Friday, March 28, 2008

Miscellany V

Hello All,

Once again, I find myself behind on events or things that I have wanted to write about. It's time for a Miscellany blog entry. This is my fifth installment.

RECENT BLOGS
Alright, this is crazy. The El Burrito blog reached a new milestone here at frankandlela.com. It is the blog with the new record for comments. We reached 34 comments, which is just unbelieveable! But some of the more surprising comments came in Lela's birthday blog entry. The sentiments were very kind toward Lela and also quite kind toward me! I did not expect to get the props that I got for the tribute that I wrote to my wife. That was pretty cool...actually Lela is pretty cool...She makes a great burrito...maybe we'll break a record...

OUR NEW SIGN
Not much has been said, but we finally got our church sign placed on our building last week. I have to say that I am very proud of it. I love the way that it looks.

Getting this sign took a long time to get done due to various municipal codes, but the finished product was worth the wait. Kudos to SignMaster, as well as Jonathan Moore, the designer of this logo.

It seems pretty silly to be excited about a sign. I can't really say why I am excited about it, but it made me happy to see something go up, look as good as it does, and sit there permanently among all the other business signs around the block.

SPEAKING OF KINGSFIELD
Our staff has been notoriously competitive since I joined just over a year ago. For the most part, our competition has been limited to board games and Catch-phrase. I will say that thanks to a very deep seated need to win at any cost, and being a man, I have been on the winning side each time.

Recently, there has been a slew of competitive jousts that have taken the staff outdoors. For example, there was a tennis game between two couples. Then there was a bike ride. I felt a little left out, so I decided to challenge one of the couples to a 2 on 2 basketball game.

Well, word leaked out, and the other couple on staff, not wanting to be left out, has entered into the fray, counter-challenging Lela and I. So now, we have a three team 2 on 2 basketball, mini-April madness, tournament. It will be happening soon, and I'll keep you abreast of who wins.

Actually, I could care less who wins. I just love that our staff loves to hang out and have fun together. That is priceless...ok, I can't lie...I CARE VERY MUCH WHO WINS!!!! I'll let you know!

COUPLES RETREATS AND RESURRECTION WEEK
Lela and I got to go to, and lead worship for our couples' retreat. We came home inspired and re-energized with some great tools to even further improve our marriage. It's amazing how much you take for granted over 10+ years of marriage.

In the same week, we celebrated Resurrection week. Again, the same principle applied. You can take the most wonderful news in World History for granted and treat it as though it were mundane. Jesus Christ rose bodily from the dead, and ascended into heaven after 40 days, with His disciples looking as He rose from the Earth! This is revolutionary information and no matter how long you have been a part of the bride of Christ, when you think about this, I mean really take time to consider this, you are freshly amazed at what it is that God has performed in order to redeem sinners from their fallen state.

One man said this last week, "The resurrection is God's 'amen' to Christ's 'it is finished.'" Jesus, by the resurrection, proves everything that He ever declared about Himself during His earthly ministry, especially that He and the Father, were one and the same. I pray that your faith was freshly stirred again wherever you were for Easter, but even more, that we might be more aware throughout the year of this miracle of redemption that we live and move in, because of our wonderful Savior.

FINALLY...JUST A FEW THOUGHTS
1) Who of you out there have a blog? I have been discovering blogs left and right from people who are our friends. I love reading blogs from my friends and if you have one, please let us know. Email us so we can bookmark you.

2) To the ones who have appreciated us lately: One young lady referred to me as a hero on her MySpace and another group sent us an anonymous gift through the mail and a third person gave us a very thoughtful card. I am still reeling from the generosity and the kind feelings and sentiments that have been expressed to us. Thank you so much. The Lord has used your kindness to bless and encourage us in the ministry.

3) April 1st, I am speaking at the Packinghouse for the Youth Group. I am looking forward to seeing some friends and sharing with the group where I literally first started speaking. If you think about it, please pray that the Lord would use the message that I share with this special group this next Tuesday.

Well, there, I am caught up!!

Blessings...To Our Friends,
Frank Sanchez

14 comments:

Jeff and Aimee said...

Hey guys--
We plan on making the trek down to Kingsfield tomorrow morning so be on the look out for us. (We'll be sure to ooh and aah over the new sign.)
Aimee

Frank And Lela said...

Hey Guys,

KEWL!! I'll look forward to seeing you guys! If you would like the official sign tour, let me know! I promise, it won't take long... :)

Blessings,
F.S.

Brandy said...

*Hanging head* Carmel's is gone. We drove to OC yesterday...for lunch...and it's gone. Just like that, it's gone! For over two decades, it really WAS the best burrito, but in mid February, Mr. Carmel and his family retired with no warning to anyone. Apparently, the OC Register received a large amount of letters inquiring about what happened, and this is what they found out. Anyway, sorry about sending you on the wild chase!

On a much more important note, happy belated birthday, Lela!

Carrie Allen said...

"I will say that thanks to a very deep seated need to win at any cost, and being a man, I have been on the winning side each time."

what?!..."and being a man?"

:)

also, you should specify...there are only two possible couples who you are so competitive with...i want names... ;)

Maritza said...

I can't believe you Pastor F.
I thought you were better than this.

http://www.sarasotaspeaks.com/node/21295

Frank And Lela said...

Brandy,

I'm so glad that you said that, cuz I felt like I was going crazy the other day. Chris Reinhardt"enstein" told me where it was located and I went over only to find that there was nothing there. I was sure that that was the right place. I'm sorry for your loss, but thankful that EL Burrito remains atop my burrito scale! ("don't get me started...")

Carrie,

I never name names...or reveal sources...But I imagine that these games' highlights might just end up on YouTube...depending on who wins of course!

The allusion to me being a man has to do with the fact, yes I said FACT, that the men on staff have YET to lose a game of catch-phrase to the women. We are batting a 1000%, undefeated. We have dominated, destroyed, humiliated, ruined, the lady staff members and I see no reason to believe that our streak will ever be tainted...unless random testing for HGH begins to be employed on Pastors!

Blessings,
F.S.

Frank And Lela said...

Tita,

Ah, the joys of having such a common name! While I am latino, that is where the similarity between me and that other Frank Sanchez ends!

Blessings,
F.S.

Carrie Allen said...

wow, this is definitly going to change in 56 days. ;)

i'm coming to win...and besides...don't the men outnumber the women?? (who play catchphrase with you that is)

Frank And Lela said...

Carrie,

Tsk, tsk, tsk...Let's not get ahead of ourselves here. First, let's remind ourselves that the ladies will in 56 days have two more people on their side. The sides are hardly correctly matched. That being said, the Awesome Foursome, The Fearsome Foursome, The Four Horsemen of Kingsfield...pick a moniker...have faced several "add ons" and have defeated each of them, soundly, without retribution! We really don't have anything to worry about. Our UNDEFEATED RECORD SPEAKS for itself!

And second...we'll let's just get back to that first point and leave it at that!

Blessings,
F.S.

Carrie Allen said...

oh Frank, you don't even know what you boys have coming...i practice catchphrase on a daily basis...in my sleep.
i have been often complimented on my passing skills, etc. etc.

in other news...tell Chris to send you to this :)

http://bandofbloggers.org/

Frank And Lela said...

Carrie,

HA! I'm up later! Yes, I'll have the last word!

Let me tell you that it does not matter how proficient you are at Catch-Phrase...I'm telling you that your TEAM HAS LOST TO US EVERY TIME!!! That means, you might have a behind the back, hooptie 9000 pass machine, but the rest of your team will choke because THAT'S WHAT THEY DO!!

I love "writing trash" (the blogging equivalent of "talking trash!")

As for the conference, that looks like a blast. I wish we had more staff, then I could...wait a minute...in 56 more days, WE WILL HAVE MORE STAFF!! Yes!

Blessings,
F.S.

Carrie Allen said...

55 days now...
you better watch out! :)

LuvToRekord said...

Hey Frank, are you coming out to the Packinghouse to speak to the youth group tomorrow night?? I'm playing guitar with Jojo so I'll totally be there! lol It will be GREAT to see you my friend! It's been toooooo long. Much love in your direction!!

Frank And Lela said...

Carrie,

55, schmifty five!

Brad,

...or should I say, ahem...BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Yeah, you know...I was just musing the other day about when we first started communicating, over the fax machine when you worked over at your old job. I wish I would have kept those faxes...they were hilarious!

Yes my friend, I will be there tomorrow night. It will be grrreat to see you! I am afraid though that you will have to endure my ramblings for quite a while, as I am preparing a 2 hour presentation about the theocentricity of the letter to the Philippians and the counter cultural resolve of God...should make for some great relevance to the High School kids!!

See you tomorrow!

Blessings,
F.S.