SX26 DAY FIVE

And here we are on the last day.  It's been epic, and it's been easily one of the smoothest we've ever had.  I think one of the things that really helped was factoring in some extra time for cushioning and to allow us to really soak in worship in the services.  This was huge.  

Maddie's been taking pictures all week long, all so good and so much quality.  She went out there to the outside area here at the church, the parking lot where we always have the waterslides and squirt guns on Fridays, and sure enough, there was the Fire Department coming again with the big truck, spraying hoses filled with water sky high, raining down on the spinning kids that danced about in the rain.  It's Water Day, a long-standing traditional day where everyone gets wet.

I was working on getting those group photos ready for everyone this year, and that came out really well this year.  I created these framed, and was running down to the drug store to get some of the prints, along with others who were making the trip too. We got them all done, all of them, and they looked great.

Today's service wrapped up so much, the skit was huge as everyone celebrated Nerdo as he winner.  Josh's animated movie ended with thunderous applause - it was so good.  Worship went on and on, and no one wanted it to stop.  The winner of Tribes was announced:  the Sabretooth Tribe won it all this week, a surprise moment for those second graders.  I was out there in a giant inflatable tiger costume that made me look more like Tony the Tiger, but it was still a lot of fun - all the mascots were out there jumping around:  tiger, shark, raptor, rhino, and hawk.  Funny costumes!  

The end of the day was a frantic rush to get everything all packed up and restored so we could have service on Sunday.  Everyone worked together so well that it didn't take long at all!   

Here's the surprise:  our baseball friend gave us four free tickets to the Braves game tomorrow, with free parking and some vouchers for $40 in food.  Yep, that's what we're doing tomorrow!

In the meantime, we got home in time for... you guessed it... the next Braves game.  It's the first after the All-Star Break, and the Braves won 15-1 against the Texas Rangers.  Really amusing was the position player for the Rangers that came out, because we had a relief pitcher at the plate, batting.  And get this:  he got a hit and two RBIs!  Crazy game.  

But yes, we were tired of course.  We read tonight, and we got to sleep - easy to do tonight!

SX26 DAY FOUR

We had another fun day today, and this time I was desperate to go over and have fun too - we were at Stars and Strikes.  Sure enough, I got there in time to join the others in a round of bowling.  Maddie was there too, having already down some bowling but up for another round when she was bowling with the pastors and interns - and me too.  Hilariously, we were all awful.  Except Maddie!  She was actually in second place to the only guy with us who knew how to bowl. 

It was a really great day - a shorter service, one focused on worship.  These have been the greatest, most comfortable services.  Timing has been perfect - and even the car pick-up line has been a smooth and easy process, despite the fact that we've had more cars than we've ever had before.

One more huge moment today.  Our friend on stage owns a car dealership, and actually knows a Braves player... and there's this hockey jersey that Mom really wanted that came out earlier this year.  Well, I talked to that friend, and not only did Mom get that hockey jersey, but she got one signed by Drake Baldwin, who wrote "To Zena" on it.  I was so happy to surprise Mom with that when I got home - she loves that jersey so much!  She put it on immediately and wore it around the house for a while, just thrilled with this gift!

It's been a good day.  We've only got one more to go, and it seems to go by so quick.  So much work, so much effort, so many late nights and stress to set it all up, and here we are, nearly wishing that wouldn't it be great to have just one more week of it?  I know the kids are thinking that, because many don't want it to end.  Don't credit us for that, but instead credit our Heavenly Father, who has made each and every service an unforgettable, impactful moment.

Today we did our reading, and then after that... prayers and ... zzzz.....

SX26 DAY THREE

 Early to rise!  Free coffee from Meadowlark Coffee is a great thing though, with all the volunteers filling up at a mobile truck outside, giving everyone free coffee and tea.  Mom and I had some chai, and Maddie got something as well of course, given that she is a coffee fiend too!  

It's been a great week.  Today we were back to the normal schedule with a fantastic full service in the morning.  The games continue, and so do the cream pies!  The skits have been really fun, with lots of enthusiastic cheers or groans - two cast members have been voted off the island so far.  The messages have been spot on, and the worship has been really wonderful, extended and just perfect this week because there's no huge rush so that kids could spend quality time in worship.  

The one thing I haven't talked about is this video Josh has created, an animated project he's been working on since 2018.  That's when Pastor Lance and myself recorded some voices for this, along with several others.  He was working on it leading up to 2019's Summer Xtreme, building a lot of characters and getting so much done... but it was clear he couldn't get it done in time.  We pivoted and did something else that was huge, huge fun - it was Maddie's last Summer Xtreme, and it was completely epic in that it brought back all these other characters from previous Summer Xtremes. 

But that other project has been sitting there, all the files and work waiting to get completed.  Josh picked up where he left off about seven months ago, or probably eight.  Whatever it is, he's been working on it ever since, and finally this Summer Xtreme, here it was.  It's been received with cheers and just absolute adoration.  It's been epic, and it's been really ministering to these kids too.

Today's destination was Urban Air, and that was really fun for the kids, a trampoline park.  They had a blast, and that ended the day with some tired kids.  Still, you've got two more days to go, kiddos!  Just a cool note:  the weather in the afternoon has been dark and sometimes a bit of rain, the clouds overhead creating a shadow for us as we walked amongst the cars for pick-up.  God is so good, taking care of us - only one day this week has the sun been out during the pick-up, and even then things changed as it was starting to wrap up.  It's just so hot outside, and that sun is pretty harsh... but we were shielded this week during pick-up.

Maddie has been just brilliant with these pictures, providing parents with a glimpse of all the fun that the younger kids are having.  And no one can do the worship pictures like Maddie can at KidPak.  She's been uploading these, and everyone's been thrilled to see all the quality.

We got home tonight, pretty zonked of course.  No game tonight, no baseball!  But there's a baseball related surprise coming soon.  We read tonight, and we said our prayers - time for some sleep!

SX26 DAY TWO

 Tuesday!  It was another solid service today, although a big backwards on the schedule.  We did the service in the afternoon to allow us to head over to the aquatic center in the morning hours.  The weather looked dark and threatening, but it all worked out well enough.  Still, we're probably not ever going back to again.  Frances Meadows Aquatic Center has just been one of those places that isn't that easy to work with.  But the kids were having a great time today, and it was a great service.  

Maddie was taking pictures all day, enjoying the fun too.  She was down the hall with the youngsters, and then with the older kids, and she's doing such a great, great job that's been really needed.  

Tonight, I was super tired - but Mom wanted to watch the All-Star Game, so I did the quick trial of a channel to get it free for the night, and sure enough, we watched as the National League team failed to produce enough offense to get a single run - such was the pitching of the American League this year.  We cheered for our Braves - Iggy got a perfect inning in relief, although our Braves failed to get any hits, just like much of the other National League players.  Still, it was fun to watch the entire thing with all the pomp and ceremony at the front.  The microphones on players during the game were annoying, although it was fun listening to a pitcher and catcher talk with one another about what pitches they'd try out in real time as they were trying to get players to strike out.

Anyway, it was a good day.  We read tonight, said our prayers, and got some sleep so we can all get up early and do it all over again.

SX26 DAY ONE

Before we talk about Summer Xtreme, today was - by some pretty crazy timing - an actual testing day for Maddie at taekwondo.  True story!  Unfortunately, some printer problems caused me to be late and I couldn't get there to see her testing.  It wasn't as big of a deal for her, as this was just one of those in-between testings for many of the students, part of the massive ladder they climb rung by rung, year after year, moving towards that big next belt testing.  Nevertheless, Maddie was adamant about getting there, which she did.  And she did very well.  Our friends there took some pictures, and even a video of Maddie's testing.

So it's Summer Xtreme season, and Maddie spent the day taking a lot of great pictures for KidPak, although not at the various destinations we're going to this week.  Her big assignment was taking pictures for the younger kids, and then what she could in the older kids' area too.  She did so well there.  We'll share some pictures of the event - some of the ones she took - below.  Today's service featured a skit we retooled from 2013's Summer Xtreme, and it worked out really well, a sort of Willy Wonka skit where there are various tests throughout the week, each one eliminating a cast member.  That works because some of the cast members are so busy multi-tasking and doing other things.  

The worship this week has been intense, possibly the strongest services we've had at Summer Xtreme in a decade.  The games are super fun too, big and messy as always.  The Raptors famously won in 2019, as it came down to a Raptor vs. Shark contest at the very end, with the Raptors coming on top, finally giving Maddie's grade a victory in Summer Xtreme.  This year, the contest was a little less about two teams, but rather five of them in close competition throughout the week.  

Today's destination was the movie theater, and they just weren't as ready for the numbers of us that came.  The end result was a lot of us - myself included - getting to go behind the counter and act as movie theater employees!  I was making cardboard snack pack boxes, putting the plastic in, the gummies, pouring drinks, scooping popcorn, and just moving super fast to get 480 of these snack packs ready.  Fortunately, we saw the movie a few weeks ago, so I'm good there.  I spend most of the week making handouts for volunteers, and then for parents in the carline, the printouts featuring pictures of their kids that day.  Fast turnaround!

Day one was great. We said our prayers at the end of the day, and even spent some time reading.  But yes, it's time to get some rest.

Back to the Incredibles

 

We were "At the Movies" this morning at KidPak again.  It was somewhat of a Pixar themed day, as out there to greet were Jessie, Bo Peep, Woody, and some little sheep too.  Oh, and some popcorn! 

Maddie was snapping pictures, and even following them down to the pre-school where the characters were greeting the little ones too.

As I mentioned, it was somewhat of a Pixar themed day, and here I am, preaching today, using the movie "The Incredibles" as our movie of the day. We showed them some clips from this movie as we spoke about a few points from this epic movie.    This is the flow, or general outline of what I was going with.  It came out kind of close to this!

KidPak Adventures: At the Movies

“The Incredibles”

 

CUE TRACK 1:  THE INCREDIBLES

 

CUE SLIDE:  AT THE MOVIES

 

HOST:  “Welcome to back to the movies!  Everyone loves superheroes.  Each summer, these superhero movies make so much money because just about everyone goes to see them.  But there was one superhero movie a few years ago that was pretty awesome.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “THE INCREDIBLES”

 

HOST:  “Anyone seen ‘The Incredibles?’  This movie they’re in is just that: incredible.  One reason is all the action in it, and the superpowers, and the crazy villain.  But another reason would be the lessons we can learn from this movie, starting with this one super hero dad.”

 

CUE SLIDE: “BOB PAR”

 

HOST:  “Meet Bob Parr.  Of course, he doesn’t quite look like a superhero, does he?  But that’s just it.  You know, a lot of your daddies out there really are heroes.  Here’s the truth:  they sacrifice so much for you.  They could be out having fun, but a lot of work – some of them at jobs they don’t enjoy so much – and they do it all… for you.”

 

HOST: “Here’s a clip that sort of shows the kind of day your dad can have.  It’s pretty dull – and it’s pretty ugly.”

 

CUE CLIP 1:

11:46 (start) 

13:32 (end) 

 

CUE SLIDE: “BOB PAR vs. GILBERT HUPH”

 

HOST:  “He’s helping people, and he’s stuck in a job he definitely doesn’t want.  Things aren’t going his way, and that’s where the struggle is.  You think it’s a battle when you go up against super villains like Magneto, Loki, or General Zod?  No – the real fight is every day life.”

CUE SLIDE:  “INCREDIBLES”

HOST:  “He’s trying to find happiness and he’s miserable and suddenly a mysterious stranger appears in his life, offering a chance at adventure.  He’s supposed to keep the fact that he’s a super hero secret, otherwise he’s putting his family in great danger.  Now, inside he knows he shouldn’t do it, and he knows his wife will be pretty unhappy about it.  Oh, what to do?”

HOST:  “You see, every day there is a battle – and we battle not against flesh and blood.  It’s a battle we fight with temptation.  The best choice is to be like Dash in this movie.”

 

CUE SLIDE: “DASH”

 

HOST:  “What did he do?  He ran.  He ran so fast away from those bad guys that they couldn’t catch up with him.  And that’s exactly what the Bible tells us to do when temptation comes calling.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “BOB PARR”

 

HOST:  “Unfortunately, that’s not what Bob Parr does.  He’s struggling, and falls into temptation – doing something he knows he shouldn’t be doing.  Even worse, he hides it from his family.  He’s not supposed to be going off on dangerous assignments to be a superhero – no, he’s supposed to be staying with his family.  Here’s one of the traps of the enemy right here:  sometimes when we’re struggling with sin, we don’t get help.  We just hide it.”

 

HOST: “Bob Parr lost his job, and is sneaking off into danger.  Do you think he’s going to tell his family the truth about it?”

 

Let audience answer.

 

HOST:  “Let’s find out.”

 

CUE CLIP 2:

33:59 (start) 

34:47 (end) 

 

CUE SLIDE: “BOB and HELEN”

 

HOST:  “He lied to her.  And now Bob has fallen into a pretty big trap.  Let me tell you something:  if you’re doing something you know you shouldn’t, God sees it.  Let’s look at point one.”

CUE SLIDE:  “POINT ONE:  IT’S ALL A MIRAGE.”

 

HOST:  “It’s all a mirage.  ‘Mirage’ was the name of the character that came in with temptation.  And it’s a perfect name, because a mirage is a trick.  That’s what sin is.  You see, you’re being fooled if you don’t think you’ll get caught.   The Bible puts it this way.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “PROVERBS 28:13 NIRV”

 

HOST:  “Anyone who hides their sins doesn’t succeed.  But anyone who admits their sins and gives them up finds mercy.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “THE PARRS IN TROUBLE”

 

HOST: “He was doing something he knew he shouldn’t.  Not only did it get him in trouble – it brought his entire family into great danger.  That’s just the way sin works – whenever you do something that isn’t pleasing to God, it doesn’t just affect you alone.  It’ll affect other people to, whether you realize it or not.  Sometimes it will put those closest to you – the ones who love you very much – in a bad situation where they can get hurt.  That’s why it’s best to stay away from sin altogether.”

CUE SLIDE:  “INCREDIBLES ON THE RUN”

HOST: “Fortunately, they’re able to get free – thanks to their daughter Violet.  And now it’s up to them to stop a giant robot monster from completely destroying the city.  But right there before going off to battle, we hear something very important.”

 

CUE CLIP 3:

1:36:10 (start) 

1:37:04 (end) 

 

CUE SLIDE: “NOT STRONG ENOUGH”

 

HOST:  “Mr. Incredible admits something – he confesses something that we all need to confess.  He tells his family that he’s not strong enough to do it on his own.”

 

HOST: “Of course, on one level they’re talking about battling a giant robot.  But the message underneath all of this is about the problems he’s been having.  He’s this huge strong guy – but he’s not strong enough to deal with them on his own.”

 

HOST: “ That’s something we have to admit ourselves.  We can’t go through life on our own – we don’t have that kind of strength.  We need God.  We need each other.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “NOMANISAN ISLAND”

 

HOST: “The island where much of the action takes place is called ‘Nomanisan Island.’  It’s a play on words:  there’s an old expression that goes like this:  ‘No man is an island.’ And that’s our second point.”

 

 CUE SLIDE:  “POINT TWO:  NO MAN IS AN ISLAND.”

 

HOST: “What that means is just what Mrs. Incredible was trying to tell him:  no one is strong enough to do it all alone.  We’re not out there all alone.  We’re supposed to connect with one another.  Listen to this scripture from Ecclesiastes.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “ECCLESIASTES 4:9-10”

 

HOST:  “Two people are better than one.  They can help each other in everything they do.  Suppose either of them falls down.  Then the one can help the other one up.  But suppose a person falls down and doesn’t have anyone to help them up.  Then feel sorry for that person!”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “INCREDIBLES TOGETHER”

 

HOST:  “That’s just the way God made us – we need each other, and we’re designed to work together through thick and thin, helping each other overcome and win the battle.  And in this next scene – that’s just what happens.”

 

CUE VIDEO CLIP THREE: (1:37:00 – 1:41:36)

 

CUE CLIP 4:

1:37:00 (start) 

1:41:36 (end) 

 

CUE SLIDE: “The Incredibles”

 

HOST: “Pretty cool, huh?  By using a whole lot of teamwork, they were able to take down something no one could do alone.  And though we’ll probably never face a ginormous omnidriod, each and every one of us will face things in life that we cannot face on our own.  In the Bible, God tells us this:”

CUE SLIDE:  “2 Corinthians 12:9”

 

HOST:  “My grace is all you need.  My power is strongest when you are weak.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “The Incredibles”

 

HOST:  “Mr. Incredible is strong – no one is as strong as God.  And when we ask for help and admit our weaknesses to Him, look out!  He’ll come in to the rescue with strength and power.”

 

CUE SLIDE: “ EDNA MODE”

 

HOST:  “In the movie, Edna Mode told them how to do it.  And it’s our third point.  This is what she said.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “POINT THREE:  Go, confront the problem.  Fight.  Win!”

 

HOST: “Go, confront the problem.  Fight.  Win!  Don’t be blind to what you have around you.  For better or for worse, you don’t have to do this alone.  Sure, you’re not strong enough.  But if we work together, we don’t have to be.  A family that fights together… wins together.  Let’s look at one last scripture today.”

 

CUE SLIDE:  “HEBREWS 10:24”

 

HOST: “Let us consider how we can stir up one another to love.  Let us help one another to do good works.”

 

CUE SLIDE: “INCREDIBLES LOGO”

 

HOST:  “On our own, none of us are strong enough.  We all face temptations and we all face struggles and we all face troubles that want to take us down.   But we confront any problem, fight, and win when we work together.  When we stir each other up to love, and help one another to do good works… that’s when things become pretty super.”  

HOST:  “And that, my friends, is pretty incredible.  Let us pray.”

************

Afterwards, it was time for Summer Xtreme!  We had our parent meeting first, as always, and that was quick.  Afterwards, it was time to get ready for the games and fun and all of it... Maddie was out there helping paint boxes and decorate the hallways.  We have teams of people everyone, interns and youth working hard to get things all prepared!

Oh yeah, and there's Mom with some other props that will be used in one of the message.  She's been on top of all of it, getting props and costumes together.  She's a huge deal at Summer Xtreme, getting it all together behind the scenes.  

We got home eventually, and yes, we watched "The Incredibles."  After that, we caught the Braves game, where the Braves ended the first half with a much-needed win against St. Louis. 

Tomorrow we get started with Summer Xtreme!  We need to get some rest.  We read some more from "Unseen Academicals" and then said our prayers - and now it's time to sleep!

The Saturday Before Summer Xtreme

This morning we had our Summer Xtreme Volunteer Meeting, and this is pretty much the first big event of Summer Xtreme week.  It went well, of course always helped out by the fact that there's free breakfast!

Mom was with us, and today we were doing a lot of setting up for tomorrow and for Summer Xtreme of course.  Maddie and I went over to get some Chinese food from Wang's, something we've been doing a lot lately!

We did a lot of work at the office today.  A lot.  There's so much to do lately, so much going on.  But we accomplished a good bit of it and the feeling is that Summer Xtreme will be okay.  

After a lot of effort today, we spent the rest of the day at the house.  I was on the treadmill watching an old Free Chapel message from 1998, and look at this:

That's Mom and I, standing to our feet at one point.  So long ago!  That's 28 years ago, right?  Yeah, wow.  Anyway, it was a full day here - we're moving forward towards Summer Xtreme, and it'll be a great week.  

We read tonight, and we said our prayers.  Time to get some rest!