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| SummerFest '08 |
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It is the event we pray and plan for almost all year long. It is the biggest single outreach event our church does all year. We invest hundreds of dollars in being a part of this community festival. This year's festival was the largest ever. This was our 7th appearance at the festival and perhaps the hottest! It was 90+ degrees with very high humidity all weekend.
For months, I have been eagerly awaiting this opportunity to hand out tracts to hundreds of people and share the Gospel with dozens of people. This year, sadly, I watched from the sidelines. For three days before the event, I had a "flu-like" bug. That left me asleep for most of those three day and a bit dehydrated. By Friday morning, I was feeling more myself, which was good because that was the day the festival started. From 11 AM - 4 PM I was out in the sun and heat working hard to get our booth set up and ready to go. Due to still dealing with tendonitis in my knee, I wasn't able to walk in the parade and hand out tracts - I sat in the back of a pick-up and tossed candy. By the time we got back to the booth after the parade, I could tell I just wasn't feeling quite right, but I wasn't sure why. We packed up and left just after 10 PM.
The next morning started with a rush to get back to the festival by 8:30 AM to wait for th delivery and set up of the inflatbale bounce house. This was tough because I had a horrible headache, I was very achey all over, and amazingly tired. Once more workers came, I ran home to grab lunch. I came back at noon and set to work at the booth. I had a couple conversations with people, but quickly noticed how bad I felt - headache, the tiredness growing stronger, and I just didn't have it in me to do anything. What was wrong with me? Every year, I "live for" this weekend! I would have been happy to just go home. The day went on and it got hotter and I kept feeling worse. On top of all that, my tendonitis was acting up. Well, "relief" came around 7 PM with a huge rain. As it was still raining by 8 PM, and I was feeling horrible, I just left the booth to the able hands of others and called it a night.
For Sunday, I had to force myself out of bed - feeling achey, a bit nauseated, and more tired than I have been in a very long time. I seriously thought I could fall asleep during my own sermon (I have to go back and listen to the CD because I can't remember 85% of what I said - I am really praying the Holy Spirit took over, otherwise it was a disaster!) I was planning to go straight to the festival to "make up" for wasting the last 2 days. After service, the elders spent time in prayer for a situation. When we were done, I tried to go down and interact with the congregation, but was overcome with how bad I felt. I went up to my office to just put my head on my desk. I was in such bad shape I couldn't even drive myself home from church, no less go to the festival. I went home, collapsed on the bed and really didn't get up until about 7 PM. After that, I was fading in and out on the couch. It would appear I had suffered heat exhaustion.
So, what good came out of all of this?
1) In the past, I have taken a primary role in handing out tracts and sharing the Gospel at this event. With my being sidelined, I was able to watch others rise up in their service to the Lord.
2) I am not the indestructable "He-Man" I used to try and be. I used to "beat my body and make it my slave" in order to serve Jesus. Deprive myself of sleep, try and do it all myself - whatever I needed to do. This year, I spent months recovering from a car accident, I am dealing with severe tendonitis in my left knee, I recently learned my blood pressure is up, and now the hear exhasution. Trying to be a superhero in my 20's was fine. I am on the fast track to 40. If I am to serve Jesus with everything I've got, I need to be wise. I can't do it all myself. I can't deprive myself of sleep night after night. I can't just grab a cheeseburger to go because I am in a hurry. I can't work hard for 11 hours in the heat without resting.
Lord, thank you for the hard lessons. |
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| As someone who has suffered heat exhaustion twice (heat stroke once), should have put 2 & 2 together. Yep, you think you have the flu, and as such tend to treat for that, and don't even think of to treat for the heat exhaustion. Temp's and humidity are coming down now, so hope you're feeling better. |
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Thank you. I am feeling about 80% right now. As long as I am sitting down working or just taking it easy, I am feeling pretty good. But, with me (still learning to slow down), once I start feeling good, I want to start going "all-out" and I get very weak again.
Thanks for all the help you provided at SummerFest! |
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Well, I am sorry to hear that you still weren't feeling well, and got worse to boot! But as you said, I do think it was the Lord letting you know to slow somethings down, delegate others, and modify yet others. I hope the festival went well nonetheless and some souls were reached! I know my family had fun on Friday! |
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Good to hear that you're feeling better. And I hope you do take it easy even though that is hard. My mom can tell you that for sure.
Summerfest is so much fun to do each year, and knowing that we are most likely touching some peoples lives for Christ make it so much more enjoyable to do!
Now we just have to have more people bring candy for the parade next year, and all is well.lol |
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Thanks guys!
Yes, I think our goal for next year is to completely fill the back of the white truck with Dum-Dums. DON'T SAY IT! ("But you were in the back of the truck!").
Next year's parade = 5,000 pieces of candy and 3,000 tracts?? |
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| Haha that's alot of candy, but at the rate it goes that sounds about right..... |
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| Danielle told me she was shocked at the amount of candy that was gone through. |
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| It's like feeding a swarm of big mouth carp! Although, I did notice how ineffeicient we are with the candy. Four different people will throw a whole handful of candy to the same kid. No wonder we run out so fast! |
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