Home again, home again...

We've been home a little over 24 hours now, so it's time for my last posting for this trip.

Friday was a busy day...which day wasn't busy? We started off the morning with a breakfast supplemented by freshly picked Georgia peaches, picked on Wednesday by Jeanne Johnson's cousin. Yummy!

Our first visit on Friday was to the Library of Congress. Our guide, Ilona, was a docent at the museum (or mu-zyum as she said it); she was determined to get us into some places that very few could visit. We visited the George Gershwin exhibit, where Connie and Diane serenaded the group with a rousing rendition of "Summertime". The Bob Hope exhibit was next. It was very interesting, especially reading copies of his scripts for the Academy Awards, his shows for the troops, etc. While at the museum, we also saw the Nuremburg Bible (I thought it was the Guttenburg - DUH!), another Bible, Thomas Jefferson's private book collection and the actual library itself, although we could only view it through glass. On the way home, we watched "National Treasure" on the DVD player in the bus, which had a big scene filmed in the Library of Congress, so that was pretty neat.

Following the Library of Congress, we dropped a group of 5 off at the Holocaust Museum and the rest of the group at the Indian Museum or Air and Space Museum (you could pick where you went). Everyone seemed to enjoy their museum visits! We all ate lunch together at the Indian Museum, feasting on authentic Indian dishes such as: pulled buffalo sandwich, papusa, tamales cooked in corn husks, wild rice salads, Indian tacos, etc. It was interesting to see what everyone ordered; everyone seemed to enjoy their meal.

We said our goodbye to Ilona after lunch and headed homeward. On the way home, the bus's DVD player was humming away, playing "National Treasure - Book of Treasures" and "Hatari", an old John Wayne movie. Our drivers switched at Breezewood, PA, and we continued on homeward, arriving around 3am.

Sunday afternoon was spend scanning through 1500+ pictures, preparing the shots for the DVD that our tour company will make of the trip for us. I can't tell you how interesting it was seeing the trip through the eyes of all the different photographers...and we have some very talented ones!

As I reflect back over the past several days, I wonder, "did we accomplish all we set out to do?". I hope so. I think God was first and foremost glorified through our behavior and actions. Being in the front of the bus and being in charge, one doesn't get to see every little detail of the trip in the eyes of the choir members. Seeing their photographs, some of which were absolutely sweet, many of them showing the choir interacting with the residents at the retirement facilities, were priceless. There were genuine smiles, hugs, pats on the back, deep conversations captured in those photos. I heard positive comments all through the trip to each other and also to those we came in contact with. Merv's "one way ticket to heaven" tickets were passed out. We didn't go just to sing; we went as God's ambassadors.

Secondly, the music we sang and played was well-received and had a positive message. In the weeks leading up to the tour, the choir was singing the songs during the week as the tunes popped into their heads. I pray that the messages in those songs sink deep into hearts and leave a lasting life lesson.

Third, the choir bonded together, sort of like the motto, "E pluribus unum", which translates as "out of many, one". One choir member said it was so wonderful to get to know others in the choir; you think you know them because you sing with them each week, but do you REALLY know them? New friendships were formed, friendships deepened and a better understanding of each other was gained. People jumped in to push wheelchairs, put up handbell tables, pass out music, take care of each other in a way that was special to see. One of the songs we sang sums it up like this: ...so much of me is made of what I learned from you. You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart. And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend."

Jeremiah 29:11 ~ For I know the plans I have for you...