Labor Day

We had a big small group Labor Day party at Steph and Justin's Sunday afternoon.  Our (big) small group is about to split into (small) small groups (which is encouraging for our church but sad for us) starting next week so we had a big last hurrah to hang out.  Of course we are all great friends and are already planning a joint small group worship time every six weeks but still we needed a hurrah!

Almost all the kids and plenty of grownups hung out on the double inflatable slip n' slide ALL afternoon.  Seriously for like 4 hours straight.  They had a blast running, sliding, wrestling and acting like kids.

The rest of us watched the crazy sliders and hung out talking and laughing and (for me) enjoying adult company and conversation. 

I absolutely LOVE the people God has placed around me. 

 LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE THEM!

pictures on the square

Two weekends ago Zach had been hired by some friends to be the photographer at their 20 year reunion.  For the occasion he rented a really nice lens so we took advantage of the situation and did our family pictures as well.  When your husband is the photographer it is necessary to have a helper so that he can actually BE in some of the pictures.

  Leslie has been our helper almost every time but she was unavailable so a younger girl from our church helped out.  She is a budding photographer and very talented.  She is also just an awesome human being.  Another awesome human being is her younger sister who came along and watched and helped wrangle the Logi Bear.  He needs wrangling!

We took all the pictures on the Covington Square and then rewarded the group with ice cream at scoops.  I was so excited about how the pictures turned out!

sky lanterns

As Grace and Donovan were leaving their wedding, they were supposed to be surrounded by family and friends watching dozens of Japanese Sky Lanterns float off into the sky.  However it was raining, and they wouldn't have worked so we were all instructed to take ours home, let them go and instagram the results.

It was a good thing we took two.

On try number 1 we were trying to be super careful not to tear it because there was a BOLD warning that IF YOU TEAR THIS YOU WILL DIE!  So not really that was just a nod to a past vacation with friends.  Seriously though it said it wouldn't work if it gone torn so we were being delicate.  I held it while Zach lit it and we waited for what we thought was the puffing up stage and let go.  It immediately fell to the street and burst into flames.  Zach has it on video and it's quite funny.  The boys also had a great time with their mini campfire.

So try number two.

We fluffed it first, think the action you do with the garbage bag when you first take it off the roll, then lit and waited.  This time it actually puffed up like really puffed up and when Zach let it go, lo and behold it floated up up and away.  It was a beautiful sight to watch.  

And that was not the end of the story...

Written by Rebekah on Grace's facebook with a note that said she saw this the same night we posted pictures of letting our lantern go...Ok so a family friend of ours posted this photo a couple of days ago with the following comment about her love who passed away from cancer a couple of years ago. Loved both of them dearly and I thought it was so awesome that something associated with the beginning of two sweet friends marriage (most likely I guess since there's no way to know for sure where it came from) was such a comfort for her on a hard day. 

Original post by her friend...Had an absolutely horrible day today - spent much of the day in tears, really missing my love, and his calming spirit. Tonight, as I'm standing at my kitchen sink, I see something floating down through the air - and, I was positive that the car that had just driven by had thrown a bag of trash into my yard. So, outside I go to get the trash bag, but, instead of a bag of trash, I find - a Japanese sky lantern, just like the ones that my family and I sent up to heaven a while back - and of course, mine was going to my love! I absolutely think he sent it back to me today to let me know that everything was going to be okay - that he is still here, holding my hand - always.

So Yes there might be some theological/doctrinal/whatever the right word is misses in her statement, but you can not miss the amazingly beautiful plans of our creator.  It makes me smile whenever I think about it and makes me so thankful that my God is not only loving but creative as well.  I haven't spoken to the lovely bride and groom to see if they were upset with the change of plans that the rain brought. There's a good chance there was some disappointment in their hearts and maybe a little frustration in the heart of the father who paid for all the lanterns :)  However, this is a perfect and sweet and tangible representation of Romans 8:28.  All things, rain, sky lanterns, crash and burns, second tries, work together for Good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  In a little cul de sac in a little town in Georgia a family of five let a lantern in the sky and God took it, directed it and placed it on the yard of a person who needed a glimpse of the Hope He brings.  I pray she knows where her Hope comes from and I pray that that is not the only time she sees Gods hand in her life drawing her closer to Him.