How do you describe the perfect trip? A trip where 18 individuals become a family... a trip that no one wants to end... a trip in which everyday is the best day ever and then somehow the next day gets even better... a trip where everyone is compelled to say thank you, thank you, thank you over and over again... a trip where 70 year olds and 20 year olds fellowship like "Best Friends Forever"... a trip where laughter is the outspoken language of the day that cause the stomach muscles and "smile" muscles to hurt so good... a trip in which 18 hour long days are saturated with once-in-a-lifetime experiences... a trip in which the immense & majestic beauty of the Grand Canyon takes 2nd place prize to the immense & majestic beauty of spending time with the person next to you in the Grand Canyon... a trip in which you are willing to give up hours of needed sleep in order to spend one more minute with your newest close friend... a trip in which the activities are so thrilling & the thin line that separates life from death on the edge of thousand foot cliffs cause the fibers of your very soul to rise up fully alive... a trip in which there where no drugs, no alcohol, no cursing, no f-bombs, no sexual hook-ups, no drama, no critical words, no put-downs, no politics, & nothing else that the world shoves down our throats and says that we can't get along without, and somehow we not only did without, we fully lived & passionately celebrated without... a trip in which every night feels like Christmas eve... a trip where significant physical accomplishments are attained and inner satisfaction is savored from this moment onward... a trip where your life is positively altered in small & enormous ways... a trip where the Spirit of the Living God fills your heart, mind, strength, and soul to the point of overflowing... a trip where the fullness of life is embraced because of the finished work of Christ 2000 years ago is still the most relevant issue in your life today... a trip where secure grown men with big muscles shed tears of joy in an effort to express unspeakable appreciation... a trip where people speak into the lives of others words that affirm, heal, and spur-on... a trip where real science pursues truth instead of agenda... a trip where the teaching and educational value is so deep, so rich that it immediately changes lives forever... a trip that will never be forgotten and the people who participated will never stop talking to each other. After 18 years of amazing trips that have impacted and positively altered many lives, we have just experienced The Perfect Trip. A trip where nothing went wrong and everything went right. Like the rare experience of a Major League pitcher pitching a perfect game, we have just experienced the rarest of accomplishments, The Perfect Trip. And oh, how it tastes so good. We have 2 days until our next trip begins. It may be full of flat tires, monsoons, missed flights, injuries, or any other of one thousand potential mishaps inherent in an adventure... or it could be another Perfect Trip. Like an ice sculpture that melts or an artistically prepared 4 course meal that is devoured our Perfect Trip will be relished today. But tomorrow we move on. The inside jokes & special moments that were shared by 18 individuals last week will remain unique to those on that trip. But tomorrow we move on. With a fresh blank canvas we move on to create new inside jokes and special moments with a new group going on a new adventure. Tomorrow we move on. But today we savor. Today we relish. Today we praise God for delivering more than we could ever ask think or imagine. Today we walk into the presence of God to say, "Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!". And then tomorrow we journey on. But today we relish.
