Got back home this afternoon about 4PM. Great trip there and back. Here are just a very few things I want to get out there...

- We had about the best trip possible. So many people made this a great success in so many ways and on so many levels.

- We had about 6 or 7 of our own students make first time decisions for Christ. That alone is priceless and worth every penny of the trip.

- We have a staff lead team that most churches would die for (Catherine, Travis and Brandon - you guys are the best. I MEAN THAT!).

- It just so happened that all of our staff members (including spouses and April - Brandon's awesome girlfriend) made the trip. I think it was good for our staff - even though "they" worked their butts off. I say "they" because I didn't do a thing :).

- We need a bus!

- Our future at Rocky River is bright. It only took about a day and a night with our students to realize that.

- We had a spiritual breakthrough this week that is going to turn our church upside down. Can't tell you what that is but you'll know about it soon enough.

- We had some adult volunteers and students that really got connected this week at camp.

- I can't wait until summer camp 2008...! When do we leave?!

- Next year my little Annie will be a rising Middle Schooler and will be making the trip with us. OH MY GOSH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does this look like our students are having fun? This just about says it all right here! Everything is going great! Everyone is safe. No one is fighting. Everyone is growing!

We (me, Karen, Brandon and April) finally made it to Daytona. We waited for April's plane to get into Charlotte this afternoon - she was away this weekend on business. She got in about about 1:30. We got out of Harrisburg at about 3:30 and got here at 11:30. All in all we made pretty good time I think. It was a great drive with Brandon and April. It was really nice getting to know April better. You get to know someone when you spend eight hours with them in an SUV. SHE IS JUST GREAT!!!!

Anyway, Travis is doing a great job here. Parents, you don't have a thing to worry about with this guy on the job. He is running a really smooth ship and the adult volunteers are doing a great job too. The key to a trip like this being successful is "flexability." So far so good. I look for this to the trip of a life time.

I'm tired... I'm going to bed! Tune in tomorrow evening if you're interested in knowing how the day went.

One of the things I learned last week on my vacation is the importance of staying power. I learned this at Graceland - Elvis Presley's home. Elvis has been dead for 30 years this week. That is hard to believe. But at Graceland on Saturday afternoon there were literally thousands of people there to see his home, buy his CD's, shirts, pink Cadillac replicas, and other trinkets. He is as big today - and certainly brings in more money - than he did when he was alive. His "kingdom" is as strong as ever. That is amazing, Elvis fan or not.

We are finally home. And man it is nice to be home too! We had a great vacation but it is always nice to get back home.

Yesterday we went to Graceland and had a really nice time. I can't tell you how inspiring that was for me. You'll be hearing/seeing more about that later. Anyway, after we finished up with Graceland, we went to Nashville where we went down to "Music Row", the Grand Ole Opry and had a nice dinner at a little out of the way restaurant. This morning we headed out for home at about 7AM. All together we drove over 2,300 miles...!!! I'm tired...

Tonight we're in Springfield, MO - the home of Bass Pro Shops. Still having lots of good times. One hitch; my sisters Expedition is having break problems and has to spend tonight at the Ford dealership. It’ll be ready tomorrow about noon. Not too big of a deal except that it will cost them about $250 they hadn’t planned to spend.

Today we went to this place in Branson called Dogwood Canyon. It is owned by Bass Pro Shops and is over 11,000 acres. It is an unbelievable place. Think of a nature preserve on steroids. The wildlife is amazing and just in your face really. They have a tram ride that takes you through the property (not all of it) that lasts about an hour and a half. We saw caves that Oklahoma Indians used for burial grounds, waterfalls, buffalo, trophy Elk, snakes, Texas Longhorns and some other cool animals. They found the remains of an Indian that was over 400 years old. If you ever go to Branson this is a must. THE KIDS LOVED IT! Check it out at http://www.dogwoodcanyon.com/. Oh yeah, James bought a coon skin cap like Daniel Boone.

Tomorrow we’re going to hit the HUGE Bass Pro Shop here in MO. BTW, this is the home of Bass Pro Shops. It is four floors. That's like "man heaven." Then we’re off to Memphis where we’ll hang out with Elvis for a day or so. I wish my aunts Merle and Reba were here with us for the Graceland Tour. They would really dig the Elvis stuff…! In 1977 it was my aunt Reba who told my cousins and me that Elvis had died. We were playing baseball at my uncle Larry’s across the street from my Grandpa Simpson’s house down in Union County, NC. Reba came out of the back door of Grandpa’s and said, “Elvis is dead!” I was only 9 years old but I could hardly believe it. For my mom and her sisters it was like a member of the family had died.

Anyway, while I’m blogging the family is downstairs at the pool. I’m going to sign off now and go down and join them. Good night…

I had to buy a new pair of flops this evening because mine broke (they were Sanuks) - I was climbing up a dang hill and the left one just popped. Anyway, I bought a new pair here at the resort. The new ones are Cobians. I've never heard of that brand (I'm sure Brandon and Travis have because they are up with all the hip clothes - pretty much) so I checked them out online. I fell in love with their website. Cobian sells a particular model of flop that when purchased, they send $2 of that purchase to World Vision to fight hunger in Africa. This is really cool. I'm going to buy a pair of those too!

Take a look for yourself at http://www.cobianusa.com/.

We had another really good day today. We slept in until about 10:00AM. To some that might not sound like a big deal but if you know me well you know it is extremely rare that I “sleep in.” It was some good sleeping too because it was raining and our room is really dark.

The rain stopped sometime after lunch and I did something I never thought I would do in my life. I went fishing – in a boat – with my dad. My dad does not fish and it is a long story so just let it be enough for me to say it was cool and I never thought it would happen. We rented a 14 passenger pontoon boat – that was pretty dang cool – and just cruised the lake and fished for about 2 hours. It was really awesome. BTW, we named the boat “Suck My Wake.” If you’ve ever seen the John Candy movie “The Great Outdoors” then you know why that is funny.

Tonight we had dinner at the Devil’s Pool Restaurant. It was fabulous. It was a great meal and a great atmosphere. I think we’re going back tomorrow night and I’ll try to get some pix up soon.

We got into the hotel room about 9 tonight and talked until about midnight. I enjoy talking and spending time with my mom and dad as much anything else.

While we were talking tonight my mom told us that tomorrow (June 13) my cousin Mike Simpson would be 46 years old. He died about 10 years ago. He was a super guy. He was the kind of man we need more of today. I can hardly believe he has been gone for 10 years. He would be proud of his beautiful daughter Laura and his wife Jane. I would appreciate it if you would pray for them tomorrow and my uncle Larry and aunt Mellie.

Anyway, I’ve got to turn in now. I have an early tee time tomorrow…

Hey Travis and Brandon, eat your hearts out…! ☺

Got into Branson, MO this afternoon at about 4:30. Spent about four hours in the pool and lazy river with Karen and the kids and my sister and her family. It was a blast! We’re really going to have some serious fun here…!!!

Our rooms were not what my mom was expecting (and she’s paying so that stinks). She was promised a nice view of the Ozark Mountains, but what we got is the parking lot/storage shed view. BUT, we met some kids in the pool that kind of put life (and things we think are big and important but really are NOT) into perspective. These kids were brother and sister. They were as cute as could be and maybe 7 and 8 years old. The little boy – the brother – has cancer. (His sister told Annie all of this). He asked the “Make a Wish Foundation” for a swimming pool with a slide. So while the contractor is building the pool at his house, they sent the family to this resort for a vacation together. This makes me cry. It also reminds me of what’s really important and what is not – like hotel rooms and scenic views.

Anyway, we’re all tired and I think we’re going to order some room service and just go to sleep.

Later…