So this weekend was Sharefest, where our church "leaves the building" and goes out and serves all over the county/city. We had several projects @ local schools, organizations, nursing homes,cemetary, homes that needed repair, children's home, and many more. I have loved this ever since I heard about my "home church" growing up doing it many years ago, where you come together to serve and love on the community you live in. We don't do it for notarity or to try and get them to go to "our" church, we just do it because we love God and therefore love them and want to help. We had the honor of going to a local elementary school where many projects took place, there was landscaping and planting going on all over the school, a courtyard that was cleaned up, washed over with a power sprayer, and given a facelife with some new umbrellas, some beautiful plants and fresh paint on doors and the gym. We put phrases picked out by the school on their windows, a painted a USA map out on there concrete behind the school for teaching purposes and to have fun. We had people there to cook food for all those serving and those being served. It was amazing! The staff at Christie was so supportive and many came and helped out with the work. There was much more done there than just projects, it was a way to look at a people group doing sooooo much to love and teach our kids, and say HEY we notice..we see it..we appreciate it...we appreciate you for how you serve our community...we love you...and showing it through the work of our hands and feet was how we did. What a blessing it was, and this multiplied by so many projects over the city. I for one can't wait to hear all the stories out of "one day", I know those who served were blessed just as much if not more than those serving. I love the people of Ethiopia, of Haiti, and those all over the world, but it feels good to "love where you live" God places each of us where we are for a reason. I know I need to get out more and love on those around me. It's such a beautiful picture of the body of Christ, coming together to take care of each other. Looking forward to going out and serving again.