~HEATHER'S HIGHLIGHTS~: ~Strait Creek Church Vacation Bible School, Camp Victory~

If you missed my post about IHYC, our mission services, and our 4th of July, I just posted that 2 days ago.

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THE LORD GAVE US SUCH A WONDERFUL VBS

AT STRAIT CREEK CHURCH!!

If you remember 2 years ago when we tried to have a VBS, (because a new boy in the neighborhood had asked us if we would have one for him,)

HE WAS NEVER ALLOWED TO COME, SO OUR ONLY CHILD WAS ABIGAIL!! :-(

So, this time we had the 3 A. girls from our Church,

Abigail,

Jim from the Waters' Church,

and our kids' cousins, Joshua and Ava.

That was 7 Beautiful faces to teach each night!

PRAISE JESUS!!!! \o/

(Phillip had invited 12 other community children, but they didn't come.)

God helped our background to come together,

and helped me / us to learn the new songs written by Majesty Music for the Answers in Genesis theme of Emerald Crossing!

God helped Phillip with the Shepherd's part of the Story,

Helped Cousin Laura with the Bible Story,

and the A. family with doing the Scripture Verse each day!

The A. Family, and Mrs. Fields helped bring in snacks too!

Like I said, Emerald Crossing was a theme written by

Answers in Genesis, centered around a farm in Ireland, and was based on Psalm 23rd. It talked about how so many kids live in fear now-a-days, and how Jesus, our Gentle Shepherd, can help us cross over from Fear to Peace!

Everyone in our church pitched in and worked together to make for a wonderful VBS. It was such a fun thing to do together and unified us so much!! I know there will be Eternal Results because of this VBS. The kids, nor we adults, will ever forget it!

Noah mentioned later that he never dreamed that he, as an adult, could get so much out of a kid's VBS.

The lessons about Jesus being our good shepherd, and

hearing the lessons about

HOW MUCH SHEEP NEED A SHEPHERD...was sooo good!

VBS ended Sunday night, and we left Monday for Camp Victory!! Needless to say, I was tired, But I like to get to Camp Victory on Monday to get all moved in. Camp V. started on Tuesday evening. I enjoyed helping Amy and Amanda, in the kitchen on Tuesday.

God gave us a glorious camp!! God's presence was close, and Spiritual Victories were Won!!

We so enjoyed being with dear family and friends, and getting to know other people better.

I was SAD because my sister Laura and Bro-in-law Daryl, our friends Bryan and Julianna and their kids, and The McDowell family (in Armenia) all could not come this year!

We missed them!

I was SO HAPPY that our Josh, Sarah, and Adelynn could come. And it was so Fun to have my niece Darla there too! And I was so Glad Andrew and Vonnie got to come on the weekend!

So, without too much more rambling, I will post lots of fun pics!

~Kimberly sent us this adorable pic of Little Stella being

"Colonel Mustard" in the Clue Game, at a family party Kimberly and Stella were invited to.

She made us melt!

~VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL!~

We got home from our mission service near Michigan,

just 3 hours before VBS started!

We had SO MUCH to get done before VBS started,

But Jesus and our family helped us!

Here, Ava and Abigail were chopping veggies to put in cups with Ranch to serve that night.

~Answers in Genesis did not provide a backdrop or background for this theme (or if they did, they didn't tell us about it when we called to ask what the theme came with)

but PRAISE JESUS, Oriental Trading C. had a background,

so I ordered 2 of them to hang, and I ordered a Highland Cow.

We didn't have any sheep, so Phillip drew 2.

This is one he drew. So cute!

~Farmer Phillip preparing to teach the first day.~

~The Lost Creek Church had just done this theme and gave us 2 wooly sheep for our VBS. :-)

~Phillip made the bridge and creek and painted the stones and cross...a Cross on the top of the bridge.~

The A. Family did a great job teaching us the Bible verse Each day!

~Cousin Laura did a great job teaching the Bible Story each day! She really puts herself into it!~

~Phillip drew the SAD sheep...he is on the LOST and fearful side of the bridge.!~

~I made goulash and cups of veggie sticks and ranch to serve to the kids that night.~

~The Fields brought some ice cream.~

~This is "Guide" Noah, "Guide" Elijah, and "Guide" Mary.

They were on stand by to help us any way we needed their help.~

~Craft Time!~

I had wanted to use the neat antique Sunday School tables upstairs for crafts...but I knew that it would be too warm upstairs, so the kids helped me set up tables in the back of the church.

Abigail helped me pick such fun crafts, that even Noah, Elijah, and Mary did some of the crafts.~

~Jim doing his craft.~

~The A. family passed these out each day with our verse on it.~

~Joshua with his bag all colored.~

~The Quiet Seat Prize bin.~

~Elijah colored this bag.~

~My fun coffee that 2nd day of VBS.~

~A quick lunch of fresh tomato sandwiches and veggies and fruit.~

~Ava and Abigail.

These 2 are best buds~

~DAY 2~

~The kids placed sheep over the words of the verse written on the board, to see if we could still say the verse.~

~Craft time, Sun Catchers.~

~Phillip & Noah found this pavilion on sale, and got it for the church. It was so fun to use.

~Joshua & Ava being ...GOLIATH & DAVID!~

~Phillip showing us

HOW TALL GOLIATH WAS!!!~

~Noah reading us the story of David and Goliath.~

~God helped "little David" to conquer Goliath!!~

~Snack time that night.

The A. family brought some yummy desserts for that night.~

~I served all beef hotdogs, potato salad and chips.~

~The kids threw the frisbee.~

~Then they played a FUN game of kickball.~

~Cousin Laura took these fun pics.~

~My Day-3-of-VBS-Coffee.~

~This, my Friends...is a RARE treat!

All of my laundry was DONE...!!!!

IT WAS DURING VBS,

But I was BUSY getting all of our clothes ready for Camp Victory!!

~The A. Family did a fun game with balloons while we learned our verse that night.~

~All popped!~

~Cousin Laura telling the Bible Story.~

~Joshua was David, and Jim was King Saul.

King Saul had to "chase David around the Church. "

~David hiding from King Saul.~

~Shrinky Dinks!~

~CAST SHEEP!!~

~Jim showing us what it is like when a Sheep gets "Cast."

Our lesson told us that a "Cast Sheep" Means it gets stuck on his back down in a ravine or something, and no amount of moving around can help the sheep turn over.

It is like a turtle when it gets stuck on its back.

Of course, the Cast Sheep, gets more and more frantic and afraid the longer he is like that, and is in big time danger of an enemy moving in to attack it!

HOW WE AS SHEEP NEED A SHEPHERD!!!!

~Even Pastor Phillip colored one.~

~Mary's.~

~Kickball again on Saturday.~

~The Coca Cola and fries were Noah's.~

~Abigail's.~

~Watching the Shrinky dinks baking.~

~So Neat!~

~Cousin Laura's pics from the front seat.~

~"King Saul" (Ava) throwing a Javelin at "David", (Abigail.)

~Day 4, Sunday AM~

~The A. Family gave each of us this fun pack of treasures.~

~Our Craft that day was Aqua Puffs.~

~Cousin Laura's pic from Sunday A.M. (Phillip had the kids drawing while he was talking, so they turned around to draw on the bench.) ~

~It was so fun to have Sophia come on Sunday A.M.~

~The lesson that morning talked about God being KIND...and showed a Kind Bar.

Funny thing, Is I had Previously Purchased KIND BARS to serve THAT Very day.~

~Snacks.~

~Coloring More Shrinky Dinks at home.~

~Phillip and I dressed up in our Green for the Ireland Theme.

It is so green behind us, it looks like Ireland.~

~Abigail and Ava saying their Sad goodbyes.

But we were so glad that they got to be at 4 of the 5 VBS services.~

~5th Day...Sunday Night's Verse.~

~Mixing up the verse...~

~Everyone trying to put the Bible Verse back in order.~

~How We Thank the Lord for His help ...from helping us with the background and sending us 2 wooly sheep, to coming down with HIS SWEET PRESENCE during the lessons and songs!!!~

~Sunday night's snack.~

~Cousin Laura's pics.~

~Monday Found us Heading to Camp Victory!~

~We were so glad that we got to by and see Darla and her

adorable new apartment!!~

~Breakfast was so yummy on Tuesday A.M.~

~Selfie time with Darla and most of us.~

~The guys hanging the snack bar lights at Camp Victory.~

~I always like to buy Stok Coffee Cold Brew, and Chobani Extra Creamy Oatmilk and ice to have yummy iced coffees at camps. :-)

~Sweet Adorable Freshly-Scrubbed Little Adelynn.~

~Super happy that Josh, Sarah, and Adelynn came to Camp Victory.~

~Darla, Maren, and Mary.~

~It was fun to see Amy Again. I had fun helping her and Amanda on Tuesday.

She always does a great job with her food and presentation.~

~We were cooking away, when Amy looked out the window and said, "Oh, Jesus help us!

Amanda...Look at how FAR our van tire is off the Hill!!!"

So, Amanda went and backed up the van,

before it decided to COME DOWN AND JOIN US. :-D

~Servers.~

~Noah loves to drive the golf carts to pick up people and bring them down the hill each evening for Church.~

~Phillip up front ready to go on the platform.~

~Tiny Adelynn started MAKING CIRCLES for the first time in Grammy's notebook. SO CUTE!!~

~Philip.~

~Such cute circles.

Her Mommy used to draw little potato people that looked just like this with arms and legs and eyes.

:-D

~Each night they have a specialty burger made and named after the evangalist.~

~Snapping pics with as many family members as

I can find at the time.~

(I WAS SO HAPPY TO FIND MY DRESS AT ALDI'S ON CLEARANCE FOR $4.50!!!~

~Then Abigail walked by, so we threw her in as well.~

~Dubai Chocolate ice cream! DELISH!!!!~

~Yummy breakfast.~

~Megan and Me.~

~Adelynn kept moving her hands around...and then I looked up and saw she was trying to imitate Rob Ryan as he was directing the hymns.

Since Rob and I have picked on each other for years...

I TOLD HER SHE NEEDED TO FIND A BETTER PERSON

TO IMITATE!! HA!!!

~This year they added this tent to accommodate more seating for eating.~

~Sarah and I went to "Brew Da Bean" Coffee shop.

We had to go there at least one time this year, because this is

where Bryan and Julianna, and the McDowells and us have gone for years.~

~Yummy Beignets!!~

~Jocelyn and me.~

~Noah's team with balloon volleyball.~

~Noah and Jace.~

~Mrs. Hardy and I had a good conversation about our Jesus!~

~Dear Bro. Cooley came to camp with his new wife, of 3 months!~

~On Wednesday night after the mission service,

Bro. Spivey asked us to sing a special.

Jesus helped us.~

~The Lord helped the Ryans as they ministered in Music that week.~

~Sarah, Darla and Adelynn, and Noah.~

~Amy and Amanda got up at 3:00 AM to make us all Homemade donuts!~

~Ben and Brenda Smith did a great job with our Youth!~

~Pool Noodle / Cup game.~

~Jumping on one foot...~

~This pic cracked me up.~

~Love the VA Mountains~

~Noah and Mary's team playing volleyball.~

~Noah and Bro. David.~

~Abigail and little Dolly.~

~Uncle Lij and Sweet Adelynn.~

~"Mary Baba"...as Stella calls her, and her little Adelynn.~

~Aunt Abigail, or Bee as she is called and her little Squish Adelynn.~

~Noah and Keegan doing dishes.~

~Adorable~

~Kimberly used to teach this sweet girl, so we took this to send to Mrs. Kimberly.~

~Phillip had to leave Camp Victory to come back for Strait Creek Church for Thursday night, and on Friday

he painted at Comargo Camp in the HOT sun.~

~Team Captains.~

Scavenger Hunt.

~Noah's team. ~

~Elijah's team.~

~The Smiths and Hardys~

~They were trying to figure out this scavenger hunt.~

~Elijah's team won FIRST!!~

~Intense convo... :-) ~

~Mary did Abigail's hair that night...so pretty.~

~It was so fun to have Andrew and Vonnie come to camp on the weekend.~

~Ben was just walking around talking, late that night at the snack bar, and he didn't see that his little baby was DRINKING HIS COFFEE!!~. :-D

~SOME OFFICAIL CAMP PHOTOS~

~Camp Captured this adorable pic of Adelynn.~

~Noah~

~Elijah spiking.~

~Josh, Sarah, and Adelynn by our Suburban.~

~My Pics Now~

~Amy's Homemade delicious blueberry scones.~

~Natasha and Yours Truly.~

~The Youth Choir Practicing.~

~Holding little Sleeping Titus.~

~4 Ball Kickball.~

~Little Titus was OUT...he kept moving around, but still sleeping.~

~Pool Noodle LaCross.~

~Abigail Going Down the Water Slide.~

~Amy always does a phenomenal job with her yummy food and her presentation!~

~Amy Speaking to us for a pre-service. Telling about Nathan's Sad Cancer Journey...but how the Grace of God was with them the whole way...and even now is with her!!

~All day long, Rob Ryan had felt like we were to sing this song.

When Amy got done speaking about her Nathan and Rob went to call out this song...he noticed,

"EL NATHAN" under the title of this hymn!!~

~Camp Photos.~

~Cinnamon rolls!!~

~MY PHOTOS~

~Went to my room and made myself a yummy coffee on Sunday afternoon.~

~Jocelyn and I were Matching.~

~There was one Candidate for baptism, the precious girl in the purple on the end, can't remember her name.~

~Darla did a great job playing for the kid's program.~

~Kid's Program.~

~Katie and Me.~

~My Abigail~

~The Youth Choir.~

~Titus is one LOVED little guy.~

~Briana and Me.~

~Abigail and her friends. We love these kids to pieces.~

~After Church on Sunday night, we had such a fun time talking all together.

Some funny, some Serious!~

~Camp pics.~

~Heading home~

~Sun Dog.~

~One more funny official Camp V. pic.~

~Helados for the kids and Phillip after they had worked hard in our yard.~

~Home Sweet Home~

FaceTiming Adelynn.~

~Last Thursday, Phillip's only sibling, his brother Michael, had to have a stent put into his BRAIN!!

It was a scary thing! So, Phillip went up to be with Michael and Beth and Dad D. I wanted to go, but I was still catching up on my rest from all the RUNNING!

Noah led our service at Strait Creek on Thursday night, since Phillip didn't get back 'til late that night. The Lord helped Noah. Mary played the piano that night for us.

PLEASE PRAY FOR MICHAEL AS HE RECOVERS!~