Happy New Year!

Hopefully everyone had a great CHRISTmas. After final exams, this "Winter Break" was due! Just a reminder to you all, there will be no Crave until January 8th. So between now and then have a safe and Happy New Year celebration. 2005 was a year to remember for Crave. We had some service projects (Quantum House, Urban Youth Impact), went to camp (Student Life), had Summer Tour 05 (City Place, Bow Down, SamSlam), Schools Out Party (coool pool!). There were many other things that went on, but what was most incredible was seeing the Lord move in the hearts of each of you. Pray that 2006 would be an even better year than 2005!

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

As I sit here...

[Begin Transmission]
So as I sit here, watching Miami getting whooped :( eating my bread I think 0f qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm......

[Rewind]

I'm sitting at whole foods thinking of how to spend my $20 dollars My grandfaher just gave me for helping him take apart a swing, and then I decide "Hey let's buy some good chocolate liek the kind my grandpa let me sample. Then I decide to buy a loaf of bread so that i can get a good laugh later at Goeppners about breaking bread with Him mnbvcxzlkjhgfdsapoiuytrewq...

[Fast Foward]

Dad's Side:

My grandparents are great. For Christmas they got me a $700 laptop and all I got from my parents were some booooooootleg nightvision . :' ( My grandparents love me. They've always taken care of me and supported me in times of need. At my grandfathers house earlier today he shared with me His christmas present form his wife.Hoffman's Chocolates.Wow. 48 oz =$56. Amazing and he wanted to share his limited supply with me. And from my youngest days they watched me and gave me the best toys. Nowadays they still care for me.But I find I am drifiting from them. With all the "fun" (yea right fun... pfft) of high school when they call me up and need something fixed I don't really have much drive to do it. They never get to see me much anymore and the idea of spending a day with old people as opposed to a day of video games isn't very promising. But they get so much Joy out of me being there. Just my being there makes them sooooo happy and can change their month. Luckily them and my mom's grandparents live close by so I cooooould visit them as much as I wanted with no trouble. But they have taken care of me and still do and all they ask is my presence. So I spent all night up because I can't sleep there (but I watched James bond all night) but I made their life wonderful by just spending a night in a lonely old house.

Mom's Side:

These guys are fun. They may be 56ish but these old people can party. They frequently take me with them out to restaurants and introduce me to their friends.Their friends even got me a great shirt for a birthday present once and my last birthday they took me out to R.J. Gators and get Swordfish (good pink meat).But grandma is usually in a lot of pain. She has a lot of back problems and is constantly in pain and surgery.Grandpa is a work-a-holic and spends his day in and out life working.
They got me nice jewelry. 2 Verrrrrry nice rings and a chain. They also in my childhood took care of me and always loved me. They taugh me many things one of which is how to play darts. Their house is full of junk. So I try to help them whenever I can and they always keep me good company.

Conclusion:

Why did I write all this? I truly don't know.... but at least let me challenge you this. When was the last time you talked to your grandparents? or spent any time with them. They kept care of you and if it wasn't for them there wouldn't be you. They may be old but they can hold a lot of information. I spent 2 hours having a great conversation with my grandfather about World War 2 and I learned lots but was never bored. So with these last few words I encourage you , if you still have your grandparents, talk to them. I'm sure they'd love to hear from you. All those days spent in their houses of nursing homes without and change day in or day out and you take the though to talk to or visit them. It will make them overwelmed with happness.So please go call up grampy and gammy and see how they are doing. You will not be disappointed .

[End Transmission]

{Log off user:Crazi Munky}

Florida Snow.

On Sunday December 11th we had our annual Student Ministry Christmas Party. One thing we strive to do is partner with other churches and reach out to our community. So what we did for the second straight year was do what couldn't be done! We encouraged all of the students to invite their friends for free pizza, Christmas carols and most importantly, a snow ball fight! (4,000 pounds of snow!) The evening began at 6 pm with students registering, throwing a football around and just anxiously awaiting the upcoming fun. Dave Carroll from Church in the Farms opened us up with some Christmas carols (no pun intended), then we told the students about another thing we are going to do together in February (The Souper Bowl of Caring). After this I had the privilege of talking to the students. It was amazing to see 20 some-odd students repent and make a decision to follow Christ. After this we led the 200 plus students out side to the stash of pizzas waiting for them to devour. 15 minutes later the battle began. We had it set up so that the middle school girls and guys and high school guys and girls were in opposite corners with 2 piles of snow in between them. We then had a countdown and then it was pure chaos! You should of seen it! Snow was flying everywhere! It was unreal to see how a bunch of Florida kids play in a couple of piles of snow (it was like shaved ice). Anyway, it was cool to see God use some pizza, music and Florida snow to provide an opportunity to reach out to a bunch of teenagers. To see more pictures CLICK HERE.

MASSIVE Christmas Party!

On Saturday December 11th we will continue our tradition of blowing it up for Christmas! We will meet at Church in the Farms (its way out west on Indiantown Rd. Right after it turns into 2 lanes from 4 lanes). Anyway, you dont want to miss this! We are going to have a SNOW BALL fight, thats right, we will have snow! Food, music (Christmas carols) and prizes! All of this for FREE! Last year we had like 300 people come. Lets make it 500 this year!!!!
See ya there!

Christmas Video

Here the Christmas video shown at Crave on December 4th. Video was edited by Aaron MonRock.