Carnival At Creekside
Every year at this time is our Creekside Carnival. We host this for our community. There are big "blow up" rides like the slide and and moon walk. We have all kinds of games like the ring toss and plinko. There are horseback rides and a hay ride as well. We serve hot dogs, cotton candy, chips and cheese dip and drinks.
It is amazing all of the people who come out for this event. There are people from all walks of life. There are people who bring their grandchildren who are middle class families. There are people of all races and religions. And then there are the people in the community from poor families who will come and eat as much as they can possibly eat. They continue to come each year.
One of the most amazed looks we get from people is a look of surprise. It always comes up. People never fail to ask like one young man about twelve years old asked Ellen today. He asked, "How much are the nachos and cheese?" She answered, "They are free, do you want some?" He replied, "I sure do, I have never had anyone give me free food in my whole life!"
They are most amazed that there is no cost to the event. The rides, the food, the drinks, the prizes they get when they play the games--it's all free.
I don't say this to toot our horn. I say this because I see through this event each year that people are not expectant of anyone else serving them with no strings attached. We live in a society that sees a price tag on everything. And if there are no strings attached, they don't see it as something important or worth their time.
I hope that in some small way our carnival, and other things that God is doing in other parts of our world, can touch someone's life and people can begin to see that we are not out to "convert" them, but out to serve them. We need not see people as "prospects," but as people needing Jesus just like we do. After all, Jesus loves us, in spite of who we are. He makes us who we ought to be in His grace.
It is amazing all of the people who come out for this event. There are people from all walks of life. There are people who bring their grandchildren who are middle class families. There are people of all races and religions. And then there are the people in the community from poor families who will come and eat as much as they can possibly eat. They continue to come each year.
One of the most amazed looks we get from people is a look of surprise. It always comes up. People never fail to ask like one young man about twelve years old asked Ellen today. He asked, "How much are the nachos and cheese?" She answered, "They are free, do you want some?" He replied, "I sure do, I have never had anyone give me free food in my whole life!"
They are most amazed that there is no cost to the event. The rides, the food, the drinks, the prizes they get when they play the games--it's all free.
I don't say this to toot our horn. I say this because I see through this event each year that people are not expectant of anyone else serving them with no strings attached. We live in a society that sees a price tag on everything. And if there are no strings attached, they don't see it as something important or worth their time.
I hope that in some small way our carnival, and other things that God is doing in other parts of our world, can touch someone's life and people can begin to see that we are not out to "convert" them, but out to serve them. We need not see people as "prospects," but as people needing Jesus just like we do. After all, Jesus loves us, in spite of who we are. He makes us who we ought to be in His grace.
posted by Keith Davis at
5:57 PM
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