Speaking of high school, my brother is rocking the stand alone stach again.

3.  On Sunday morning, the kids ministry sponsored friend day and over 80 kids were present.  They had games, a hayride, and face painting.  During the first service, a HUGE pitbull showed up with no tags.  He could snap your leg with one bite.  We tried to run him off…correction…a man braver than me tried to run him off.  Imagine my surprise when the dog met me as I went to pick up my kids after church.  I hope to be over my dog-phobia soon, but once you’ve been bit, it’s hard to forget.  Hey, that rhymes and will be a song on my next CD.

4.  Other unusual, not bad just things I haven’t seen before, situations arose at church.  We had a big crowd and an awesome spirit.  Lots of people responded to Charlie’s message.  It’s evident that people want to change and be who God created them to be.  I’m excited to preach on the 26th!

5.  FUEL is this week and I get to stay with the Rhodes, Matt and Deborah.  Gary T. Rich will also be there and FUEL is always a refreshing time.  I think it will be strange for Gary and I to be staying with Matt.  He is one we can look at and know that investment pays off sometimes.  Not only did he marry a great woman, but he is in charge of FUEL and has a great job at Wesleyan HQ.  It’s a long way from Greenville, SC, Table Rock, and South Dakota.  I think I’m just as excited to visit the church plant Matt is helping with, Harvest.

I will post tommorow, but may not be able to until next week.  I will do my best to keep everyone updated.  Much love to all.