Day Seven - Saturday, August 1

Grace and peace...

I was the only one who showed up for breakfast at 5 am. All else were desperately clinging to a few more minutes of sleep. I understood this because I too was exhausted. Still, I managed to get up after only 3 1/2 hours sleep, so I was not pleased that we had the camp crew show up at 5 am to serve us breakfast and no one but me showed up. I was not sympathetic to cries of hunger later in the morning. I was not happy that the 5:45 am time set to load the van time was a half hour later because the girls cabin was not ready. I was tired and ready to leave. I was the horse moving faster with the barn in sight. I was ready to go home.

Fortunately, once we were finally down the road a few miles, I felt better. About an hour from the camp on the north side of Atlanta, we went right by the first house Cile and I bought and the home in which our girls first lived. Not far from there, we passed by the exit to the church where we worshiped for nearly ten years. It was the church where I went from knowing about Jesus to actually knowing Jesus in a real and personal way. It was the church in which our daughters were baptized. Not far from that exit we were in downtown Atlanta where we dropped off one of the students, Stephanie, who was going to spend a few weeks with her aunt. My family and I spent many hours in downtown. We would often go downtown after church. Cile worked at an advertising agency not far from where we dropped off Stephanie. We went to concerts, plays, ball games, ballets in Atlanta. We met friends for dinner. The trip that morning to familiar grounds was a reminder to me of how God works in human lives. There is a connectedness to life. God met me and my family in those very places, that geography, and that terrain. Through those places and experiences, God was preparing me for my life's path of seminary and then life as a pastor. He was also preparing my wife and children for their life's path which would take them from Atlanta to Princeton, Scotland, Ohio, Tennessee and then back to our home state here in Florida. Through weary eyes, I was aware during our drive to and through Atlanta that God had been orchestrating so many events, seen and unseen, that prepared me for all that followed. The result was a warm glow of gratitude that I felt more so than was consciously aware of in the moment. I was thankful to God that morning. God had given us a great week and God had given me life, love, family, calling, friends, mission, purpose and hope.

We made it the rest of the way home without incident. All but Amy and I slept during that tedious drive (have you noticed that the state of Georgia seems to be about 2,000 miles long?). Amy was nauseated and didn't feel well the whole way home. She said it was exhaustion. I put my money on the sloppy joes the day before. We got back to Dunedin, distributed children to their homes or delivered them to their drivers at the church in the evening and all went home.

Those responsible for laundry in each home likely went to work right away. Stale towels, wet clothes, mud and paint stains filled each suitcase. I didn't wear everything I brought, but every bit of it went in to the wash.

The best part of coming to a close of a trip like this is the pondering of what God will do with all that happened. These students and leaders worked hard, played hard, grew closer together and experienced God in the mountains of Tennessee and Georgia. One cannot return from such a time unchanged. I suspect that the group will reunite with a different sense of bonding. I suspect that they will go back to the sarcasm of youth culture, but with an asterisk in their mind as they do so: "I have been to the mountain and met God with this person. I have spoken words of praise about this person. I can only go so far in my criticism of them because this person means something to me." I have no doubt conflicts and frustrations and other things will continue, but it is my great prayer that this group will not forget what happened in Tennessee. It is my hope that the parents, family and friends of this group won't let them forget. It is my hope that this group returns to the mountain of God in their minds many times after this trip. I know I will.

I am certain that sleep will be no problem for this team tonight. Church is tomorrow and I can't wait. I hope I am able to think straight. I pray, as always, that no matter my state of restedness, God speaks clearly through me.

I cannot close this final journal without thanking you who have been praying for the team. Your prayers have been valuable and I hope you have read how God has been working. Perhaps you have seen specific answers to your specific prayers in these posts. Bless you for your faithfulness in praying for us.