Lessons My Kids Learned in The Church’s Creaky Gym

The legacy of 70 years, and the little eyes watching.

Another generation keeping life in these old church walls.

This weekend, our church is celebrating its 70th anniversary, and I’ve been helping plan the gala. Tonight, I brought my boys along to help with set up. The event is being held in the old gym—a weathered, worn space that has definitely seen better days. The floor squeaks, the walls show their age, and the air conditioning fights a losing battle with the Texas heat.

But if you look past the peeling paint and the hum of the fans, the place is alive. It’s warm, and full of love, and for our family, it’s become a space that feels like home.

This is the same gym where my kids take gymnastics after school, where we gather for potluck lunches after church, and where the children spill into during recess on rainy days. It may not be shiny or new, but it holds memories of life lived together—shared meals, laughter, worship, friendship, and growth.

Tonight, as the volunteers worked, my boys got to be a part of the action. They watched us drag out round tables and cover them with white cloths. We draped black fabric across auction tables and set aside space for food and drinks. They sat munching on Goldfish crackers, running back and forth between the gym floor and striking up conversations with the other helpers.

What struck me most was how natural it felt—kids weaving in and out among adults of every age, all of us working together to make something bigger than ourselves happen. My boys weren’t just watching; they were involved. They saw the effort it takes to bring a vision to life. They saw people of all ages pitching in, and they felt proud of the part they played. When we left, they carried themselves a little taller, faces glowing with pride.

As parents, it’s easy to get caught up in schedules and routines—school drop-offs, sports practices, grocery lists. But I think one of the greatest gifts we can give our children is the opportunity to participate in community. Not just attending events, but being part of creating them. Setting up tables for a gala. Cleaning up a park. Planting in a community garden. Delivering meals to a neighbor. Serving in a church. These experiences teach them that when we come together, we can accomplish more than we ever could alone.

And just as importantly, these moments root them in relationships with people outside their own little world. There’s so much value in multi-generational community—kids learning from grandparents, teens helping alongside adults, families supporting one another. It’s how traditions are passed down, how resilience is built, and how children grow to understand that they belong to something bigger.

This weekend we’ll celebrate 70 years of our church’s life, and that milestone is only possible because families and neighbors have been faithfully showing up for seven decades. Setting out tables, cooking meals, teaching classes, singing hymns, sweeping floors. Generation after generation has poured themselves into these same walls, building a legacy that my children now get to step into.

And that’s what I hope they carry with them—that life is fuller when we give ourselves away. That joy multiplies when we invest in our community. And that the truest legacy isn’t in buildings or events, but in the values passed from one generation to the next: love, service, and belonging.

🥗 This salad is so good, I made it twice in three days. I added some chopped peanuts for a crunch on top, and it was perfection!

🎯 We are not big on watching “game shows” but this happened to be on last Sunday and the whole family was hooked! The kids had so much fun watching people compete in these crazy competitions.

🧥 I’m loving this blazer for the office, or a more casual dressed down look with jeans. It’s giving off Kate Middleton vibes!

Happy Friday, Friends! I hope you all have a great weekend! If you enjoyed today’s newsletter, please use the button below and send it to a friend.

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