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East Texas State Fair 2011

September 30th, 2011

I went to the East Texas State Fair a few days ago on my lunch break and visited everything going on there. I didn’t ride any rides but I did go by the petting zoo, art contest building, business booth area, and the photography contest setup, the food area, an eco/farm building, and I watched some animal showings.

I didn’t end up buying any food but if I had I probably would have gone with a Purple Pig barbeque sandwich and some pie from the Trinity Lutheran shed.

For some reason this years fair seemed kind of blah. Maybe it was because the Pure Energy Band guys were there again touting the healing effects of a plastic bracelet with a hologram sticker.

I would say my favorite things I saw were the art in the art contest building, the petting zoo, and the baby chicks.

I no longer like riding fair rides because I don’t like the spinning sensation in my head.

I recommend the fair for taking your kids to especially for the petting zoo (which is free).

As far as going to the fair for the food…the only thing worth going out of your way for might be the pies at the Trinity Lutheran booth. Stay away from the Turkey Legs, those things are tough as tires and I learned that lesson several years ago.

 

 

Vacation Bible School In Tyler Texas

June 21st, 2011

Tyler TX vacation Bible schoolWe here in Tyler are in the middle of Vacation Bible School (VBS), season right now. Churches all over Tyler are either just beginning, or just finishing their summer activities for area children. Summer programs for the kiddos have become culturally ingrained not on only in East Texas but around the country. I remember attending VBS programs as a child, sometimes at churches other than my own. Of course VBS is essentially a week long Sunday school class that runs from about nine in the morning until noon, (depending on the program). Such programs are popular with parents who are always on the lookout for summer activities for their kids. Church programs are great because they’re safe, secure, and the curriculum is of course formative for the student’s faith. They also have the side benefit of allowing parents a few hours of peace and productivity.

Vacation Bible School is usually a healthy mix of activities and lessons. One of the most popular curriculums this year is called “Pandamania.” Each day’s lesson takes a classic biblical story and draws out a simple theme. The five central stories are as follows: The Creation Story, Elijah vs. the Prophets of Baal, Jonah Runs from God, Jesus Dies and Comes Back to life, and God Gives Hannah a Baby. Numerous churches in town are using the Pandamania curriculum, including; Calvary Baptist Church, Central Baptist Church, Pollard United Methodist Church,Trinity Lutheran and Christ Episcopal Church. I may well be leaving someone out, if so I apologize. Pandamania, like most VBS programs is doctrinally non- sectarian in order to allow as a many different denominations as possible to use it.

There are programs running all through June and into July, all over Tyler and East Texas. My personal fav is Christ Episcopal Church’s, which runs all next week (June 27th through July 1st), from 9:00 am until 12:00 noon. For more information on the Pandamania program go to

http://pandamania.group.com/ . For more on Christ Church’s program go to their children’s ministry page at http://www.christchurchtyler.org/childrens.htm .