Last Sunday, our church did a Cowboy Cookout Sunday. Here are a few photos from that fun event.
(Photos by church member, Jannie Kenyon, are watermarked. The rest are pictures I snapped with my iPhone.)
Here are the singers (minus one) on our worship team. Don’t we look like gen-u-ine cowgirls?
Ma and Pa Kettle.
Steve did a Garth Brooks-style song that he and I wrote years ago called, “Hard Keepin’ Up With the Jones.” (Scroll to the bottom to hear studio recording of song.) The song set up the sermon he preached on contentment.
That is one good lookin’ pastor!
Can you tell this usher has a sense of humor?
After the service, Charles (soundman), David (drummer), and Steve (sheriff) posed for a photo.
We had lots of great food and some outdoor stuff going on including a bounce house . . . 
and a llama whose hair looks just like mine when I first get up in the morning.
There were bunnies to snuggle . . .
and ponies to ride. (This is our associate pastor’s husband and sons.)
I threw a little corn hole which I had never done much before. Ada, the little lady beside me, outthrew me and outscored me without even breaking a sweat.
Here is Steve with Doris, a board member’s wife. She and her husband are about to celebrate fifty years of marriage!
Midway through the festivities, this crazy guy showed up. We decided to let him stay . . .
especially when we found out he had brought such a nice lady with him.
Lots of photo booth fun!
Well, pardners, that’s all the cowboyin’ I have for you today. I hope you enjoyed getting a little peek into this fun event we hosted for our neighbors and community.
And for those of you who like looking at decorations, I’ll close with an album for you to browse through.
Here is Hard Keepin’ Up With the Jones.
(If any of you Southern Gospel fans have heard of the Ruppes or Sisters, the background singers are Kim and Valerie–two of the three sisters–in addition to Kim’s husband, Michael.)
Lyrics
Last night my next door neighbor bought a shiny S.U.V
He called me up and said, “Oh man, you gotta come and see”
I took a look and I was hooked, I had to get me one
But when I called my banker he said, “You can’t have one, son”
I sat out in my Chevy with its dented driver’s door
Trying to figure out how I could earn a little more
CHORUS ‘Cause it’s hard keepin; up, Hard keepin’ up with the Jones
It’s so hard keepin’ up, hard keepin’ up with the Jones, when the Jones keep moving
I could not let it rest, I had to have me somethin’ new
With S.U.V.’s way out of reach, the only thing to do
Was shop around until I found another fine machine
Fancy paint job, lots of chrome, the moped of my dreams
I showed it to my neighbor, I was having so much fun
She yawned and said, “Well, I just bought a Harley Davidson”
Repeat Chorus
BRIDGE My neighbors made a loan float, just to buy their own boat
They’re working lots of overtime
I’m tired of trying to keep up, piling bigger heaps up
A simple life will do me just fine
I said, a simple life will do me just fine
Monday here – just checking on you folks
Thoroughly enjoyed that song! Fun event! Steve is crazy 🙂
Lesley,
Fun. Crazy. Yep. Two good words!
What a fun event! Again, wish I was in your area. Just from reading your posts about your family, I would surmise that Steve does very good sermons and the congregation is very happy to have you both. The decorations for the Cowboy Sunday were great!
Hoping you all stay safe from the storm.
Kari,
Steve is an excellent preacher and our congregation is defintiely made up of some sweet, encouraging folks. We do love Manteo!
The storm is supposed to kick in within the next 3 or 4 hours. Summer does NOT like rain/wind storms so we wil have to give her a little extra TLC. Just thankful that the impact here is not going to be as bad as they originally said!
What a fun event with some very fun people.
Now a favor. My daughter is running the Chicago Marathon on Sunday. It may be her last attempt to qualify for Boston. She has worked so hard – this will be her 5th marathon. Just asking for a few good thoughts and maybe a couple of prayers sent Stephanie’s way – I would love for her to achieve the honor of being able to call herself “A Boston Qualifier.” Seems trivial in light of so many things in this world, but this is my baby girl. She runs for charities all the time. She runs in honor of friends she has lost to cancer and some still fighting. She knows this marathon on Sunday is nothing compared to the marathon those she runs “for” are enduring. Hope there are wings on her feet, strength in her legs and a good wind at her back! GO FAST and SAFE, my little runner!
Mary,
Your daughter is blessed to have a mom who cheers her on and encourages her as she runs to make a difference.
I am in awe of anyone who can run a marathon and am especially appreciative of those who run to help others. I love your words about wings, strength, and wind to propel her on her way. Please follow up and let us know how she does tomorrow. I just said a prayer for her!
Thank you so much for the prayer and wonderful words. She so needs a success right now. She needs to feel her worth and strength in her life and as silly as qualifying tomorrow seems to some, I know what it means to her. I will certainly let you know how she does. But if she does not qualify, she will always and again see the value and lesson in the attempt and the finish. It does not matter how you finish what you start or where you finish, just that you complete the task.
Mary,
“She will see the value and lesson in the attempt and the finish.”
Even with her injury she finished well. Proud of her and proud of you for raising such a wonderful daughter!
“These are the good old days.”
Steve–yes they are!
This looks like so much fun!! What a wonderful way to attract new sheep to the fold.
Jan,
It was a lot of work but it went off well and everyone seemed to genuinely have a good time getting to know each other. I love to meet new people in our community.
OK – I just LOVE that song!!! 🙂
Great pics from your event, too.
Stefanie,
It is a cool song, isn’t it? 🙂