Eureka Springs 2016

    Just a few notes on this year's Eureka Springs trip for future reference.  We left at 7:30am. First stop was in Sulfur Springs - where Jodi bought the "52 Weeks with Jesus" book. We also stopped briefly to take a picture in Paris at the decorated square. We arrived in Clayton, Oklahoma, at 11:30 and bought lunch at a road-side bar-b-que stand there. We gassed up and continued on. We stopped at a McDonalds for coffee at 3pm in Springdale and arrived at the Colonial Inn in Eureka Springs at 3:45. So it took 8 hours and 15 minutes, with stops, to get there. I drove the speed limit at all times.

    Some of the leaves were really pretty, but I wouldn't say they were truly turned yet. The maples were still pretty much green. The weather was perfect. 50s at night and 70s by day.

    Coming back, we left at 9:00. We gassed up at Hindsville, then again at Antlers, Oklahoma. We also stopped at a Dollar General in Pocola and got some chocolate treats. We stopped at a Subway in Talihina, Oklahoma, for lunch and ate in the car. We stopped for a coke in Emory at a Sonic. We arrived home at 5:15. Again, 8 hours and 15 minutes.

    In Eureka Springs, we ate at the Thia Restaurant Friday night, and on the 4th floor of the Crescent Saturday at lunch. That was a calzone. For supper Saturday, we ate a corn dog and a fritoe-chili pie at stands near the park in downtown Eureka. I bought an "Armor of God" t-shirt at the Passion Play gift shop Saturday morning. Jodi got a silver, anchor necklace at the Razorback Gift shop. We got the kids some goodies at a downtown fudge shop.

Pretty East Texas Sunset

The Dead Peasnts' Contract Cover

Rare Pileus Clouds

I had to be at just the right place to get the rainbow effect. The sun was setting behind the cloud...

Gulf Shores 2016

    A couple of notes on this trip: We stayed at Surf Side, building 2, part of Anchor Vacations of Gulf Shores. We arrived Thursday and left Monday. 4 nights. It was about 1500 for the 2-bedroom condo and we had to pay in full a month before we went.  We left Thursday at 7:15 and arrived at the condo office at 5:30. We left for home at 8:30 Monday and arrived at home at 6:30. So it took 10 hours and 15 minutes each way. We went down 287 to Beaumont - then I-10 to Baldwin Beach Express going.
I-10 was awful. It was crowded and everyone was speeding. We saw one wreck and nearly got in another one when a lady broke down and got out of her truck right in the middle lane. Coming back, we went from Mobile to Jackson and across I-20 to Highway 43 - Tatum, Henderson and home. I-20 was better, but it took a long time to get up to a good speed out of Mobile. It still took the same amount of time either way. We ate lunch in the car coming and going to save time.
    I didn't think the water was as pretty as Orange Beach. It was more murky, but still very pretty. It looked blue as you looked out, but wasn't as clear at the shoreline as Orange Beach. But it was more overcast, and the first couple of days, the surf was pretty heavy.

Gospel Secret in Genesis 5

A member of my church, Dr. Patty Luce, showed us Wednesday night in Bible study that the meaning of the names of the first ten men in the lineage from Adam to Noah - (listed in Genesis 5) gives an encrypted sentence that explains the entire Gospel story. This is incredible!
Adam means “man”; Seth means “appointed”; Enosh means “mortal”; Cainan means “sorrow”; Mahalalel means “the blessed God”; Jared means “shall come down”; Enoch means “teaching”; Methuselah means “his death shall bring”; Lamech means “the despairing”; and Noah means “comfort”.
 
So here is the sentence:  
Man (is) appointed mortal sorrow (but) the blessed God shall come down teaching; his death shall bring the despairing comfort.
 
There it is! The Gospel presented in the names of the first 10 men in Adam’s family line.

Papaw's Prayer