Rob's Ramblings

One more day, and then August 2015 will be a memory. Tuesday brings us September 1, and thoughts turn to the Fair! I have always been and always will be a state fair nut. I enjoy the atmosphere. Walking around, seeing people, enjoying the food. I will not be spending a large amount of money at the fair this year, as I am putting money back for Tijuana. I have my 10-day pass and meal coupons I purchased last Spring, and once those run out, not much more money will be coming out to spend on food. I have a few items I'm going to try, and I'll reveal those things when I get them. It will be a "greatest hits" type of deal.  Here are a few helpful hints if you're spending the day at the fair: Cheapest soda: (Disclaimer: based on last year's prices): The P-Nut Stand on the north side of the Oz building. $1.75 for a bottle of soda, most brands represented. There are also several Root Beer stands with regular and sugar-free, and their prices are pretty low as well. Cheapest Food: If you walk toward the midway from the P-Nut Stand, you will see a "Dollar Days" sign on a trailer, left side of the street. They sell $1.25 hamburgers and hot dogs. I usually get 2 burgers when I visit this stand, as their burgers are pretty thin, but for $1.25...it's a good deal! Best free stuff: In one of the smaller Sunflower Buildings, there is a Union Booth. They always have some of the coolest promotional stuff on their table (several different things)and they'll let you take some of each. Those guys are fun to visit with, as well. Also in one of those smaller buildings are samples of flavored coffees and breads. Good stuff! In the big Meadowlark building, there is a booth with many types of dips, with pretzel sticks to dip for sampling. Just don't double dip! They're watching like hawks for that! Many, many other booths hand out pencils, pens, cups, magnets, keychains, etc. Be watching those tables for free stuff, if that's what you're into. Think of the money you'll save on school supplies!

In other news, my baking business is steadily gathering interest. I'm currently at 27% of funds needed for Tijuana, and a lot of it is owed to orders from people who either want to help me out, satisfy a sweet tooth, or both. I've already had people tell me my stuff is expensive. Here's the deal: Some of the supplies are not cheap. I have to cover overhead AND try to make a profit. My baking business is more of a fundraiser than a business. To those people who have ordered, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. The fact that money is coming in is confirmation from The Lord that I am in His will, and He wants me to go.

Prayer needs:
*A good chunk of the funds needs to be in by Mid-October, which is when I need to purchase  my plane ticket. That brings me to the next need.......
*I'm looking for an individual, agent, whomever...who has experience with scoring low prices on airfare. In this case, it would be from Wichita to San Diego. I have no experience with travel/airline sites, and am totally clueless. If you have any suggestions, I'm open.
*I'm also needing someone to get me to and from the Wichita airport. It's a load of money to park at the airport for almost a week.  

It's totally wild how God can change a heart. A few years ago, I would never have dreamed that God would call me away from Kansas. I thought I would spend the rest of my life here. But since Mexico, God is showing me that what I am doing now is merely temporary, and that there is something more....something bigger in store. He's given me desire to be in San Diego, fully accessible to all of the Mexico mission trips they take throughout the year. Pretty crazy, huh? I've shared this before, and I share it again...Before I left on my first Mexico trip they told me "Go on a mission trip. It will change your life." They weren't kidding.

Thanks for reading, thanks for praying, and God bless you!! 

Rob's Ramblings; Endings and Beginnings

It's official. Summer vacation has come to an end. For many of us who are in education, Summer vacation ended weeks ago. For those kiddos out there, it ended today. Tomorrow morning, children in our area will be making their way back to school.

I think I am ready for school to start. I have really missed the kids. Today at our open house, I was greeted with hugs and high-fives from returning students. I also was able to interact a bit with some of the new Kindergarteners I will see on a daily basis. Many of the kids were excited, while some of the older kids were in a "whatever" kind of mood.  I am also ready to get paid again, as paras do not get paid over the summer. That makes things pretty tight, while trying to stay on top of expenses and also attempt to raise funds for my upcoming Tijuana trip (8% funded). In exciting news, I was given a generous raise this year, the biggest I've ever gotten in my 13-year run with the public school system. While my duties as a Kindergarten para will pretty much stay the same, my role in Boys and Girls club will change. I will be moving from the school-based B&G club site to the main site. At my school-based site, we had about 25 kids. The main site has over 200! Fortunately, I am not responsible for all 200 of them (I'd quit!LOL) but I will be working with K-1st grade kiddos. The main site stays open a half-hour later than the school-based site, so there's an extra half-hour pay in there!

Looking back, it really was a great summer. God really did a work in my life. When I think back on my weeks at camp, my trip to Mexico, and VBS, it's with a tinge of sadness to see an end to such a wonderful season. However, I am looking forward to an amazing school year getting to know these great Kindergarteners. I've got a good feeling about this year. I've been praying for these kids and my co-workers all Summer long, and I'm excited to see what God holds in store. 

In the morning, I would ask that you take a few extra minutes before leaving for work, as there will be extra back-to-school traffic in the morning. Please be extra vigilant as you drive, as many kids walk to school. I'd also ask that you pray for our kiddos and teachers this year. We will definitely appreciate your prayers. Here's to a great school year!

These are my random thoughts this evening. Thanks for reading. Be blessed!


  

Rob's Ramblings: Looking ahead to the State Fair

It's hard to believe that in just a few weeks, the Kansas State Fair will be upon us once again. I went into the office yesterday to pick up my paperwork to enter my cookies, and I also picked up info on entering tomatoes, providing I have some to enter. My tomatoes are not producing like I'd hoped. They're pretty sparse. I'm hoping that something I enter will take home a ribbon or two.

If you will think back a few years, the State Fair is the reason I created this blog in the first place. My original blog started on a blog site called Xanga, and when that site went down, my blog posts took the form of Facebook "notes." Sadly, everything I ever posted in Xanga was lost. Last year, I graduated to Blogger, and I've liked it a lot. Originally, my posts were only designed to come out at State Fair time, but people encouraged me to keep on posting, even after the fair was over. I'm happy that I did. Those of you that followed me from the beginning have seen me grow and watched God do amazing things in my life.

Before I give you a blog preview, I have a few winners to announce from last year. I tossed out some trivia questions last year, and I have 3 winners to announce. First, I asked what ride was located where White Water had formerly been. The answer was Crazy Mouse, and Brenda from Hutchinson was the first to answer that one. My other question concerned how many Pronto Pup stands were on the grounds. I had 2 answers, neither of them were correct. One reader guessed 6, and another guessed 10. The correct answer is 5. I told the 2 readers that I would give them both a prize just for trying. My 2 winners were both named Laura! Laura S. from Hutchinson was closest with her guess of 6, and Laura K. of Smolan guessed 10. I have a gate ticket for you 3 trivia winners. Those tickets won't be available for pick-up until the first Friday of the fair, and we'll need to arrange a pick-up time for you. Congratulations! 

Since I am at the Fair everyday, someone suggested a "Where's Rob" adventure. Kind of like "Where's Waldo?" If you see me at the fair, come and say "hello" to me, and tell me that you read the blog, I will have a small treat for you. I had a few friends who would come out to the fair, knowing that I was there, and made a game out of trying to spot me. I will also toss out some state fair trivia that could earn you gate tickets for next year! 

The blog this year will be slightly different from previous years' posts. Since I am saving back for Tijuana, I will not be eating like I usually do. I purchased my season pass and meal coupons back in the Spring, before I knew what God would do with me in the future. I didn't purchase an exorbitant amount of meal coupons, so when those run out, I won't be putting out a whole lot more money for food. I am saving as much money as I can. I have already decided what I will purchase to eat, and I'll report on how it tasted, the service, and value. That will be the biggest change: less food and less reporting on it. Maybe I can walk up to random people and ask them about what they are eating and give me a grade on it, LOL.  Although the food part will change, I will still be out there taking pictures, seeing the sights, and bringing you a daily report on the happenings out at the state fair that you enjoy reading. I love seeing the people, seeing the sights, and enjoying the festive atmosphere.  

The state fair starts September 11, and I hope to be there every day. It runs for 10 days, ending on the 20th. Between now and the beginning of the fair, I'll post flashbacks and pictures of previous years' state fair on my Facebook page. 
So... the long and short of it all is that there WILL be a state fair daily blog, just minus so much eating. I'm looking forward to it.

Thanks for reading today, and may God bless you!

Rob's Ramblings

I remember as a little boy, I was convinced that I would be a missionary. I'm not really sure how the idea popped into my head, but the thought was there. I guess I should realize that God put that idea into my head. My mom tells me that I would stand in the backyard and preach to the dogs, and whatever or whoever else happened to be passing by. I remember sharing this missionary dream with my pastor, and lovingly nicknamed me "Preacher Boy." He would call me that every time he would see me.   I felt that one day, I would go to Africa to be a missionary. Surprisingly, when I shared this vision with the youth leaders and other youth, my dream was met with mocking and teasing. I recall the youth group making a joke of my desire to be a missionary. Some of the kids would tell me they felt ill, and asked if they could touch me to receive healing. Eventually, the feeling passed, as did the youth group leaders and students over the passage of time. However, a number of years later, in my adult years, God reminded me of the dream I had as a child. I acknowledged this to God, but did little to pursue this. I remember being drawn to South America, but other than that, I allowed the drawing to remain dormant. Fast-forward to 2014, when I had the opportunity to travel to Tijuana, Mexico for a mission trip. "Should be fun," I thought. The experience brought me more than I had bargained for. I remember leaving the orphanage in tears, moved. The missionary feeling had been re-ignited, stronger than ever before. Immediately upon our return to Hutchinson, we knew that we would return to Tijuana the next Summer. Fund-raising began immediately, and I was able to secure the cash for the 2015 trip. Before we left on our second trip, people joked that I would not be coming back, and that I would be staying at the orphanage. I was, at the time teetering on the edge of a commitment, and I joked that one more trip might "push me over the edge." Well, God pushed! When I look into what God might do with me in the future, I can't help but remember that missionary's heart that I had as a child, and know now what God was preparing me to do. I feel very strongly that God will call me to San Diego in order to be closer to Tijuana, and be available for all the mission trips the church takes down there. 

What's the plan, Rob? 
There are a lot of things to think about before making this drastic move. I might add that I am at peace, should God call me to San Diego. I would sorely miss Hutchinson. I have a great family, church, friends, great job, awesome co-workers, and great kids that I get to see every day. However, there are some things that draw me to the San Diego area........
 

I have fallen in love with these children of Tijuana. Very few nights have passed when I have not dreamed of being at Colina de Luz. I grow more at peace with being in San Diego each and every day.  However, there's more to the story than just loading up a U-Haul and hauling my stuff to San Diego.  First, I need to get my financial picture in order. I have a lot of debt that I need to eliminate. My plan is to play the lottery and hope to win big... Just kidding! I am sticking to a budget, cutting expenses, and paying down as much as I can. Dave Ramsey would be proud! If I can get my cooking business off the ground (see previous posts), that will be a valuable tool in ridding myself of debt. Unless I receive a major windfall, this will take quite some time. During this time, I will also begin parting with needless items in storage and at home. So, if I announce a big garage sale, or you see items hit the Buy, Sell, Trade websites, that's what's going on.

I will also continue to take mission trips to Tijuana as often as God provides the resources for me to go. One trip in the Summer, and a trip in December if there is a need.

 Other issues will include getting my car to San Diego, finding a job there, and finding a place to live.

To put it simply, God has a timeline, and He will put me where He wants me WHEN He wants me. If He wants me there sooner than later, He will provide the resources I need to get there. So this is where it stands. I am ready, but I am waiting for Him to give me the go-ahead. I know many of you had asked for a plan of action, and I had not been able to give one. Now, I have a bit of a clearer picture of where I feel God might take me.

How can I help, Rob?
First, pray. Pray for safety, and for the hearts of the people that I will one day be ministering to. 
Second, please think about contributing to my Mexico fund. There is a fund set up at my church: Westside Baptist Church
               400  West 12th
               Hutchinson, KS 67501
               Designate the donation to Rob Rue's Mexico trip.
               ***Note: There is still a $250 challenge grant on the table.****

Another way you can donate is by checking my past few posts and ordering some goodies made to order. Reasonable prices, really yummy goodies!

I hope this answers some of your questions. I know that I am grateful to have more info from God as to what direction I may go. I want to thank you for reading, and I apologize if my fund-raising efforts are wearing thin on you. It's just that I have a tremendous burden to get back to Tijuana. Thanks for understanding. I'll try to tone it down a bit. God bless and have a great week!

Rob's Ramblings

A friend of mine, who is anxious to see what God will do with my life where missions is concerned, has issued a challenge. He is laying down a $250 matching grant for my upcoming trip to Tijuana. Every dollar that is donated will be doubled up to $250! My church has set up a Tijuana fund for me, and if you feel that God might be leading you to make a donation, here is the contact info:

Westside Baptist Church
400 West 12th
Hutchinson, KS 67501
(Be sure to indicate that the funds are to go to Rob's Tijuana trip.)

If you'd like to purchase some of my home-baked goods, that is another way to donate, and get some sweet treats in the process. I have competitively priced these items so that my overhead will be covered, and still make some profit toward my trip. The remainder of this post is a re-post of last time, so that you can see the selections................

To date, no one has ever been ill as a result of my cooking. (Unless you eat too much. Then, it's on you. Lol) Let's roll the items, and then I'll follow up with ordering information.
Black-Bottom Cupcakes: A cupcake flavored with chocolate and a hint of coffee, filled with chocolate and cream cheese filling. A family favorite of ours for quite a while. The picture shows a cut-away so that you can see what's inside. $10.00 per dozen.

 

 

Peppernuts: A tiny cookie (about quarter-sized) with an anise flavor. My peppernuts are soft. $10.00 for a full-quart-sized bag.

 

 

Magic "Hello Dolly" Cookie Bars: A bar made with sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and pecans, spread out and baked on a graham cracker crust. $10.00 per dozen.

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies: These homemade goodies are the exact same as the ones that I enter in the Kansas State Fair every year. They have never won, so the judges must be biased, as the people I know who try them love them! (I'm not bitter, Lol) I'll enter them again this year and hope for the best! $10.00 for 1 1/2 dozen. (18 cookies)

 

 

Peanut Clusters: A combination of slow-cooked dark and white chocolates, peanuts, and a few exotic touches that give these clusters a very unique flavor! $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.

 

 

 

Chocolate-Covered Cherries: Maraschino cherries dipped in rich chocolate. $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.



 

 

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls:  Sweet peanut butter bites dipped in sweet chocolate. $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.

 

Keep this post handy in the event you need something in the future, and keep me in mind. My products are quality and I always use fresh ingredients. Facebook messages work best when ordering, as opposed to leaving a comment on the post. I'll see the FB message quicker. You may choose to pick up at my home, or I can deliver in the Hutchinson area. As always, since this is a benefit, feel free to offer more than the $10.00 cost if you are able but there is no obligation to do so.

 

I really want to go back to Tijuana! Thanks for seeing my heart today. God bless you!

 

Thanks for your support!

 

 

 

Rob's Ramblings "The Launch"

So far, as of today, I have $280 pledged toward my December trip to Tijuana! I'd like to boost that amount even quicker by launching my line of home-baked goods. This is not a situation like a business that is FDA approved, etc, as that can be time-consuming and costly to get set up. This will simply be "Rob will make the goodies and you pay for them" type of business. 

I will ask that this post not be shared, as I don't want the wrong person to see this and blow the whistle on my fund-raising effort. To date, no one has ever been ill as a result of my cooking. (Unless you eat too much. Then, it's on you. Lol) Let's roll the items, and then I'll follow up with ordering information.

Black-Bottom Cupcakes: A cupcake flavored with chocolate and a hint of coffee, filled with chocolate and cream cheese filling. A family favorite of ours for quite a while. The picture shows a cut-away so that you can see what's inside. $10.00 per dozen.

 

 

Peppernuts: A tiny cookie (about quarter-sized) with an anise flavor. My peppernuts are soft. $10.00 for a decent-sized bag.

 

 

Magic "Hello Dolly" Cookie Bars: A bar made with sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and pecans, spread out and baked on a graham cracker crust. $10.00 per dozen.

 

 

Chocolate Chip Cookies: These homemade goodies are the exact same as the ones that I enter in the Kansas State Fair every year. They have never won, so the judges must be biased, as the people I know who try them love them! (I'm not bitter, Lol) I'll enter them again this year and hope for the best! $10.00 for 1 1/2 dozen. (18 cookies)

 

 

Peanut Clusters: A combination of slow-cooked dark and white chocolates, peanuts, and a few exotic touches that give these clusters a very unique flavor! $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.

 

 

 

Chocolate-Covered Cherries: Maraschino cherries dipped in rich chocolate. $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.



 

 

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Balls:  Sweet peanut butter bites dipped in a sweet chocolate. $10.00 for a bag of about 15-20.

 

 

The BIG question is....will this work? I guess it depends on what the people want. We will wait and see what happens. I feel that these items are fairly priced and not only cover the overhead, but raise profit to go into my Tijuana fund. These items are great for graduations, weddings, birthdays, any type of gathering, or if you have a sweet tooth. I will need several days notice so that I have time to get supplies and prepare it. You can come to pick it up, or I can deliver in-town.  Because this is a benefit, feel free to contribute more than the price. :-)    Orders can be placed through Facebook instant message. Please don't post an order by way of a comment on this post. Instant message will help me keep things separate.

 

So, here's to Rob's Homebaked Goods. Order away! Thanks for reading.

 God bless!

 

****Rob****