Thursday Laura and I drove from Louisiana to Searcy, Arkansas just northeast of Little Rock at Valley Baptist for two shows. We managed a stop for some seafood on the way up. There were probably 400-500 people at the programs respectively. Another great night despite a serious automobile accident right in front of the church involving one of the men who had attended the first show.
We left Arkansas Friday and drove to Madisonville, Tennessee for a Friday night show. This was an amazing night because my show was actually broadcast live to some of our troops in Iraq. One soldier in particular, had a four year-old daughter in the audience and, from what I was told, he loved the song. It certainly made me feel grateful to be able to see my daughters every day.
From the beautiful mountains of Madisonville we headed back to the polar caps of Indianapolis to actually find the weather had warmed. Nothing like a sweltering 60 degree day to make you forget about the south, huh? Hardly. I spoke and performed at Plainfield Christian Church Saturday. About fifteen hundred folks came and watched me and their kids do “Ten Little Monkeys” together. Afterwards, Laura and I treated ourselves to some El Torito’s on the corner of Keystone and Castleton and a little shopping.
Sunday we drove to Peachtree City, Georgia for yet another performance. First Baptist Church of Peachtree City was packed as well. Average attendance to the shows I’ve done this spring has been in the 700-800 range. Peachtree City once again came in around 1,000. It really makes for a more electric atmosphere for sure. Many places there have been a lot of unchurched folks as well which is a great opportunity for me to not just entertain but share the important message of what a relationship with Jesus is about.
Monday we met Grandma and Pap Pap in northern Florida to pick up the kids. They had a great time in Florida going to the Strawberry Festival, doing some fishing (yes, that’s right, girls who are 3 & 5 love to fish!) and going on train rides and to kid shows and such. When we picked them up, Adrienne spotted us and screamed, “Yeeeeaaaaaa!!!” We drove back into Georgia and stayed in a hotel where the girls got to go swimming.
Tuesday we made our way back north for one more show in Illinois and then home. We were in Mt. Vernon, Illinois (an hour east of St. Louis) for the final stop on this swing. Once home I had three days with which to catch up with church news and business, go to the doctors with Laura (we found out our newest addition will be a little boy, we’re naming him Jude - see post below), get the boy some clothes, get Brooklyn registered for Kindergarten (can’t believe that one) and have lunch with Richard Clark. Saturday morning at 5 a.m. it’s back out for the weekend as the tour begins to conclude. To my Central friends, this was set up well before my coming to Indy, so while I will still travel full-time, you won’t see me gone on as many consecutive Sunday mornings. Seven more shows and I head back to Indianapolis.
*** I will blog again tomorrow about the 14th-16th. I heard that Dana did a fantastic job in my absence this week – I expected nothing less; she is wonderful! Scott Stowe will lead this weekend and I’m back on the 29th for good.
