Mountain Trip: Celebrate the Glory!

"But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven."

Deuteronomy 11:11

Well, Saturday morning dawned bright and clear! After clearing up our room and packing up the car we left for the 45 minute drive to our conference. We were supposed to arrive at 9 A.M so I could enter my pictures in the Photo Contest but we were a little late. Daddy and the boys entered me a couple minutes after we arrived though. Lining the "parking lot" (also known as an open field) were all these big buses and vans (plus some mini-vans)! That was pretty exciting; homeschoolers (and large families) ahead! There was actually a van 99.9% exactly like ours! They provided a small breakfast of bagels (blueberry, plain and cinnamon raisin), apples, bananas and teas of all sorts.

Seth and a Bagel

Alexis with some Tea ( 1 of 20) :)

It was a beautiful day but the wind was cold and piercing and since the event was outside most of the time (only 2 inside rooms - not counting bathrooms) we were all very cold. Alexis is what we call "cold-blooded" meaning she gets cold a lot quicker and in greater magnitude than the rest of us. She was constantly drinking piping-hot flavored teas!

Caleb with a Bagel

Talking together during a break.

Mr. Marc Jantomaso: director/coordinator of "Celebrate the Glory!"

simplydevoted.com

The Durocher Family (14 altogether).

durocherfamilyministries.com

The event site at "The foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains."

Unfolding Drama: Mr. Rozeboom acting out when Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness when the poisonous reptiles came to bite the Israelites. See Numbers 21:4-9 for the whole story. While you were watching them act you couldn't help but be....

...enjoying it. Eden looks a little tired though!

As, Hannah has already mentioned (ahem) I entered the Photography Contest. The picture of Alexis standing in the sunrays in our backyard won 1st place. Mr. Ken Jenkins graciously donated all the prizes. I received a beautiful calendar of the Smoky Mountains, 2 postcards and a really cute picture of a baby bear putting its paw up against a little pine tree, all were shots that he had taken!

(And for you all to know, 1st place wasn't achieved by anything I did but by the gift the Lord has given me.)

Mr. Jenkins and I.

I attended one of Mr. Jenkins classes and I really enjoyed them! Mr. Jenkins is the most humble man I have ever met; gives all the glory to Jesus for his photography skills and none to himself. I know the Bible doesn't talk about men having a gentle and quiet spirit (that's for the women :) but something about him just pointed you to Jesus and His Word without a you-gotta-do-what-He-says attitude. Just a humble, gentle asking! He pointed to the Scriptures often and said the Lord leads him in his photography and shows him Scriptures later that give the pictures a greater meaning. I really enjoyed listening to him; his love for the Lord filled the room whenever he spoke.

kenjenkins.com

We would've enjoyed the day much better if it hadn't been so cold, but otherwise I think we enjoyed it! (I'm not sure if we're going next year)

Willingly Jesus',

Kimber