Monday, April 14, 2014

Weekend Gratitude: Easter Egg Hunt, Yard Sales, Homeless Outreach

Dear friends,

What a busy weekend!  I guess you could say it started on Friday, but you can read about that here: Mom's Chauffeur and Courier Service (A Little Encouragement)

 On Saturday morning, I took my two youngest daughters to the annual Easter egg hunt celebration in Baldwin Park.  




Our congregation, Lake Baldwin Church, always has a snow cone booth and inflatable slide there as a way to get to know people in the community.  
Snow cone booth


Educational stuff from the yard sales
We decided not to stay long after the egg hunt part of it, and instead spent the time visiting five different yard/rummage sales on the way home.  At one sale, the lady said we could take anything we could fit in a grocery bag for 2 bucks.  We took her up on it, especially with books and stuff for my two little grandsons, craft supplies for the homeless outreach, even some little porcelain bunnies to add to my springtime village.  At other sales, we found silk flowers to use for table decorations for the outreach.  I was quite happy by the time we got home, but my feet weren't.  I had a bunch of school prep to do on Saturday afternoon and evening, too.

 The big event on Sunday was the monthly homeless outreach.  My daughter who leads the ministry wasn't there because she is 8 months pregnant and couldn't stand outside in the heat that long.  However, three of of my other younger kids (ages 8, 13, and 14)
came with me to serve.  It is such a joy to have them participate! This is a highlight of each month for me. We had several dozen folks come for a spaghetti dinner (a ton of food donated from another ministry's event!), and we passed out a bunch of toiletry "love bags", Gospel of John booklets, and information sheets on where to go or call for help in that vicinity.   Some of the people who come live in the nearby woods. One of the men was looking for a sleeping bag, but unfortunately we didn't have any available yesterday since we gave them all out when it was colder.
One of the ladies set up a craft table where kids could make little Easter gardens.  I love her heart to serve the children each month!  Most of them live in the motel where we hold the outreach, and I know it can't be easy to be crammed into a small room with a whole family for weeks on end.  Here are two more links to my posts about homeless outreach...
There was a lot more going on during the weekend, but that's the big stuff, anyway.  I still have a lot to do on my "work from home" day today, but some of it is just going to have to wait since my feet hurt more than ever now.
Abigail, Virginia (that's me!),
and Molly (our pastor's wife)
at the Baldwin Park Easter shindig
The big thing I'm looking forward to tonight is a going away party for my friend Abigail, who is moving to Japan with her husband and two sons this month.  Boo hoo that she is leaving, though!  I've only known her less than a year, but I instantly knew she was a kindred spirit and that has proved to be so true.  I love the ladies in our Monday night Bible study, and I'm so glad I started going a couple of months ago.  I'll have to go grocery shopping in a little bit, because I signed up to bring a main dish tonight!  

 Other recent links for you?  Sure!  I've been on a roll with some quick posts the past few days...

Have a terrific week!  Take a peek at my Holy Week and Easter link page for some great ideas and inspiration.

 And oh!  I can't leave you without this hilarious video of a string quartet. These four ladies are amazingly talented! This is a must see!  I can't seem to imbed the video, but here's the link: Salut Salon "Wettstreit zu viert"

 Grace and peace, 
Virginia Knowles
www.VirginiaKnowles.blogspot.com
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