How Time Flies When You're Having Fun!

     It *has* been awhile since you've heard from me, hasn't it? I kinda wonder if anyone notices. I secretly hope so! ;-D  Let's get down to business, what HAVE I been doing? The photo above? Costumes from Zoophony, the musical that was written and directed by the infamous Cathi Miller and performed by the insanely talented kids at Achiever Christian Elementary School. I have been volunteering with the Performing Arts Program and on Friday night, all their hard work paid off. The musical was uhhhhhhhhmazing!

     This is just a small section of the kids who were on stage for the opening number *and* the finale'! Each grade (1st - 5th) sang 2-3 songs during the show which weaved in beautifully as the story unfolded. I couldn't have been more proud of the kids or more impressed with Cathi's gifts and talents. God used it all for His glory on Friday night! Can I get an Amen?
     What else have I been doing? Well, we had a lov-er-ly time celebrating Mother's Day. My niece Melissa and I started it off by taking my mom to a very fancy breakfast at McDonald's. Yes, McDonald's. We are both on a rather "tight" budget, what can I say? LOL. Then we did a little "75% Off Easter Treats" shopping at Michael's, Rite Aid and then a quick trip to the grocery store! After that, everyone met up at my mom's house where we enjoyed dinner and each other's company! Here are a few pics from the day:

Ummm, I didn't really BUY my mom this card ... I just showed it to her and said "Pretend I bought this for you, okay?" Of course, she played along. 

     I also volunteered with my friends at Yahoo! on their annual Rebuilding Together Event. We transformed this house in Sunnyvale by doing a "mini-makeover" for a dear woman named Helen. I was exhausted at the end of the day, but it was so rewarding to see what a bunch of caring people can do to make a difference. 

This is Helen the Homeowner. Someone even quilted a new bedspread and pillow shams for her! 

This is me working my butt off and telling other people what to do! LOL. Surprised? I didn't think so. Hee Hee. 

     I also volunteered at Westgate Church this past Sunday. Beautiful Day started ten years ago when someone asked this question: Would the community miss Westgate Church if it burned down? Ten years ago, the answer was sadly, "No!" But not anymore! Beautiful Day is an opportunity for people at Westgate (and surrounding churches) to serve their community and show God's love in a practical way. No preaching. No pamphlets. Nothin' but lotsa love and hard work! 
     I was part of the InnVision Project. InnVision is an organization dedicated to empowering homeless families & individuals. They do this by offering various levels of housing and day programs in a safe and supportive environment that promotes self-worth and independent living! Their small kitchen serves up to 1500 meals per day. Wow. 

     What exactly did *I* do? Well, I washed lots and lots of dishes as well as some super dirty storage crates for almost two hours and then I worked outside planting flowers and covering lots of ground with loads of tan bark! After that, I gave all the fresh plantings a drink of cool water! They were sooooo thirsty!

There were about 50,000 boxes just like this one that I helped plant. Okay, maybe not 50,000 but at least 30! LOL. 

     Two guys at Westgate painted this on one of the walls just outside the dining area! It really WAS a Beautiful Day! We didn't have our church services in a building on Saturday or Sunday ... we held "church" in our communities! Way to go, God! 

     So, as you can see - I have not been sitting around on the sofa snacking on bon-bons! I've been a busy girl. Oh, and the job situation? I'm still waiting. I should have an answer at the beginning of next week. If you think about it, I'd appreciate your prayers. Until the next time, TTFN!