Started our day in the Tennessee heat. No, not the BBQ sauce, or the Christ-centered athletic organization based in Mount Juliet and Wilson County, Tennessee. Just hot! Humid, sticky sweat, dripping from your eye-balls and change your underwear type hot.

We left our room at noon and headed to a Taco Bell. Unlike the typical fast food joints in Amarillo, this place was clean and served the items we ordered. The food even resembled the pictures on the menu, and it tasted even better. Perhaps it was the result of the intense heat in Tennessee, causing dehydration and making everything taste better!

Next, we met up with our favorite Tennessee family, Jinger, David, and Gabriel, who were finishing lunch at the nearby Panera. Jinger closed her eyes and climbed into the back seat of our rental car, embarking on an hour-long drive to Heather’s goal of visiting our first Disciples camp of our journey, Bethany Hills Camp.

This place serves as a sanctuary for reflection and solace. Camp manager Michelle T. shared a poignant story about Camp Christmas, a time when families were displaced after their homes and belongings were lost during a tornado outbreak. Bethany Hills emerged as a haven where these families were brought together, and Christmas trees and presents were generously donated to aid their recovery. This inspiring testimony comes from a state whose mottos are “Tennessee the Volunteer State,” and “America at its Best.”

It’s a beautiful place with a capacity of about 150 persons. The views are spectacular. This like many campgrounds were not built with air conditioning. Some buildings have window units. On this Tennessee heated day, Heather, Jinger, and I took frequent breaks inside our car to get a break from the heat.

We departed from this spiritual place and took a more scenic route back to Clarksville. More winding roads, up and down, left to right, drove the two Texans and one Texessian. (Texas-Tennessee) We were in pursuit of cold water, tea, in need of hydration. With a quick stop and a lot more winding roads we made it back to our hotel. David and Gabriel were waiting and we gathered for more stories from the two besties. Time flew by and we said our goodbyes to David and Gabriel. We scheduled a breakfast time to meet Jinger for a departure breakfast meal. I’m sure there will be a few tears in the morning.

Heather and I had a delightful dinner at the Steak and Shake. As we were about to order, a young man walking by mistook my shirt for a Florida Gators jersey. However, he quickly realized it was a shirt from a church camp. We couldn’t help but laugh. I quickly exclaimed, “TCU! Go frogs!” He chuckled and remarked that if it were any other Texas team, he would have to ask us to leave. I responded with a smile, “I can respect that!” He laughed again, and we both enjoyed the moment.

With this we have an early start to our morning and wish you all a great day and good night.

Just remember an expensive laxative will give you a run for your money! Just saying…