Hello All!
We officially celebrated our first Mardi Gras season here on the Coast. It is pretty interesting. The schools close down for a week, kind of like Spring Break, and there are Carnival Balls and parades everywhere! Now, for those of you thinking Mardi Gras= nudity, well..... not really here on the Coast. Now, 100 miles away in New Orleans... you betchya! But here, it is for the most part a very family friendly event that draws crowds from every socioeconomic background.
Now, I have asked several people what exactly Mardi Gras is and no one really could tell me, it is just something ingrained in the culture I suppose, but our friends at Wikipedia have all the answers as always (Note the sarcastic tone in my voice). So here is what the "experts" had to say:
The terms "Mardi Gras" (mär`dē grä) and "Mardi Gras season", refer to events of the Carnival celebrations, ending on the day before Ash Wednesday. From the French term "Mardi Gras" (literally "Fat Tuesday"), the term has come to mean the whole period of activity related to those events, beyond just the single day. The time varies from city to city, as some traditions consider Mardi Gras as the Carnival period between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday. Others treat the final three-day period as being Mardi Gras. In Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras events begin in November, followed by mystic society balls on Thanksgiving, then New Year's Eve, formerly with parades on New Year's Day, followed by parades and balls in January & February, celebrating up to midnight before Ash Wednesday.
So, with that being said... we still have no idea how the beads and the king cakes play a role, but we did enjoy the event and look forward to next season. :-)
For those of you who may not remember or know. It was right before Fat Tuesday last year when Shaun and I drove down here for the first time to see about the possibility of our moving. We left Ocean Springs and on the 10 hour drive back to Texas talked about the crazy possibility that we could actually do it! We placed the house on the market on February 21st and announced our move to the family in March. Looking back, it still seems like yesterday at times. And then sometimes if feels so long ago. Weird huh?
Things are still moving at an incredible pace here with the church. We ordained our elders and we are now gearing up for Easter. Shaun and I will be going to a training next week to plan for the launch of the Celebrate Recovery and Divorce Care ministries. We will launch these much needed things after Easter. Please pray for Mosaic and for the Staff. Our Tech Pastor and our Outreach Pastor are both still working 2 jobs. Adam, our Tech Pastor, has been working as a Manager for Circuit City and this job will be ending soon due to the store closings. Please pray for his family and for provision for him.
I know that many of you know that Shaun did his first wedding a few weeks back. I finally am posting the picts to prove it. Note that his hand stayed in his pants pocket for most of the ceremony AND his leg was shaking the entire time! I think he was more nervous than the bride and groom. He did very well and even instructed them to say thier vows to one another and face each other. Unlike, when he and I married. He said his vows to Brother Greg! 
The girls were banished to talk in the dining room so that the boys could watch the game. But we didn't really want to watch it any way! So there! We love our group and it is so nice to have people that love you and want to share life together.
This weekend is a big one for Shaun. He is preaching the Main services, so please be in prayer for him. He will be preaching: Friends with benefits. So be sure to podcast it. He will also be preaching at the first of April.
Finally... Mark your Calendars! Shaun turns 30 on March 24rth!!! Please be sure to give him a hard time!
We love you guys and really appreciate your prayer and support. Things are crazy here, but crazy good if that makes any sense. Please continue to pray for protection for the staff and for provision. Lives are being changed and it is so neat that God moves through us even despite of us!
That's all for now!
Jessica
.jpg)