We're All Gluttons Here (Day 6)

Perhaps the best wake-up call of the day arrived this fine Thursday morning as excited youth prepared their minds. . . and stomachs. . . for Busch Gardens. At 7 A.M. all youth awoke to a humid, but still enjoyable, morning. Breakfast was a quick one; bagels, granola bars, fruit, cereal, and yes, leftover banana pudding were on the menu. Sunscreen was donned and finally the busses were loaded by 8 A.M. for the ride to the park. By the time we arrived, the park was not even open yet, so the group took advantage of the time by taking a group photo. Afterwards some families split up to capture their memories in pictures.
Finally the park opened at 9:30 A.M. and all rushed to get in the gates. It was a plus that the Busch Gardens workers told us that on a normal day the population was expected to be 37,000 and it was expected to be only 7,000 for the day. Our BUMC group headed to the Zagora Cafe first for perhaps the best "ride" of the day: All-You-Can-Eat wristbands. As Jim Knight stated, "prepaid meals always taste better." And it was true; some youth even took to keeping track of how much they would actually spend if the food was not prepaid. The winner of the day? Senior Stephanie McDonald who claimed to have consumed over $100 worth of food. The best part? She regurgitated it all by the end of the day.
Needless to say, the youth took full advantage of the wristbands. In between "lunches," the youth rode many of the attraction rollercoasters. The best ones? the Kumba, the Gwazi, and the Sheikra to name a few. Lynn and a few others enjoyed making new names for the Sheikra. Some claimed it was called the "Shakira" and others called it the "Shaniqua." Regardless of the pronunciation, the ride was claimed to be one thrill of a coaster. By the end of the day, everyone was tired out and fully satisfied with the day.
When everyone arrived back at the church, Bible study began and it focused on the story of Martha and Mary in Luke 10:38-42. We discussed finding balance between our home responsibilities, our religious responsibilities, and our prayer life. It truly was an inspiring devotion.
The night ended with everyone hanging out with friends and relaxing before bed. An end to the day came at 11:30 P.M. when it was time for lights out.