Day 4: Tuesday, 6/4/2024

Many years ago I started using Hampton Inn for Youth Music Mission, nearly exclusively. I've branched out a bit recently, but I like to use Hampton when I can. In your heart, you already know why.

To the casual observer, those waffle irons look the same, but I noticed the cook time on one as higher than the cook time on the other, and closer inspection revealed...this...

That's one of the most Texas things I've ever seen.

We didn't have an especially early morning. The schedule called for us to sing a concert first just a few minutes away at Heritage at Turner park. This place was much smaller than many of the other places we have sung so far, and less well-equipped.

We sang well. Our concerts continue to get better and better. The program lists a number of soloists, including Carter, but so far this week she hasn't been able to sing her solo because she lost her voice, but it was back today, and she sang it for the first time in a while. She sounded great!

Heritage had 2 memory care wings. There was not enough space in them for the whole choir or even a keyboard, but my contact knew they'd enjoy seeing us, so I selected a small group to head into the memory care wings.

There were very small. We sang for just a few people and some of their caregivers. We only sang two songs. We did visit after, though conversation was very difficult or impossible. I have to say these moments were sacred and important. And sad. Tonight when we talked about our day, one of the youth shared that people almost never come to this place to sing. I am so glad we were able to be with them. Part of me wants to go back tomorrow to see Billy again (Billy introduced himself to me shortly after we arrived. He had wheeled himself into the dining room and was excited to see a new face).

But the time did come to leave, and we headed back to the hotel to change before we went into downtown Dallas for lunch. We ate at this place called the Exchange, which was kindof like a really chic foodcourt.

I had some Mediterranean food, which may come as a surprised when there were handcrafted waffles available, but I did have waffles for breakfast, and I'll be having them again tomorrow. And the day after that.

We had a little extra time before the bus picked us up, so CJ asked if we'd like to go see a great big eyeball. I wasn't sure what he meant by that, but a bunch of us just kinda followed him.

It was, well, it was a big giant eyeball right in the middle of Dallas.

The bus picked us up, and we headed to Thanksgiving Square. I really owe Sarah for putting me onto this place. It's a little sliver of land dedicated to the idea that Gratitude and thankfulness are core values of all the major systems of faith. It focuses on the similarities in our faith rather than the differences. And it focuses on diversity in the world. There is symbolism everywhere. The ring of thanks, where you are encouraged to voice something for which you are thankful and hear the result (which is that it echoes into your ears).

There were a number of other interesting places and concepts, but the most moving is the Thanksgiving Chapel, which is shell shaped. The shape is symbolic and also includes one of the largest horizontal installations of stained glass. This picture is taken from the floor looking up.

Everyone got on the floor to get a better view, and we sang together. We sang the Lord's Prayer in French...and I've never heard us sing it better. Maybe it's because we were relaxed, or lying on the floor, or because it was very cool in there. I don't know, but it was magical. After some time spent soaking in the space, we sang our Closing Prayer and left. There were some folks there. As we were leaving together, they said it was beautiful and that they felt fortunate to have been there while we were there. I felt fortunate too.

From Thanksgiving Square we went to Dealey plaza. I talked about the difference between Thanksgiving Square, which serves as a reminder of our capacity for good and this place, which is a reminder of our capacity for evil--what Charles Wesley referred to as our "bent to sinning." We live our lives choosing every day which we will launch into the world. For this week, though...it is good.

We walked from Dealey Plaza to the Reunion Tower, where we went up to the observation deck. We could not see our house from there, but we could see most of Dallas! It was very cool.

We spent a little extra time up there because it was air conditioned. Mark rescued us by parking right outside so we wouldn't have to walk too far...and then we headed back to the hotel to change for the ballgame.

We had tickets in a special section that includes all-you-can-eat food, and they sure do mean it.

This doesn't include the drink station or the various condiment sections where you can dress your nachos however you'd like. This may look industrial and not very good, but it was actually quite good. It delivered the ballpark experience I was looking for, which of course revolves around the ballpark food. Our seats were pretty good, too!

It was hard to get a picture of everyone together because entry and exit was somewhat chaotic, and during the game people were wandering the park together and having pictures made with the cheerleaders. But...it was fun.

Unlike the minors where it feels like everyone can snag a ball, I only saw 2 balls tossed into the stands the whole game (and nothing hit our way).

Eva always gets a baseball. I'm not even sure why it always works this way. Inconceivable. But look how happy. And there are a few things to notice in the background here:

1. What is up with Gwyn there?

2. Do you think the guy 2 rows back is jealous? Like does he have a backstory where he has been coming to this park since the first day the Rangers played here hoping for a ball only for the ball to wind up in the hands of an out-of-towner who obviously isn't a super fan because she doesn't even have  a Rangers hat?

3. Did you notice Lilly?

A little more prominent in this picture. Lilly lives and works in Dallas now, but she showed up to enjoy the game with us! Always good to see our friends out and about!

Once the game is over, we trust in 2 things. First, we trust Michael to find the way back to the bus. Second, we trust that someone will hoist Sir Trots a Lot high so we can stay mostly together as a group. In St Louis, Michael did. Last night some of the youth did...but Michael assures me he was there with them the whole time.

I need to commend the youth for not yelling too much at the game. That has historically been an issue for us. I imagine when we go to 6 flags it'll be worse, but I appreciate their caring for their voices.

A reasonable--if not early--arrival at the hotel. Devotional, and off to bed. Well, off to the rooms. I check them in, but they can stay up if they want. I did have an above-average number of requests to be early in the room check cycle, so I think they were tired.

We once again delayed note writing. I'm working on a theory...I'll let you know how that goes later. Instead, we talked through the day. Our morning concert affected them, and I think they felt like we made a bigger difference at this concert because it was at a place where people don't frequently go. It's true that many of the places we sing frequently have guests and programming. I've thought about that, wondering if we shouldn't seek out the places fewer people go. While I haven't done that on purpose, this time we did. And it feels important.

Tomorrow our concerts will shift to a different kind of audience (kids instead of senior adults) as we head to a Project Transformation site. We are more than half way through the Music Mission!

Peace and love,

John

Day 3: Monday, 6/3/2024

Day 3 began uneventfully...all the rooms looked just like this one:

I don't joke about the tape. I don't pretend like it's broken on the last day or even joke about that. It's too important for the youth to understand how important it is that they stay in their rooms.

Holiday Inn Express doesn't have waffle makers (although the website heavily implied this one did). Instead they have these pancake conveyors. 2 stars; do not recommend. The breakfast was not the Hampton breakfast I know and love.

But it was totally ok, barely and inconvenience. You know why? Because of this:

It's not *just* that Ellen was here (although honestly Ellen makes most things better). It's that what she is pulling out of that box is a donut from Mark's donuts. Forget Krispy Kremes or Dunkin. The debate is obsolete. If this trip is all about bringing earth a little closer to heaven, these donuts fit right in. Lisa's dad was at the donut shop at 6 to get them for us, and he walked in with 4 dozen circular slices of heaven.

Let me be clear. These are God's donuts. Don't believe me? Ask Rachel and Taylor. 

Or you can ask the youth...

Let me say something about that last picture. It looks like another donut picture, but it isn't. Actually the donuts hadn't made the scene when I took it. The guy closest to the camera is Mark. He's our bus driver. I've been taking trips with him for...many years. Due to some scheduling issues, this is my first time traveling with him at Oak Grove, but I'm so happy to work with him again. He's the most chill, even-keeled, and helpful bus driver I've ever ridden with. He does a lot more than drive a bus. He believes in the work we are doing. He loves us, and he does his dead level best to help us be the best we can be. I've ridden with him through a tornado warning. I've ridden with him off road. I'd ride with him anywhere.

Twinning is winning!

We left our hotel and went for a driving tour of Little Rock. Our first stop was the Big Dam Bridge (obviously). I can hear in my head the meeting where it was named. "Hey what are we going to call this big damn bridge?" "How about Big Dam Bridge?" "Oh, that's hilarious. What if we really did that?" "We are really doing that." The bridge is part of an extensive trail system, and it crosses the Arkansas River across the Murray Lock and Dam.

Here's a picture of us in the middle of the bridge. If you keep going up stream, you'll wind up in Colorado. If you head down stream, you'll wind up at the Mississippi...and then the Gulf, of course.

To be really honest with you, most of the tour was places that were important only to me. We went by the church I was baptized in (St. Mark's Episcopal, aka the 3rd important Mark of the trip after the donuts and the bus driver). It was also the place my Scout Troop was chartered. We went to my high school and Lisa's high school (a short distance apart...Lisa was on the bus with us, and it was our 24th Anniversary! Cue: awwwwwwww). We went by the first house I lived in and the second, right across from Pulaski Heights UMC, where Eva's grandparents attend.

We drove by the state capitol building, but I didn't get a photo because I was trying to navigate (some of the roads around it were closed).

We went by my elementary school/the place where I sang in a choir for the first time (that choir room is now childcare for the church services, apparently). If you've ever been to one of our Christmas concerts at Oak Grove, I can tell you that building is a big part of why they are the way they are (I can explain more some other time).

There is a critically important landmark, though: Central High School. Such an important part of the history of our nation. Note to self: if I ever come back and do this again, I need to plan to get out at the national park and spend more time here.

Little Rock is named for a curiously large rock outcropping that was used to make one end of a railroad (but now pedestrian) bridge. A bunch of us went to go see it, and here's a commemorative plaque. It was a short walk from our lunch place to the marker, but it started raining...hard...and all of us who went there got drenched.

But not everybody went there. Some people, seeing that rain was imminent, instead [smartly] stayed under cover and engaged in the new official pastime of youth ministry: line dancing.

After lunch we headed to our concert of the day, which was at the Good Shepherd Cove. It was another good concert with good fellowship to follow. 

There were a number of special folks in attendance as well. Eva's grandparents came again (I invited them to just get on the bus and finish the trip with us). My in-laws came again. Lee Rachel's aunt came.

Chuck came. He's the director of music at Lisa's church in North Little Rock (which I stupidly left off the tour). He was Lisa's church choir director growing up. I blame the downpour for the state of my hair in these pictures, by the way.

And then this happened. Brooke (my twin above) came up to me and said a teacher from my high school was in the audience and wanted to meet me. I saw him coming from across the room. Papa Stiedle!

We didn't call him that to his face. To his face, he was Mr. Stiedle. He will tell you early in his career he was an electrical engineer who designed electronics for missiles that hurt people from afar, but he decided it would be better to each math and torment people right up close. He was a wonderful teacher, but he retired after I graduated (coincidence!), and I had never been able to tell him that. Until this moment.

We said goodbye, and he disappeared. For a minute. Then he came back with the receipts. He has 3 yearbooks from my high school: his first year, his last year, and a year he came out of retirement to teach. So he delighted in showing my youth what I looked like when I was their age.

And then THIS MAN PULLED OUT A PIECE OF PAPER WITH MY GRADES ON IT. He said, "As you can see, John was a pretty good student. Maybe not top of the class, but solid." Cole was not impressed with my lack of academic acumen.

We boarded the bus to make one last stop and then headed toward Dallas. Remember when I said I had ridden with Mark through a tornado warning? Well, this wasn't that, but...

That's the rain basically covering our entire route to Dallas. It did slack off when we stopped for dinner.

And then when we got to the other side of it, it made for a fantastic sunset.

I promise the picture doesn't do it justice. It was majestic. A great backdrop to Remember the Titans, which was on the TV's on the bus.

We made another...another stop. The youth wore me down. If you want to hear a bus full of youth LOSE. THEIR. MINDS, tell them we are stopping at Bucee's. Or don't. And let them figure it out as the bus decelerates off the exit.

A quick stop, and we were on our way to the hotel, where they welcome you with your name on the TV screen. Nice touch. Back to Hampton Inn.

The youth shared so many good stories at our devotional time, revealing the impact this trip has on them in addition to those we sing for.

I taped everyone in and then got to work on the blog and such. But this image haunts me. It was a submission to our second photo contest: selfies. Mark submitted an entry. You see what I mean? He's the best. He's one of us.

It's time for me to get on the bus! I'm late. Someone's going to take a picture and give me grief about it.

Peace and love,

John