Tuesday

Jonathan at our church, carrying the step stool to the children's restroom. Since New Hope went portable, everything is packed into 2 trailers and unloaded and assembled each week. We set up an entire church in a local elementary school in about an hour or so, with 3 separate children's ministries, welcome center, hospitality (Starbucks, water, and Krispy Kremes served every week!), a very cool auditorium with stage and lighting and sound and chairs and all, a centralized, computerized children's check-in, lots of great signage to lead people around the church, everything you need! We also tear down and pack everything up into cases onto the trailers at the end in less than an hour. It is amazing how we completely transform the building in such a short time. Anna and Jon have been able to help more and more each week. It makes them feel really good about themselves. I think it has that effect on a lot of us... even though it is a lot more work than we used to do each Sunday, it is very satisfying to see what we can accomplish together. And I leave there every week, ready for a nap, but also feeling like I really did something (because of the physical work) to help my church family reach others for God. Being a portable church is both exhausting and challenging, but also satisfying and fulfilling. I've also been able to build relationships and get to know more people than I ever have before. I guess it is simply because we spend more hours together, it naturally leads to more conversation, and we are all a little more connected than we were before. Before we went portable, I could come in the side entrance to my ministry, only interact with those in my ministry, and leave without ever really stepping foot in the main sanctuary on some Sundays. There have been some difficulties to work out, and I know (I KNOW!!!) that it is a little hot in Baby K, and we could use better lighting, etc, but I think it is has been a very worthwhile process... I've learned a lot and it has also been a great solution to our need for more space. And really, it is just pretty darn cool to see SO many people, teens, kids, adults, everyone, working together every week. And for such a complex task, really, I think it goes smoothly each week.

Anna has the potty for the children's restroom! Don't worry, we sanitize it each week before packing it up!

The kids at Home Depot today helping me return the steam vac my Mom rented. She let us use it to steam clean the carpets in J and A's rooms.

Jonathan all ready to go to school yesterday to meet his teacher!

Jonathan and Biscuit are very close. They snuggle on the couch like this every morning. Biscuit and Mutton have been staying with us while my Mom does some travelling. They are very good house guests!