It's a "SWEET" Day Every Year

So for the 3rd year in a row I've had the chance to chair The Spring Fling at my church, Church of Christ at Gold Hill Road.  Spring Fling is just a morning of fun and fellowship for our kiddos.  Kids get to do a craft, this year we made cards to encourage our college kids and some of our members that are sick.  They get to have their face painted, by our own in house volunteers that do an amazing job!! We sing songs including the "Tooty Ta" that has become a spring fling tradition. The kids get to participate in fun stations that includes games, this year with a huge parachute thanks to Miss Cathy, an egg relay, bean bag toss/cornhole, sack races and finally our famous cake walk.  It's one of the ways we get the kids to come back year after year... they each get a cupcake to eat and each age group has a winner of a whole cake that they can take home with them! Then we have an egg hunt.  Kids bring their Easter baskets and we send them home with lots of candy that has been lovingly donated from our members!  Finally, we all get to eat some lunch together, which this year included cotton candy, a big hit! It is such an awesome day and one my kids look forward to every year.
This year we almost called it off.  Not many people were signing up to participate or volunteer to help.  The thing I love the most about this day is how so many people work together to make this just a successful day for our kids.  We had some exciting facebook messages, had a little pressure laid on during morning announcements, and word of mouth and before I knew it, 43 kids were signed up and a bunch of adults were willing too. Most were members of our church but a whole lot were friends and neighbors too. It was a great opportunity for our families to share God's love.  I had friends showing up an hour or more early to help set up, which is awesome, friends working stations, friends painting faces, friends leading groups of kids, friends helping to prepare lunch, friends helping to serve lunch,  and finally a whole lot of friends that stay and clean up.
It is a lot of work, a little stress trying to get everyone signed up, but TONS of fun for the kids.  At church yesterday morning I knew that it was all worth it.  One little girl came up to me and said Hi before skipping away.  Okay, not a huge success to some, but I had never talked to this girl before spring fling or her family. I had the chance to then speak to her family that brought her and a new connection was made.  That's what it's all about, encouraging each other and giving glory to God for everything.  Thank you to everyone who came, helped, baked, cleaned, sang, painted, facilitated games, led groups, prayed, cooked, served.  It wouldn't have been the success that it is year after year without you.  Loving this Happy Life.