Day 4. Gatlinburg: seeing the sights

We boarded the buses this morning with a sense of anticipation for our sight-seeing day in Gatlinburg.  Little did we know that the sights would begin long before we reached Tennessee!   It was another beautiful day, and our route took us into the heart of the Smoky Mountains, where we saw cabins nestled in the woods, vistas opening up as the road curved, and mountains stretching into the distance in any direction we looked.  After a loop through the mountains, and a chance for kids to stretch their legs, we continued on our way to Tennessee. 

We drove through the busy, touristy downtown of Gatlinburg before picking up our BBQ lunch.  We enjoyed our boxes of BBQ and baked beans, and then had a little over two hours to explore the shops and sights.  Gatlinburg is situated at the foot of some beautiful mountains, and several of us enjoyed taking in even more of the view as we rode the Sky Lift (a chair lift for seeing the sights). 

Kids spent the afternoon wandering around the town, tasting hot sauce and other local delicacies, shopping, and enjoying each other’s company in the warm sunshine.  We had a short trip on the bus to Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede, where we were herded into the arena where we would enjoy our southern-style dinner and a show.  Highlights are below!

Highlights from Dixie Stampede:

-Mr. Kempton, Virginia Hagerott, Mia Hardesty, and Logan Belcher competing in the horse races… on stick horses

-the delicious food (all eaten with our hands—don’t worry, we sanitized first!)

-the ostrich races

-the pig races

-the expert horsemanship of the performers

-the chance to participate and cheer for our side (the North)

-the spectacle of the whole show

The theme of this day (unintentionally) was eating, so after Dixie Stampede we boarded the buses to head to a nearby TGI Friday’s for some dessert, skits, and fellowship.  We reunited with our tour groups from the Biltmore to plan our own version of “The Wheels on the Bus” in a randomly assigned style of music.  Other patrons at TGI Friday’s looked puzzled as they left the parking lot, filled with clusters of kids planning, choreographing, and rehearsing.  Seniors took leadership in directing their teammates, and everyone had a chance to suggest their own creative touches.  We were all excited as we filed into our room at the restaurant, and eager to see the other performances.

Our first group did a country version, which featured a mash-up of “The Wheels on the Bus” and “Sweet Home Alabama.”  Our second group did a rap version, with some beat-boxing that got everyone cheering.  The third group was assigned to perform in a Disney style, so they reworked “The Circle of Life” from Lion King with several group members acting as animals that were turned into roadkill by the ‘bus’.  The fourth group did a jazzy version, which featured some humorous moments, and got the audience laughing and snapping along to the beat.  The final group did an oldies version, to the beat of “Rockin Robin.”  While the judges deliberated, we enjoyed the chance to mingle and chat with the people at our tables. 

After this, everyone had the opportunity to enjoy some appetizers and desserts before Mr. Joseph did a final devotional for us.  He used a text from Exodus to talk about transitions, and remind us that we will continue to face times of transition throughout life.  He pointed out that when God brought the Israelites out of slavery, He led them into the desert, and reminded us that we will face times of suffering and difficulty, and that those times have a purpose for our good.  He talked about how God uses suffering to discipline us, and to produce trust, faithfulness, gentleness, perseverance, and patience in us.  But he also pointed out a verse that mentions how the Israelites made camp at a place of springs and palm trees.  He encouraged us by saying that God also leads us through places of refreshment, sometimes even amidst times of difficulty.  These words were an encouraging reminder of God’s goodness, and purposes for us, even when things are hard.

We boarded the bus one last time today to head to our hotel, which was situated at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains.  After our unloading and check-in, we headed in and had a chance to unwind for a bit before getting some rest for our last day of tour. 

Highlights from Twitter (#aacschoirtour2013):

-Katie Kinsey – #aacschoirtour2013 was a huge success in my mind… God at work, relationships growing, fellowship, and lots and lots of memories.

-AACS US Choirs – BBQ, sky lifts and more southern activities to follow. 

-Jodi Hoffman – Dear Mrs. Joseph, your husband is hilarious. Love, all the choir girls.

PTL for:

-another beautiful day to enjoy God’s creation in a new place

-safety in our travels

-the opportunity to enjoy time together and make memories

-the bonding that has already occurred on this trip

-the wisdom of Mr. Joseph, and his willingness to be a part of this tour

-the patience and comforting presence of Mrs. Bennett

-the ways God has been working on this tour

-the opportunity to worship with the members of the church we are singing for tomorrow

-the patience and kindness of our bus drivers

Please pray for:

-spiritual protection

-energy as we perform one more time

-the ability to look back on the blessings of this tour with gratitude rather than grieving that it is almost over

-safety on our long trip home

-good opportunities for students to rest and process on the bus ride

-God’s strength and provision as we reenter the demands of the school schedule

-protection against exhaustion and being overwhelmed

-relationships to continue to grow and provide sources of spiritual encouragement and accountability as we return

-that the hearts of those who have heard us perform would be blessed, and that the truths we have sung would penetrate their hearts and minds as well as ours

Pictures from the day:

The Sky Lift

 Dixie Stampede (you may recognize some performers)