Thursday Morning and Still Alive

I realize that I have to do some catching up. Sorry if you have been looking daily for updates and I haven't been there for you.

I will start with Tuesday afternoon when we hear through the grapevine that the Pauline Amend site is done. I couldn't believe it, and had to find out for myself. Indeed, it was true. They painted that whole house in a day and a half. They came over to Paula Schmidt's house and helped us paint it.

Actually that led to a little a problem. We had to have a small covenant meeting that night and remind everyone that we were all on ONE team and that one crew was not better than another because all sites are not created equal. It was pretty much amazing to see how the team has pulled together since that meeting.

Later that evening we received a call that one of the youth's grandpa had had a heart attack. This grandfather is who she lives with so, needless to say, she was very shook. We gathered the whole group back together and prayed around her and for her grandpa. (For those of you who have heard me say over and over that I don't believe in a God of chance, you might just re-read those two above paragraphs and note their proximity in time!)

Then there was Wednesday:
At Paula's we had to get the house painted down to the rooflines so we can start roofing the next day. Nobody was going to roof because it was just a half day of work, everyone was going to do nothing but paint. Will you believe that by 11 the painting was coming to an end. So, being one not to waste time, I quick redirected and we actually stripped half of the garage roof. So now we have almost completely painted two houses in two and a half days! Amazing!

Of course, we have all these bodies and we need to make sure we have work for them...anybody need a house painted?

What can I say about Wednesday at the beach? There is nothing like it. It is easily the high point of the week for so many reasons. This year was no exception. About half of the group participated in the plunge. Which were rewarded with a colder than average temperature. Then we proceeded to play some water football and keep away. (And we wonder why we're more tired on Thursday) The showers were out of commission so we all ended up showering in a sprinkler...with hot water coming out. It was the strangest thing, but very effective. Then I just have to tell you one humorous picture: the youth told me that Nate was down at the beach trying to catch seagulls and that I needed to come look. I look down to the waterfront and there I see Nate crouched down in the water with just his head sticking out, and his head has a bunch of seaweed draped over it. There are about 50 seagulls on the beach all looking at him and about three of them are swooping down at him. I am still laughing my head off! Then when it got to be sharing time I am once again amazed at the depth of the sharing, the bonding, the laughter, the tears, and the Christian fellowship. We had the normal "You're the greatest friends I've ever had" sharing, but we also had two youth share about their suicidal thoughts and cutting, a couple share about plans to become DCE's, and many just felt the warmth of God moving in our midst.

We actually are letting them sleep in an extra hour this morning, but that doesn't mean my brain didn't still go off at 5:30. (I am so looking forward to my Sunday afternoon nap!) But, alas, my time is up and it is now time to wake them all up and see what Thursday will bring us!

Serious Skills

The Servant Event is in full swing. We have a lot of youth here: 49! At times I wonder what I was thinking...

Lots of work, which probably doesn't surprise anyone. At times I wonder what I was thinking...

Our first work day brought several surprises. Some negative, like floors that were more rotten than we thought, plumbing that wasn't connected, broken elevators from the building supply center. But some positive surprises as well: the ramp site found all kinds of buried treasure as they dug their post holes (a plastic goose, a BB gun, silverware, a shirt, and many many more items!), great fellowship and a great group of youth and adults.

I'm sure we will rise to every challenge!

Keep us in your prayers, and I'll keep you posted.

Today It Begins...

Well, at a risk of not being understood by the teenage mind, my brain went off at 5:30 a.m. this morning. I fought it for a little while, but finally realized that there was no use fighting it, I might as well get up and start doing with my hands all the things my mind had been so busy at.

You see, today is the start of Fixin' Up The Thumb! Thirteenth annual no less.

Yesterday we had a tremendous day setting up, building a huge bunk bed (32' long, 4' high, sleeps 16), remodeling the youth room, and an hundred other things to get ready. This morning it looks good and ready for servants to show up!

I did get two phone calls from two different IL churches that are coming. One church has a replacement adult and the other had their church van break down on the trip. What is up with Illinois? (Just joking) Never fear they will still be able to make it, we just have to remember to be flexible!

Keep checking in here, and we'll keep you updated!

Fixin' Up The Thumb is Turning into a Teenager!

Thirteen. That will make us officially a teenager! Wow!

As we gear up for our thirteenth year, I am reminded off all of the youth that have come before. Many, many lives have been changed for the better. Here's a little flashback for you:

I'll give a prize to the first person who can correctly identify all of the people in this photo from our first Servant Event.

I'm just new to facebook, but when I got on facebook I found out that there is a Fixin' Up The Thumb group (complete with our logo!) there just for former participants to keep in touch with each other. If you're on facebook, check it out!

I know this year our own youth are looking forward to renewing friendships from other states, plus the making of so many new friends. Somehow in the midst of all this friendship we manage to accomplish a huge amount of work.

Here are some statistics from our first twelve years:

• We have worked on 62 different homes (some more than one time) in Tuscola County
• We have spent $71,404.53 on building materials (about 61% of our total budget)
• We've had eleven different staff members run our Servant Event
• 372 different people have attended our Servant Event. Many of them for multiple years. (what year are you on?)
• Our Servant Event has served 10,189 meals (not counting the cooks) at 85 cents a meal!
• LCMS World Relief, Thrivent, and Michigan Church Extension Fund have been some of our biggest supporters, but each year we have a huge list of donors that make this Servant Event possible without a penny being spent from our church budget!

AND HERE IS TO A GREAT THIRTEENTH YEAR!!!!!!!

Wednesday Unplugged

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted here on the blog. Not because nothing has been happening. Just life going by.

Today was our last Tuesday Morning Bible Study for the high schoolers and Thursday is their last day of school. That means that we are in full gear for the summer here at church. Along with some warmer days comes some hot ministry.

The Servant Event countdown clock says that today we have 19 days left till Fixin' Up the Thumb. You can check out our worksites on the youth page. And then during the Servant Event itself, check out this blog because we'll be updating it daily. Promise!

We are also starting up a new youth ministry this summer called Wednesday Unplugged. It's not exactly worship, not exactly Bible study, not just hanging out, but rather a whole lot of all the above. Check out all of the information on the youth page!