Ablazing Grace & Panama City Beach

Our next big outing included camping at the beach with Laura our DCE and three "Yutes" from our church. Left Sunday after church and with trailer in tow and Laura driving a rented KIA van we got to Campers Inn about 7:30 p.m. Got dark before we got both trailer and five-man tent set up, but all in good spirits staying up rather late before hitting the sack.

Unfortunately we didn't get the rain cover put on top of the tent properly so with the early morning rains guess who got wet. You got it, one trouper DCE and three "Yutes." Also the door to the trailer apparently got accidently locked (guess who!) so they couldn't get in out of the wet tent, but two of the "Yutes" managed to sleep in the van.

By the time all were up the rain had stopped and after fixing them breakfast we managed to get ourselves together and make it over to the Bay Point Marriott where the Southern District of our synod was holding an Intergenerational Gathering under the name Ablazing Grace. Laura was teaching a seminar session and the kids enjoyed the game room set up for the conference. For lunch we stopped at a Wendy's on our way back to camp and Laura and her troop spent the afternoon at the beach. I bbq'd some hotdogs for supper and we headed back to the hotel for the evening program.

The A_G_ program, "Circles of Grace Celebration Eventwith Happy Fun Time, Peder Eide, Jeff Burkart," was very entertaining and fun. Peder led the singing with songs of his own, Jeff told of his spiritual encounter with a taxi driver named Harold and a college group did some very funny improvisational skits.

Monday night went much better than our first night. I had fixed the rain cover, which worked pretty well, and it didn't rain until late morning. Tuesday morning we went back to the hotel and Nelda joined the choir rehearsal while Laura and I attended an Interest session on "Fanning the Ignition in Your Church with Greg Finke." The kids hung out in the game room. For lunch we stopped at Captain Hook's restuarant, shaped like an 18th century pirate ship, then back to the campsite. Even though it rained lightly all afternoon the kids with Laura hit the beach while I worked on my laptop and used the dial-up at the campground to check and send email.

Tuesday evening, having had a large lunch we postponed supper and returned to the hotel for "Places of Grace Celebration Eventwith Happy Fun Time, Peder Eide, Jeff Burkart," similar to the night before but with a grand finalle led by Peder and using lots of glow in the dark glasses and sticks as necklaces and bracelets. The kids had a great time with that, as did most of those present. Of course they were hungry when we got back to the campsite so we bbq'd some hamburgers before they began their card game. I managed to get to bed by 10 and don't know when the rest of them called it quits.

After another dry night and a quick breakfast we began Wednesday morning taking down the tent and trailer before going to the "Ablazing Grace Festival Worship Celebration" that ended the gathering. Then back to the campsite to finish packing, off to Zachby's for lunch and then the highway home. Got home about 7:30 p.m. safely and with some tired but I think happy campers. We all had a good time together and though we did it "our way" we were glad we attended the district gathering at Panama City Beach. Maybe in three years we'll be ready to go again!