Vacation thoughts

I want to take the time to let everyone know how thankful I am for those that stepped up at church for Stephanie and me while we vacationed.

Annie did great leading worship the first Sunday and the team did well the second one, though they were fewer singers than usual.

Terry, thanks for doing the funeral and preaching the last couple of weeks.  You did great and people enjoyed the messages.

Since we started the church in '99, this was the first true "vacation" we have really taken.  I was always preaching on Sunday when I got back, so sermon prep happened while we were gone.  I was gone, but never really in my head.  We have had vacations, but somewhere in there I was always working on something.

So our trip to Fripp Island, SC with the Crothers was wonderful.  I did NO sermon prep, made only 1 ministry phone call, and checked NO email for 7 full days (I looked at it the last night before we left).  I have never done that.  I purposely did not even look at the book of Matthew when reading my Bible for fear that I would start working on a message.

I didn't want to make any decisions while we were gone and just needed to relax, and I did.

It is hard to take a day off and get away from it for me because I am always thinking about doing this or that.  I say all that to say thanks to the church and to my family.  We missed being with you on Sun, but went to the Baptist Church of Beaufort, SC which started in 1804.  But it wasn't like being at PSC.  So we drove 20 hours home in time to get a few hours sleep and get to church the next week.  I wanted to see our people and and worship with you and hear Terry too.

This are two of my favorite pictures from the trip.  There are stories of a charging alligator, running, and Cole going back for his shoes after the pic by the sign.