turner family vacation

mary, the girls and i just got back from 6 glorious days of vacation in orlando.  for the past few years we have been saving up frequent flyer miles and credit card points and we were able to fly and stay in a nice hotel for the grand total of $154.00 (admit it - that’s pretty impressive).

hannah (almost 11) and abby (8) had the time of their lives.  we rocked all four disney parks (the magic kingdom, epcot, hollywood studios, and the animal kingdom).  the last time i was at disneyworld there was only one park - disneyworld aka the magic kingdom (that was in 1977 /  i was 8 years old).

we enjoyed each other, laughed together and we created some incredible memories.  our family unanimously agreed that our favorite thing was toy story mania.  We went on it 5 times - yes, it is addictive.  you put on 3-d glasses and enter a 4-d world of non-stop fun and competition.  i hear that they have it at california adventure - trust me - this game is worth the price of admission.  i can’t wait to play it again.  mary was beating me (until we moved to the ring toss with the little green aliens), but i pulled it out in the end and solidified my victory by a comfortable margin.  

our favorite meal was at the beer garden (bergarten) restaurant at epcot.  the sign out front said “celebrating oktoberfest everyday”. this german buffet offered authentic german cuisine that was delicious (served by a waitress dressed in a dirndl (alpine peasant looking garb).  a german band (wearing some sweet looking lederhosen) came out and killed some uhm pa pa music.  they were amazing and were close to a standing ovation (well, one drunk guy stood up and yelled something out) - then they closed with 2 of them blowing alpenhorns (the horns were about 14 feet long - they are the ones featured in the ricola commercials).  it was a great meal and a very entertaining show.

i was so proud of the girls overcoming their fears of roller coasters and fast rides.  hannah went with me on expedition everest - it is a high-altitude, high-speed roller coaster.  you basically get in a railway car and start climbing straight up to the summit (hey, that would be the coolest name for a church).  then the tracks are noticibly ripped up (by the inhospitable fictional beast - the yeti.  you then race backwards into the mountain where the yeti confronts you and lets out a high pitched screech (glad i went to the bathroom before i met the yeti).  the ride has some hairpin turns and sudden drops.  the best part is when you break out of the darkness and go down the mountain at a breakneck speed.  hannah and i went on it 4 times.  hannah got a really nice everest t-shirt and a yeti pin.  

abby confronted her fears on splash mountain.  this ride is the abbreviated story of br’er rabbit.  the ride tells the tale of br’er fox and br’er bear as they try to capture and cook br’er rabbit.  the ride is pretty calm and relaxed - until you plummet down a 55 foot fall that ends in a massive slash (this was the part abby was terrified of).  after abby figured out that she was still alive (and just soaked a bit), she insisted that we go again 3 more times.  you will see her proudly sporting a splash mountain t-shirt.

this was by far the best vacation we have been on as a family ever.  i realized how important it is to get away, let other competent people run the church and spend time with the fam.  mary and i also enjoyed our 16th anniversary (during our vacation) - we ate at a really nice french restaurant at epcot and then enjoyed the fireworks over the lake.  

e.e. cummings once said, “the most wasted of all days is one without laughter.” we should never be to busy to laugh and enjoy life (everyday)!  i hope you have the chance to create some awesome memories in the near future.

life is short

a few days ago kristin hoag died (suddenly).  she was a girl that got saved in our ministry years ago.  she had the deck stacked against her in life, but she did her absolute best to follow Christ and live for Him.  she has two beautiful daughters (ages 3 and 9.5 months).  she was loved and will be missed.  a huge thanks to all the people from the village church, the rock church, life church of bartlesville, and the summit for taking care of all the expenses for the funeral service and everything else.

her tragic death has reminded me of how short life is.  the bible is filled with metaphors about how quickly life passes us by.  scriptures describe life on earth as a shadow, a vapor, a fog, a wisp of smoke, a mist, a breath.  psalm 39:4 (nlt) says, Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be.  Remind me that my days are numbered, and that my life is fleeing away.  david echos this same truth in psalm 119 - i am here on earth for just a little while.

everytime i do a funeral (especially of someone really young) i leave with a massive desire to make my life count.  like paul, i want to forget what is behind me and press on to the future God has for me.  i want to quit wasting time on stuff that doesn’t matter and give myself to something that will change this fallen planet.  so many times i feel like i have massive potential, but often fail to even scratch the surface of it.  God help me to really live, to focus on what counts, to remember that life down here is only temporary, to live with passion and a clear purpose.  to go “all in” for you!

kristin has graduated from this earth and has been promoted way up.  she now walks on the streets that have no name.  she hasn’t left home, she’s gone home.  but, i’m still here - you’re still here - so lets do something magnificent with our lives!