WEEKEND UPDATE (112110)

Well, it's deep into the late afternoon today and I'm just getting to this post.  Like everyone else, I've had a busy few days, but we did experience an exceptional weekend at Crossroads and I didn't want the day to comepletly evaporate before I got to share a few of the things I noticed on Sunday:

• TONS of first-time attenders!
• Worship was GREAT, especially in the second service.  LOVE the David Crowder song!
• Everyone really responded to our call for more groceries for Thursday's Thanksgiving feast!  Great job Crossroads!
• So excited for this week.  Can't wait to serve and eat BBQ with family, friends, and neighbors under the big tent!
• Had a great time sharing the message on Sunday.  We finished our series 'Fruitful' on Sunday.  This week was my favorite of the whole series.
• The Fruit of the Spirit isn't about coloring inside the lines and being "nice" to people.
• The Fruit of the Spirit is an amazing and powerful equipping of God that arms us to fight evil with LOVE!
• Faithfulness says, "I can count on you".
• Gentleness says, "I can learn from you".
• Self-Control says, "I can trust in you."
• My biggest take-away from Sunday's message?  We have to BEND to LEARN.
• So much POWER to live the kind of life God wants us to live is available to us.  But we only realize the power of God when we place ourselves under (and keep ourselves under) the authority of God.
• Leslie is WAY better at writing things (like blog posts) than I am.  If you haven't read her stuff, go HERE.
• Got to the Annex Saturday and one of the big front windows was smashed out.  "That'll be 460 bucks" say the glass people.  Rolling with it.  Here's the frustrating part, we're moving out of the Annex in nine days.  Timing is everything.

I'm not remotely discouraged by the window thing...or by much of anything, really.  I have WAY too much hope.  In fact, I have plenty of hope to share.  If you need some, call me, or better yet, come to the organizational meeting for our Thanksgiving Outreach tonight at 6:30 PM at the Annex.  And then be amazed on Thanksgiving Day when you see how much hope you get, when you share it with others!  Have a fantastic week.  No small groups this week.  No youth this week.  Lot's of opportunities to by thankful and to serve!

P.S. Don't forget, only ONE BIG SERVICE this coming Sunday at 10:30 AM.