Ok, now we're getting down to business about leaving for Camp Meeting. I'm looking forward to a great time and seeing many friends. Will definitely miss having Mom there this year. Before the Lord took her home she was making plans to work the Jr. Camp and stay over for Camp Meeting. Obviously God had greater plans for her.

Ever wonder why they don't make closets in RV's for Pentecostal people? I do every time I go to pack the 5th wheel. Well will see many of you in a few days,

SUNDAY

I'm setting here on a quiet Sunday afternoon enjoying the air conditioner. We had a beautiful service this morning. We were down in attendance as between campers and camp workers, we had about 30 or more in Santa Maria or on their way there.

Tomorrow I will start thinking about getting ready for Camp Meeting. The more I travel, the more I realize just whats really necessary to take and what is not. Thank God for our 5th wheel as we keep it stocked with essentials and basically only have to load our personal items.

Today I feel blessed. I feel good physically, spiritually and emotionally. These last two medical situations have taken their toll on me. My hair is even coming out. I'm sure it's from the blood loss and anesthetic.

I'm so glad I serve a God who is faithful and cares about our concerns. My god is good all the time.

As I sat here to day after my devotional time my mind was whisking here and there trying to decide what to accomplish first today. Mervin left early this morning to go to Bakersfield to see a very dear elder who is in the hospital. (Please pray for this faithful saint.)

Our street is kinda quiet today. Two families left for Jr. Camp yesterday. Tomorrow three more families will leave. Sunday we have a van load of campers leaving plus three more workers.

We're trusting and praying that they will have a wonderful and blessed youth camp and many young people will be filled with the Holy Ghost and many will be renewed. We don't know what kind of homes many of these kids come out of or what they will go home to face, but we can continue to lift them up in prayer and encourage them.

We'll join them a week from tomorrow for Camp Meeting.

Blessings

Today was another kinda quiet day. I sat for awhile this morning during my devotions and and just counted my blessings. I know I could never start to count them all, but it's good sometimes to look back on some of those desert experiences and be reminded how He supplied the water. As we look back over our shoulder at those times, it makes it easier to face the next desert. I thank God for those quiet times with Him.

Where we stayed in Branson.

Jayla, Bro. Emerson and Mervin boarding the Helicopter in Branson.

Ok, a few more pictures of our trip . the top ones are at the Shepard of the Hills in Branson, Mo.

This is Monday and kinda of a lazy day. Will write more later.

What a fantastic move of God we had in our service tonight. The presence of the Lord just kept coming in waves from the very first song. I feel God did a miraculous work in some hearts tonight. In fact we had an evangelist with us this morning and tonight and he didn't even get to the pulpit to preach. The altars filled and it just went on from there. Thank God. Sometimes we need that deep cleansing and renewing. I am so thankful for the wonderful experience of the Holy Ghost.

This has been a beautiful day. A little on the warm side, but this is July in the SQ Valley. Thank God for air conditioners. It looks like this next week will be another hot one, but we will survive as we always do.

Except for a Tarrah, Jay and their children, all of dad and mom's kids and grand kids live within throwing distance of each other.

Today as I was trying to do some house cleaning, I kept seeing motor homes, trailers, 5th wheels, golf carts and quads moving around. Getting ready for Jr. Camp. Believe me after just arriving home from a 23 day trip, it didn't even give me the urge to get our 5th wheel out yet. I'm sure by Camp Meeting time I'll be ready to go again.

Mervin and I do always look forward to Camp Meeting though.

What a lazy day I have had today. I saw my doctor today and his question was, "What are we going to do with you?" A stroke last September, GI bleed in May and now a incarcerated hernia. I told him, "You just can't keep a good woman down." He said my incision looked fine and stated that I seem to be doing fine.

I knew that because we serve a God that watches over us. I can never understand people that will not accept God and His mercies and goodness. I'm so thankful for my Pentecostal heritage. Thankful for the faith and confidence that He is always there.

Thank God for His mercies and goodness in my life.

Did I tell you that we traveled over 4,000 miles and never even saw an accident?
God is good all the time.

I think today was my down day from the trip. I can't believe I slept till almost 10:00 am. I did get all the laundry done. Tomorrow I have an appointment with my doctor to have my incision checked out after all the riding I have done. I believe we'll find everything okay.

Well it's about time to pull the 5th wheel out of storage and start getting ready for Camp Meeting in Santa Maria. We're looking forward to seeing old friends and lots of fellowship with them and the Lord. After camp meeting we have reservations down on the beach for about a week. Looking forward to that too.

Thinking about getting ready to go again sounds like work and that makes me kinda feel tired so I'll quit and write again later.

Would you believe that I have spent most of the day paying bills and catching up on correspondence's.

We arrived home in time to see my niece and nephews son baptized in Jesus Name. Hayden received the Holy Ghost at youth camp and seemed to be so excited to be getting baptized. Grandpa Tredway baptized him. It was beautiful watching him come up out of the water with his hands raised in worship.

Tarrah and Jay, your doing a great job teaching those children. You are to be highly commended. Keep up the great work.

Again we thank God for a beautiful vacation and his great protection. More about our vacation later.

Above is arriving at Grand canyon. Second is our singing cowboy on board the train. Boy, could he sing and yodel. Mervin videoed these four guys singing I'll Fly Away. The did fantastic. the fourth of course is Merv and I by the train engine. Sorry I didn't get these on the previous blog. I'll get it right some day.

Tuesday !!!!!!!!

We are now home. we arrived here about 4:00. I truly enjoyed our trip, but it feels so good to be home. I have seen sights that were unfathomable. Felt humidity that I had never understood and met such beautiful people. A few more pictures and then I'll try to pull all my thoughts together later.

Monday night.
We are actually in Barstow, Ca. in a motel. Because I was so tired of riding, we decided not to push on home. We plan to arise tomorrow and finish the final leg of our journey.

WOW.. A vacation that started out to be 10-12 days ended up being 23 days. Oh well, we have had a great time. Will post more after we get home.

I hope you have also enjoyed our trip.

This is Sunday night.

We spent most of the day at the Grand Canyon. What a beautiful sight. I can't believe how awesome it was. Will bring home lot's of pictures. We are in Flagstaff after spending last night in Williams, Az. We are having an awesome time. Will get a good night's rest tonight and head toward home tomorrow. These are just 3 shots of today.

Second day on the road home.

This morning we left Oklahoma City. Per doctors request, we had to stop about every two hours and move around for awhile. I'm doing real well as far as I can tell.

As we came across OK and Texas today, the outside temperature reached 111. The wind blew all the way and I have never seen so many road construction zones.

At about 6:30pm we arrived in Santa Rosa, Texas and decided to stop for the night. We ate dinner and came back to the motel. Mervin has now crashed. We are going to try to be in Williams, AZ tomorrow night to see the Grand Canyon. Will see what happens.

Hold your breath, I'm gonna try to post some pictures.

Well I always seem to get my pictures in the wrong place. I'll get it figured out. Of course 2 of the pictures are of Jayla. Two were taken in Oklahoma City at the place of the bombing. Very touching had heart rendering. The other is just along the road. We have so many pictures and I'm having a hard time finding the ones I want.

Ok, I'm through for the night.

Today about 1:45, we finally left the Emerson home. Such wonderful people with such southern hospitality. They would preferred that we stay at least through this next weekend, but I felt I was able to travel and we felt that we should mosey on toward home.

We arrived in Oklahoma,City, Ok. at about 7:00 pm. We got our motel room and then went to eat. After eating we went downtown to the Oklahoma National Memorial where Tim McVay bombed the building nine years ago. Yes Jim, you were right. The scene is beautiful at night. We went and stayed till it got dark. This was very touching. Will have pictures later.

In spite of my mishap, we have had such a beautiful time and seen so many wonderful things. We will rest tonight and then get on the road tomorrow. We still need to make some more stops and also see the Grand Canyon.

Later.

Okay, so it's Wednesday night. We have spent the last three days in Branson, Mo. We stayed in a beautiful townhouse. Don't ever go near Branson and not stop. We saw Dixie Stampede then we visited the Great Titanic. After that we saw Shepherd of the Hills and then today before we left we saw a impersonation of Red Skelton. We arrived home just in time for church. I'm tired and sleepy, so I'll write more tomorrow.

Another day in Vacation Land.
Last night just before church, the Emerson's air conditioning quit and was not back on after church. So, we packed up and drove to the elder Bro. and Sis. Emerson's and spent the night. What a beautiful place they have. Nothing fancy except you set in the living room and look out over the river. So peaceful. No real close neighbors. We had breakfast there and visited awhile. About noon we left and drove into Branson, Mo. What an interesting place. Tomorrow we are going to see Shepherd of the Hills.

Well so much for now, as I'm a little tired and ready for bed.Will write more later.

Well at least I tried to post some pictures below. I'll try to do better next time. You'll kinda have to hunt for the caption to go with the picture.

More pic's of vacation

I think this picture speaks for it's self

Above is Bro.Emerson, Sis. Emerson and Wallace her brother and in the corner, Stephanie, Wallace's wife.

Si. Emerson's mothers house where she was raised

Jayla with cousins Delaney and McKinsie

Sis. Emerson and Jayla at Grandma Wilkins

Sunset from boat


On Deck

Bro. & Sis. Emerson on boat

Merv and I on cruize


Sis. Emerson at dinner

The Arkansas River Dinner Boat we rode. Delicious dinner and atmosphere.

Mervin at a natural hot spring.

This is the duck we rode in Hot Springs . These vehicles were used in WWII for land and water. We were in it on land and water. Very interesting and fun.

Well it looks that my last post did not completely post.
Anyway we finished off the dinner with two kind of homemade ice cream. We met a lot of people and made new friends. Sis. Emerson's mother has a beautiful country home. Lives way back up a country road on the family homestead. Lots of wide open space.

We went to Sunday school today and had the missionary Chris Richardson's from Madagascar here. Tonight is a God and Country service.

I don't think I have ever posted my e-mail address. vlclark46@gmail.com

Will post more later.

Day 13

Last night Bro. and Sis. Emerson took us on a Dinner Cruise on a paddle boat down the Arkanasas River. Because I was kind of worried about getting motion sickness, they got me the wrist bands and I guess the worked well. I made it fine. It was a 3 hr. cruise with dinner and music. It was great.

Today we went to Sis. Emerson's mothers for dinner. My what southern cooking. they grilled fish, chicken and steak. grilled all kinds of vegetables

So this must be the 12th day of our trip.

Yesterday we took a short trip into Hot Springs. About 15-20 min. from here. Beautiful.
I will post some pictures later. I couldn't get out and walk much, but it was good to just get out of the house. I did get a good case of motion sickness and was sick most of last night. When you see the pictures you'll know why.

I'm feeling better today. Had a Doctors appointment this morning and he took my staples out, and says I can probably travel by midweek next week or by the weekend. Says we'll have to stop about every couple hours and move around for awhile. Sounds like a long trip home doesn't it?

The church here is doing a God and Country program Sunday night. Sounds like it will be good. Will keep you posted.

I can tell I'm getting out more. We ate lunch yesterday at Doe's Restraunt in Hot Springs, and lunch today at the Cracker Barrel after my doctors visit.

Will post more later.

It's 5:15 and we just came from a short trip to town. My first trip out of the yard except to the hospital. I'll try again to post some pictures.