Progressive 30 Hour Ski To Jerusalem

yeah, it's been a while, so allow me to catch y'all up with us...

It's been a busy month. Besides Hannah and my birthday, Valentine's Day, and a visit to the dentist, our weekends have been packed! The Sr High Progressive Dinner was the 12th, and we had way more kids than the rigs could hold, so multiple trips were involved. Good food, good comradiere, but no message... should've tied in to 30 Hour Famine*.
Over President's Day weekend, Diane, Michaela, and I went with 33 others to SunRiver for the Entheos Ski Trip. Much fun, Diane and I were the cooks for the trip, but none of our fam' actually skiied (how the heck do you spell that?). Lauren and Paul gave the devotions for the trip, and that was cool. Grace and Mike took care of music, so I didn't even play! The boys had a lot of time to hot tub, and found assorted beer bottles and missing women's clothing by it. Much fun, very tiring...I could retire to Bend.
Next weekend I was part of World Vision's *30 Hour Famine, where 90 of the Jr & Sr Highers fasted for 30 hours, raising over $10,000 for Africa Hunger Relief! We went to a city-wide rally over at Beaverton Christian where the band Freedom Song rocked, and one of our kids (Andre) got noted for raising $1000 all by himself (and his mom)! We got back to LGPC and played Underground Church for an hour, then had a candlelight devotion time in the courtyard. Very powerful...and horrifying...we blew out our candles every 3 seconds, to represent a child under 5 dying of hunger. Then we went to bed. The next day was devoted to a canned food drive for the Oregon Food Band, so we went door to door getting as much as we could on our empty stomachs. The kids also donated $ to stock the food closet at the church, for local needs (which does happen in Lake Oswego!). We made them watch Charlie & The Chocolate Factory after that, which of course caused a lot of whining about being hungry...meanwhile, Kathleen & I actually cooked the dinner, which of course caused me whining about being hungry! Before dinner, we got to shave Pastor Graig's head since we had raised over $10,000, and then he gave us communion to break the fast. I really hope that the weekend stays in the kids' mind, and the point helps them as they look at their own lives. I hope that it stays with me too.
Diane, Michaela, Hannah, and I went to the Walk To Jerusalem dinner last night, where we were served authentic Egyptian food and celebrated walking over halfway to Jerusalem. I turned in about 60 miles so far, and Hannah turned in 56! We haven't figured out Michaela's yet, or turned in Diane's either. But it was fun, and the main course (Kosheri) was great! I ate too much...and after fasting too! Angry stomach last night, I tell you.

Well, that's about it for the last week or 2. March brings new and exciting things, like St. Patrick's Day, commemorating the day I asked Diane to marry me, and Tony & Tara's wedding in Spokane! I'm to be the best man for that! Pictures to follow, I'm sure.