Redefining Love as a Pirate

These past few years as I have journeyed with my church family, I have learned to personally redefine how I choose to love.  Love to me was often classified as something directed to people close to me or people with whom I share common interests.  It is all forms of kindness, compassion, empathy, care, and passion shown to those I LIKE...and supposedly to those I don't.  Although in all honesty, this is not often the case.

 All in all I think my view of love was a bit limited in scope, quality and depth.

One of the ways I have learned to refine my love is by refocusing my love to include not only those like me that I like but with those who I may share few common interests, I may not always like, and I might not usually even notice in my self-centered daily activities.  My church has helped me in this journey by encouraging me and holding me accountable.  I fail miserably at love everyday but I have learned so much about myself and about my God through this love journey he has called me to.  This weekend my church hosted a Trunk-or-Treat!  It was my first ever...I grew up a traditional trick-or-treater...So I was excited to try out this church phenomenon.  It was held in East Park where I had a fabulous time loving on some of God's most beautiful creations...kids! 

Each house church chose a theme and dressed up and decorated their trunk.  My ladies chose...PIRATES, Arrgh!  Thanks to the amazing artistic gifts some of the girls have our trunks were sure to shiver the timbers of all the little treaters!

I love these girls! They are teaching me so much!  Notice our adorable parrot in the back row!

Who is that shark swimming around in our treasure chest?

Why is Lofty Bear, of course!  The cutest shark around!

Looks like we've added some new members to our ship's crew.

The kids loved the eye patches and earrings they found in the treasure box!  Aren't they cute pirates?!

Mom, Dad, Cara, Camille & Erin brought a cotton candy and popcorn machine.  Needless to say they were one of the most popular trunks!  Carebear and Mom are in vintage clown costumes, Erin is just beautiful, and Camille is a pumpkin!

Four of my favorites!  Sydney was a tourist led by her Travelocity Gnome (Micah)!  What a cute idea!

B was a toy football player.  

Face Painting was a hit!

We were overwhelmed by the response of the community!  I am already looking forward to next year and I'm already thinking about how I can dress up!

Happy almost 1st Birthday Lofton!  B and Court love you!