Fall Festival!

Yeah, I kind of felt like that too Harry.

Today was one of those days for me. You know the kind, when nothing seems to go according to your plan? Dentist appointments are a good way to start of those kinds of days. Rain most of the day is a good way to keep that vibe going. Your baby getting sick in the afternoon really ups the ante. And not to be outdone, late afternoon, you know, when you're trying to gather the million things a baby needs and get out the door, late afternoon has been keeping the surprise of your dog running away. And not just running away and not coming back, running away, rolling in cat excrement and then coming back. (Not sure which is worse). Late afternoon also held a hosing down your cat-poop-cover dog when you're already late. You know, just one of those days. 

Where's Waldos?

I have to say, as excited as I was about Fall Festival, the rest of my day sure tried to get in the way. It caused me worry that people wouldn't come because of the rain. It caused me to worry that it might not be as much fun without the bounce house. It caused me to think that some how my crazy mixed up day would mess up God's plans to show up. As I was driving in between taking my baby to the doctor or trying to get back to church to work on the things I left to take him, I prayed that God would surprise me, that God would prove me wrong. I can't say that I had a lot of faith that God would actually do that though. But God's pretty good at proving me wrong.

Egg and Bacon, mmm

As I walked from my car to the church (about and hour later than I had hoped to be there) I saw a couple other families walking there too. I didn't know any of them, I was a little surprised. I came down to a completely packed Heritage Hall full of people I did and didn't know. We had to open up the Wesley Center and I was a little more surprised. Thinking that everyone was inside waiting for Trunk or Treat to start, I was surprised when the crew asked me to go see how many more people were outside (we were running out of hotdogs). When I went outside I was even more surprised to see that the parking lot was full of families already trunk or treating! We wouldn't have even all fit in Heritage Hall AND Wesley Center. (I ran to get more hotdogs :)) We had just as great of a turn out as last year if not better. Just like last year, there was this energy, this excitement about what was going, about the neighbors we were meeting and the fun we were having. I have my thoughts about what was really going on (HERE), but the heart of it was that God was real and active in our midst and we were participating in God's work. 

Elmo participating in God's work

As much as I love the night of Fall Festival, some of my most favorite parts are hearing the stories about what happened that night. Ways that God surprised us or touched our hearts or opened our eyes a little bit wider. 

             

Gene faithfully manned the parking lot, helping people find the correct parking, making sure that those who needed handicap parking got it and making sure kids were safe. At one point he told a driver where the parking lot we were using was and how to get to it from where he was trying to park. But the driver had already been there and told Gene that it was completely full, there were no more places to park there. 

Dia de los muertos trunk!

I also met a woman who had a fabulously decorated trunk, if you were there I bet you know the one. A member of our church introduced me to her and explained that she wasn't really connected to our church, but had seen the sign for trunk or treat, prepared her trunk and came over. We weren't even expecting her, but God brought her right into the middle of Fall Festival! I smile thinking too about the way that member treated her and celebrated her trunk and invited her to come be a part of what's going on at our church. 

There's a neighborhood family that I met last year at Fall Festival and I've seen them around a couple times since then. The first time that we met they were a little hesitant and unsure about me (can you blame them?) and the church. Since then they've come over to support Gigi's lemonade stand, chatted with me and even asked about LifeTree. So tonight they came right on over in costume, knew that this was a safe place and that they knew someone right away. I'm so thankful just to witness stuff like that. 

So what are your stories from Fall Festival? Did you have a crappy day like me that got turned around? Did you expect God to show up like God did?

Check out all the great photos HERE!

Jen Hibben, Associate Pastor