Soakin' Up Life . . . at a 100 MPH!

One of the many extra things to do at Camp Chaparral is the ropes course. I've have done some in the past when I was younger and they were fun. So, I was determined to check it out this year while my husband was teaching away in small groups. While we were at lunch on Thursday, Steve had mentioned they were going to open the ropes course from 2-5 that afternoon since it was not raining that day. Yea! I was there! I wanted to endure the excitement of childhood camps again! So, after lunch and after I had gotten my husband's small group stuff established and started with all his materials for the afternoon, I was off! Well somebody forgot to tell me it was miles away on the other side of the campus, quite a trek in OVEN HEAT! I get there with other high schoolers to do the zip line. I ask around and get geared all up with a harness and helment while sucking down Gatorade. And then I look up......and there she blows, a 25 foot telephone pole with what looked like a deerstand at th...

Happy trails to us! Until we meet again! or until we visit Texas again anyway....Here is a sum up of our 12 day visit with family, friends, camp, friends, then family again! Yes, in that order. First, we visited Mike's hometown of Waxahachie, TX. We got to stay with his mom and brother, visited a haunted catfish restaurant (seriously, Catfish Plantation, look it up), swim in his dad's pool and eat, eat, eat. Mike also got to share at First Baptist Church, Waxahachie. We got to hang out with Maggie and TJ (niece and nephew), visit with one of Mike's old friend, Phillip and his family (cutie's), and also got to meet Karen's youngest brother and his family! Mike also got to speak at First Baptist Church, Terrell, TX on Sunday night, his first church that he served at. And that's just the first visit in Texas. Here is a picture of Philip and his family! Philip owns the local Chick-fil-a in Waxahachie. Here is the newest member of the Browne family! While teaching at...

Camp went great! We arrived Monday and checked in and Mike got things set up for his Bible studies with the boys. Campers arrived and we started the camp with evening praise and worship with the John Sherrill Band and our speaker was Jonathon Hewitt, all local Texans except for us and the girls Bible study leader, Courtney Bullord with idministries.com, who was from Oklahoma. The camp has full days Tuesday through Thursday and Friday is morning worship and go home. Mike had the oppourtunity to teach the jr.high boys after breakfast, then high school boys. We break for lunch, then Mike taught 4 small groups the rest of the afternoons. We know Mike likes to talk, but he was exhausted! After small groups, we headed for dinner, worship, and late night crazy activities that can only take place at camp. Hilarious times! Thats about the sum of it! Here are some pictures to wrap it up! P.S. I made the signs for Mike's teaching area, it says "No Girls Allowed!", but a girl made it...

This is the first full day of camp. This morning I taught middle & high school guys. We are walking through the foundation of Spiritual Leadership. The first quality is Godly Character. For our purposes Character is defined as being the same in private and you are in public. We watched a clip from Braveheart - where William Wallace gets knighted by the nobles and yet he doesn't let his new position go to his head. He's still in pursuit of Scotland's freedom - freedom for everyone, including the common man. Leadership thought - Wallace tells Robert the Bruce "Men don't follow titles, they follow courage." It takes courage to have godly character. It takes courage to be the same in private as you are in public. People will follow that kind of courage. This afternoon I'm leading a chat room on "Using Your Talents for God." I'll let you know how it goes. Mike

Well. . .we're here. We made it to the camp. Had to stop in Decatur for a Dairy Queen pit stop. Nothing like a Beltbuster with cheese chased down with a regular ice cream cone - mmmmmmm! Resting for a few minutes before we jump into action. Mike

Cindy and I spent the past weekend in Waxahachie, TX where I grew up. I still have family and friends that live here. I love visiting. Saturday morning I got up early to go for a run. Ran through downtown and to the old feed store where I used to work during the summers. Still has the same old smell - I love that smell. Yesterday, I spoke at First Baptist Church Waxahachie in the morning and First Baptist Church Terrell in the evening. Terrell is where Jamie Fox is from. Had a great time and got to see lots of old friends. Now we need to get up and get going. Driving up to Wichita Falls to Camp Chaparral for Extreme Camp . I'll be teach the guys in the morning and Cindy and I will be teaching together on serving in the church in the afternoons. Can't wait to see our friends, Pam & Steve, Erica & Bishop. Gotta go get stuff packed. Later 'Gator, Mike