Who Wins in the "Ultimate" Showdown? | Missions/International Sunday vs Craft Sale | #WeeklyWednesday

Believe it or not, I do actually think quite deeply about things, though my lack of eloquence on this blog may leave some of you believing that I'm all about...well, not elaborating on things. That's essentially due to the fact that this blog primarily serves as a way to update friends who are far away, and as such, I try to keep the tone of my blog as close to how I'd speak if I were really telling my friends about the things I've shared in person.

So, on Wednesday, Sept 13, 2017, the new calendar that I had purchased for my mom (because I'm a model daughter who buys cute planner-style calendars for my mom to use because she's pretty much the reason I turned out as type A as I am) was finally being filled in. When I began to fill in my column, I noticed, with a sinking feeling in my gut, that Missions/International Sunday (depending on which "era" you were at Calvary, you know it by different names) was November 12th. 

Now, you all know that I try to attend what craft sales I can, given that I am NOT financially prepared (or...well, any form of prepared, really) to travel to a convention or craft sale that isn't based here in Carbondale/Carterville. One of the LARGEST craft sales in our area is the AutumnFest Arts & Crafts Show at John A. Logan College (about 20 min from my house). And it's set, this year, for November 11th and 12th. 

Photo Cred @Unsplash.com

I was suddenly faced with a decision. And it was NOT small.
For those of you who think taking crafts seriously is a joke, that's fine. You have your hobbies and vices, I have mine. I can respect that crafts aren't your thing.

But think of it from my point of view for a sec. Crafts are one of my MAIN hobbies. 
It's something I would genuinely enjoy spending HOURS doing if I had no other responsibilities. I'm a creator by default, whether it's digital something or physical crafty something. Think of what you enjoy the most and pit that against the biggest spiritual life related responsibility you can think of aside from 1) your own spiritual walk and 2) leading others to Jesus. 

Okay, NOW we're on the same page. 
The thing with craft sales like that, is it's an all-or-nothing deal. You're either there for all of it or you're there for none of it. You can get blacklisted or penalized for leaving early from events like that and booth fees are typically non-refundable. But amidst the stress of Missions/International Sunday vs AutumnFest (in my mind), there were a few things that clearly stood out to me.

I immediately thanked God for the fact that I learned the date for Missions/International Sunday when I did because I had LITERALLY planned to send out a check for the JALC fest the next week. I'm grateful for friends willing to step into the fray and sit with me on Saturday to learn the ropes and fully prepared to man the table for me on Sunday (unfortunately not an option due to how Missions/International Sunday works with practices and such).

But it's okay. 

Missions/International Sunday is something that I've been committed to since our family started going to Calvary. Though I wished the dates didn't clash, there was really no question in my mind of which one I'd give up and which one took the real priority in life.

Because people get SAVED at Missions/International Sunday. 

It's amazing to think about the fact that whether CCF "performs" or not is actually kind of important. We've had people emotionally touched by our performances and have really heard people tell us that they felt God's presence in the room during certain parts of the song. We've had ladies cry during the performance and get all emotional about it because despite the fact that they couldn't understand the language (there's translation on the wall), they could feel the reverence for God through all the hard work they see us putting in to prepare for Missions/International Sunday.

I'd committed to taking my crafts more seriously by attending craft sales, but I've been committed to CCF and the testimony that it serves as, in addition to the familial community that we've been building since I was 13. I'm not going to just up and let them down now.
Sure, CCF may have to function (Missions/International Sunday-wise) without me after I graduate, but for now? I'm still here. I'm still part of the CCF body. 

And I'm going to do my part for as long as I can.

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PHEW that was heavy. 
*insert Jabba the Hutt noise and head shake*

This #FeatureFriday, I'm especially excited to share an original musical with you. 
The best part? It's 100% made by a church in Singapore!!

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See you all on Friday!~

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