Old Kentucky Christmas: First Church of Christ, Burlington, KY

Our church has given the gift of this event to our community for the last few years. Each year, Old Kentucky Christmas grows and grows. This year's crowd is expected to reach around 10,000 between the four night and one day event.

Today, my kids and I volunteered for the field trip shift. We worked in the school house, teaching children how to write with a feather quill and ink.

There is something fun for everyone. You can make a candle...

pet real animals, like llamas, a donkey, burro, cow or angora rabbits...

take a carriage ride, play pioneer games, make your own Christmas ornament, go on a hayride and there is food too.

Decorate your own Christmas cookie, drink hot cocoa, or dip a pretzel in chocolate at the candy shop.

Inside our main building there will also be a quilting display, a dulcimer ensemble and several opportunities to participate in our church's candlelight service. Thursday night, Cooper High School performed their Christmas concert in lieu of a candlelight service.

There are also several photo opportunities outside and a more formal family photo opportunity inside.

Did I mention that this entire event is free?

My only caution is that with local road and community building construction this year, parking is more restricted. If you're heading out, there is the option to park at Camp Ernst Middle School and catch the free shuttle over to the First Church campus.

Trust me..your family will love this and it might become a favorite tradition in your home.

Visit the website for more time, location and map details. There are also lots of photos on the Facebook page.

And this...

this is what happens when you teach several hundred students how to write with a feather quill and ink. Oh well...back in the day, I would have just looked the part of a serious author.

Tent Day

What is Tent Day? Tent Day is what happens when churches take food, fun and fellowship outside of the church walls and to neighborhoods where people need to experience God's Love. We all need God's Love, but some communities are more receptive to people sharing life with them. Such is the case on Tuesday and Thursday nights in two Northern Kentucky neighborhoods.

CityMerge is a relatively new non-profit whose vision not only includes Tent Day, but meeting real needs for real people. The needs can't fully be known until the relationships are established through consistent involvement in the lives of neighborhood families though. Once the needs are identified (i.e. homework assistance, nutrition classes, or small home repairs for the elderly), the needs can be met by church members, Tent Day volunteers, or local agencies that are already active and funded in the community.

The biggest need that is met by Tent Day is relationship. In poor communities, you don't want to feel like a "project"...you want to know you are loved, valued and a needed part of your neighborhood. Through informal community dinners, games and conversation, neighbors step out of their homes and into each others lives. When you know your neighbors are working together, you know that your contribution can make a difference.

Just as this Gigi's cupcake brings BIG icing to Tent Day...CityMerge's BIG dream involves transformation of lives and neighborhoods on nothing less than a massive scale. But as I've learned over the last year, it all starts with the little things. Obedience, time, listening, discernment, personal study, dedication and love...above all else Love...is what will make lasting change in the lives of those who are marginalized in our society.

But the flip-side of this is that the Tent Day volunteers will most likely be the most transformed! When you invest your own obedience, time, listening, discernment, etc. into the lives of people in your local community who only have their lives and time to give in return, you quickly become the recipient of priceless gifts like honesty, authenticity, joy, fun, conversation, insight, perspective on what really matters, and love...above all else Love.

CityMerge hopes to one day have other Northern Kentucky churches capture the vision and adopt neighborhoods in their own communities. What would happen if every church in Northern Kentucky took one night each week to feed their neighbors and talk with them about what's going on in their homes, schools and neighborhoods? 

Can you see it?

It may turn out to be nothing more than a cut-throat game of Trouble...

or maybe...just maybe...it could become the beautiful Body of Christ that Jesus envisioned His Church could be: On Earth as it is in Heaven!

Washington Square Cafe' and Catering, Burlington, KY

5981 North Jefferson Street

Burlington, KY

Yesterday for breakfast, I met the two ladies I co-lead a small group with at Bible study. They suggested this local establishment and given my penchant for supporting local business, I was thrilled. 

If you've been following me on Twitter, Facebook or this blog though...you know I'm knee-deep into a juice fast and body reboot. So while I can share that their orange juice was typical in taste for most restaurants (probably from concentrate), and I thought it was priced appropriately for the size...I'll have to rely on my observations from my dining partners' experiences to attempt a brief review.

Since we've lived in the Boone County, Kentucky, area we have seen numerous places come and go on this block of Jefferson Street. I'm not certain if it's location, price, quality or what...but I believe that Washington Square has been here for a few years now.

Upon arrival, parking might be your biggest hurdle. Breakfast wasn't busy, so I parked right out front. There is a parking lot across the street for all the local businesses though, if needed. Washington Square has a large outdoor patio seating area that they use whenever they can. The building is small (it only seats up to 50), so they've extended their space and usage of the patio with outdoor heaters.

Once I walked into the small building, I was greeted by a very friendly waitress and seated in a quaint, cute room. I had to chuckle to myself at the three or four older men that were having their morning coffee by the bar, watching the news and chatting away about current events...local and global. Not to be too melodramatic...but this is one of the things I love about the U.S. Everywhere I've been in this country, there is some "hole in the wall" place, with great food, where locals gather every morning just to hang out before their day starts. Starbucks did not invent the idea.

Back to the food. One of my companions had a biscuit with gravy and hash browns and said it was delicious. My other fellow diner ordered a breakfast quesadilla and could it was large enough that she could only eat about half. She also said her meal tasted great.

Prices for breakfast were a little higher than I would normally pay, but at around $7-8 were probably right in line with good breakfast meals served at sit down restaurants. Both ladies said they've eaten at Washington Square for lunch as well and the food is consistently good.

I wish I could give more firsthand commentary as to the quality of the food and overall experience, but I'll just have to go back and visit when my juice fast is over. Since I'm planning on continuing my healthy way of eating, I'm hoping to find some healthy options on their menu. 

I couldn't find a website for Washington Square Cafe, but they do have a Facebook page and it looks like they update it frequently to advertise their specials, live bands and events. So next time you're heading out for breakfast, lunch or dinner...think local-owned instead of chain restaurant and give Washington Square Cafe' a try.