Gatlinburg '10 - Middle School Event

Last weekend I had the privilege to once again work with our middle school ministry on one of my favorite annual events... Gatlinburg!  Friday we loaded up the vehicles (2 vans + my car) and made the trip there.  We had beautiful weather all weekend with clear views of the Smokies the whole time.  (My favorite part!)  

Saturday morning started out with a challenging message from Shad about our "friend lists." He got us thinking about if we choose friends who help us pursue our dreams or not.  Our friends are the ones with us on the path we take in life.  The path we're on is the direction we're going and that is what is going to determine where we end up.  Who in our lives inspires us to dream what God dreams for us?

View from our Meeting Room

Small Groups

After group time, we headed into Pigeon Forge for some go-kar-ting.  That is always a lot of fun!!  After go karts we went to one of Gatlinburg's many pancake places for lunch.  I tried a (as in only one!) multigrain & nut pancake which was surprisingly out of this world good!  After lunch it was on to Fort Fun for putt-putt golf, laser tag, and bumper cars... Also a lot of fun! Dinner was at Los Rancheros (I think that's the name) and chips & salsa and diet coke never tasted so good... Saturday night we had another group session.  Sam talked about your "profile pages" i.e. identity and we talked about 3 main questions... Who have you been?  Who are you now?  Who can you be?  The most important task is not what you do, but who you become.

A couple of my girls!

Ready to Race!

They just can't handle all the excitement... Haha

Shad got the Reese's-something-or-another-pancakes...

Girls @ Flapjack's

Bumper Cars @ Fort Fun

Me and one of the Oilers' hockey stars
@ Fort Fun

Don't you wish you were there...

...I mean, really...

...what's not to LOVE?! 

Sunday morning we had our 3rd group session which Barbara led... talking about our "status updates" and how we portray ourselves.  What you do and what you say (as well as what you don't do and don't say) tell other people a lot about yourself.  Then, it was off to go ice skating at Ober.  No injuries this year-- always a PLUS!  We stopped in Pigeon Forge again on the way home for lunch at Gatti's (which I politely refused thank you very much and my ride home was MUCH more comfortable!!).  Overall the weekend was just fantastic... Can't wait for next year!