Epic Palm Sunday

Rebels lounging about before they take action!  I love this picture in between services, all our Hoth Rebels taking a rest together on these couches and chairs all lined up.  Today's service at KidPak was a bigger role for Madison and the other two younger actors she's keeping company with.  They knew their lines very well, and all of them did a great job on stage, super solid!  Also, with this service we feature a new actress, the one we were costuming for yesterday.  Here she is, looking ready as a bounty hunter, or whatever mysterious purpose she has here on the planet Hoth.

It was a super long day, but one of those days that is just so rewarding.  Firstly, our service this morning was special.  Obviously, Madison's part on stage was fun, but on top of that the message itself was fantastic, about there being a bounty on our heads, and how that bounty has been paid.  

It was also Palm Sunday today, so we handed out the palms as we always do at KidPak, along with those handouts that show kids how to fold a palm cross.  We've been doing this for quite a few years, and of course that tradition goes back a long, long time - I remember doing that as a kid growing up and going to services at St. Anthony's.  Palms for everyone on Palm Sunday.

We got home and had a delicious meat loaf, although Madison opted for pizza.  It was a great meal, and a quick stopover at the house, because very soon afterwards, we were in for some more excitement.  It was FC United Night, and this was a big deal.

The youth from all the East Coast campuses joined together at one location in Gainesville for a large group gathering that was reminiscent of the time we spent at Forward.  In fact, our Forward Conference itself was once in this very sanctuary, and of course we were there for that as well back then, so this really had all those kinds of vibes.  It was an exciting night.

There were games on stage, all the different campuses competing against each other, and there was worship, and after that a message from Pastor Franklin himself to all the kids.  Madison joined so many others at the altar tonight, concluding a very moving and powerful service.  

Afterwards, there was somewhat of a dance party, along with free burgers and hot dogs.  The teens hung around and talked and danced and laughed and just had a great time together.  We didn't get home until around 9pm tonight.  It was that great of a night.  Madison loved it.

Tonight we read some more when we got home, but that was about it.  We're pretty zonked from the long day.  We said our prayers, and went to bed with smiles on our face because of such an epic day.