For the past two weeks I have lived in a small Sleep Inn hotel room in Wake Forest, North Carolina. It was my original plan to try and finish my doctorate of ministry project. I have been working on it for over three years and the past two years I have made no progress at all. I tried taking a day off during the week – that didn’t work. I tried going to the “Shepherd’s Rest” at Skycroft (a pastor’s retreat that you get for free three days during the year) – that helped, but three days a year wasn’t much help either. After thought and prayer I decided to just go to NC and meet with a faculty on almost a daily basis. So after two weeks, the last night of my stay, I am ready to go home. I have completed the project except for last chapter, which is a review of the whole project.

I am thankful for Daybreak Community Church that has allowed me to be away for these two weeks. We have two faithful men in our church who have preached in my absence. Thanks guys!

The first Sunday I was here, I visited a church that Kimberly and I helped start in Holly Springs, NC. We helped get everything ready for the launch and first service, and then we went to MD. But it was really cool to see what God has been doing in the 8.5 years we have been in Frederick. In many ways they are like us – meeting in a Elem. School, trying to break the 200 barrier, etc…. The visit was a complete surprise for my friend and he even asked me out for lunch. It was great to catch up. But it was also really cool to think back over the past 8.5 years and see how God has changed me (and my family). It’s way too much to go into here, but I feel I have grown by leaps and bounds.

Back to this whole degree thing. In many ways this project has been a weight that I have carried way too long, and finally feel like I can drop it (almost, I have one last chapter). I still have to defend it before a board of professors, and give an oral defense in Feb. But if all goes well, I can graduate in May.

This Saturday was Daybreak’s Third Annual Gingerbread House Building Family Fun Morning. We had over 100 people, with over 60% of people coming from the community. The Previous Friday night (Kris Kringle Parade) we handed out between 800 to 1,000 cards and many of those who came were as a result of those cards being put into people’s hands.

What’s really exciting is that so many people came out to have fun, and to spend time as a family. Each person was given a package of Graham Crackers, various candies, a ziplock of royal icing, and a tray to hold everything. From there, it was all up to the imagination. It is pretty amazing what kids (and adults) can do with m&m’s, gum drops, licorice strips, peppermints, etc. . . in two hours.

This is Karine P. who has overseen the Gingerbread House Building Family Fun Morning. This is her third year of leading this outreach event. Way to go Karine, Thank You!

https://drewboswell.com/336/

It’s funny how things work out. Once a year all the pre-K classes in Frederick County read and enjoy the “Gingerbread Man” as part of their studies. At Brunswick Elem. for over 19 years H-G’s teaching assistant has hidden a gingerbread doll and they go on a scavenger hunt to find him. They go all over the school following clues and finally find him their classroom — except this year they found me in a giant Gingerbread Suit.

The kid’s expressions as they entered the room were priceless. They didn’t know what to do (laugh, run, hug me, hide, etc…) They wanted me to read the Gingerbread Man story, but you couldn’t hear me very well from within the suit. So Kimberly read the book and I acted it out as best I could.

If you ever get a chance to dress up in a giant suit and go to your kids class — do it. The funny thing is that H-G didn’t know who it was in the suit, or was she acting? I’m still not sure either way.

On December 5th Daybreak participated in the Kris Kringle Parade in downtown Frederick. We carried an 8’ banner and handed out cards inviting the community to our Gingerbread House Building Family Fun Morning. We handed out between 800 to 1000 cards (way to go Daybreak!)

Even though I did it last year, I was still amazed at how the Gingerbread suit just makes people smile (especially kids). I had to constantly watch and move slowly because kids would run up to me and hug me and if I wasn’t careful I would knock them down. Once we started down the course I began to run from one side of the street to other shaking hands, giving “high 5’s”, and just having fun.

By 1/3 into the course I was covered with sweat. It dripped into my eyes so that I was slightly blinded, and condensation built up on the inside of the mask. The eye holes were covered with a black mesh which was covered with a layer of moisture again adding to the difficulty in seeing where I was going. Several times Caleb would run up and want to run with me on the route, but I told him to “stay behind the banner” because I was afraid I would run over him. To say I was sweaty would be an understatement, and I don’t want to think about the active Gingerbread men before me.

The smiles on the crowd make it all worth it.