If I haven’t mentioned it, I’m going to Orlando for New Years. Without my children.
But before you go thinking that I’m going down there to whoop it up like the single, thrity-year-old woman that I am, let me explain.
I’m taking a group of teens down there for Set Apart 07.
My grandmother, everytime I mention my trip, asks, “Well, why in the world are you driving 12 hours with teenagers?”
My response?
“When the Lord calls, you answer even when you think He’s off his rocker!”
So we’re going.
But in order to go, we needed to raise $8,000. You read that right. Eight Gs.
We’ve been busting our tails peddling everything we had to peddle and some of the teens helped others to raise the money. We’ve had dinner after dinner, our largest the spaghetti dinner in which we walked door-to-door selling tickets.
We registered but we were still slightly short. But prayer works. Although sometime, I just want to try praying for money to fall in my lap as opposed to having to work for the money.
We got the last of our money, praise the Lord. In return?
We get to rake leaves… my most least favorite yard chore on the face of the planet. Ask my father.
We came to near blows growing up. He kept calling it quality time to which I told him he was nuts… in my mind it was slave labor. And we had 10 1/2 acres to rake.
Saturday we started raking… even my kids and I’ve never been so proud of my daughter. She raked from the time we got there until the time we left and never once complained. (She only complained before we left the house because she wanted to wear her new cream colored pants and new black hootchie mama boots.)
And we had some fun too, after we got over the moans and groans.
I finally looked at the teens and said “look, I don’t want to be doing this either, however, I’m continuing to think about being in sunny warm Orlando in January while the rest of our friends will be back here freezing. It seemed to help.
Watch it be freezing in Florida and near 70 here, like it was last year…
Until next time…
Heather
I am thankful for the beauty of the trees in the fall even if we do have to rake them all up. I am thankful for my daughter and the rest of the kids who were willing to donate their time to help us raise money. I’m thankful for those that have the money to give us…to give these kids mountain tops experiences and I’m thankful that I’m able to be a part of it.
Ooh, they’re going to have a blast! We know one of the bands that will be playing there (Building 429)- these conventions are awesome…but youth workers like you are even more so!
Wow, y’all worked hard. Thanks for all you did. It will be worth it all. If you know anyone who would like to make a year end contribution for their taxes, this would be a good cause. We still have more to raise… I’m tired.
If there is one negative thing about my new church it’s the fact that we have a super super small youth group and there isn’t a need for anyone to help pastor man (that term is yours but it has kind of stuck ever since I first heard you say it) with the youth and that’s the one thing that I miss most about my old church-working with the youth!
I used to love going to Acquire the Fire and youth things like that. They are so awesome and so great for the teens!
It sounds like you will have fun and hopefully you’ll have warm weather in Florida
Oh believe me it is still VERY warm here. We are still in tank tops and shorts
. It doesn’t even seem like the holidays with it this warm 
.
If we decide not to travel home for the holidays, let’s meet up ok if you have time