We made it to Branson about 7:30pm on Saturday, the 22nd. The next day, we slept in and shopped for groceries and went to the outlet mall. We found a few good deals on shoes and clothes.
The first show we went to was the Dixie Stampede on the 24th. We got there early to see the opening show. They had a bluegrass band play while the audience enjoyed some snacks and drinks. Everyone then went to the arena for the main show. They had the process of getting a large group of people fed and out the door down to a science. The show was also very good. Most of the show had people riding horses and doing various tricks and dances. They also had audience participation.
On the 25th, we went to the Sight and Sound theatre. We went on the behind the scenes tour. We saw the animals that they use in the show and got to go on stage and see all the sets. That night we went to their performance of Moses. It was very well done. They had some neat special effects for the burning bush and parting the red sea.
On the 26th, we went to the celebrity car museum. They had a lot of neat cars from movies and TV shows. For an extra $10, you could have your picture taken inside the car. I got to sit inside the DeLorean from Back to the Future. It was very cool. That night, we went to the murder mystery dinner theatre. Several of the parts were played by audience members. I got to play the guy who gets poisoned and dies. I tried to do a dramatic death by falling to the floor. It was a lot of fun. After that, we went and played miniature golf.
On the 27th, we went on the Scenic Railroad. It was kind of a relaxing ride and had some neat views of the river and mountains. It was a little bit of a rough ride though. After lunch, we did the Ride the Ducks tour. It was neat to hear the history of Branson as we rode through town. They also took us to a military vehicle area with a tribute to the veterans. Then, we went into the water and got to see the Showboat Branson Belle, and the kids got to drive. In the evening, we had dinner and a show on the Showboat Branson Belle. The host was a comedian and magician. They also had a dance group and singing group.
On the 28th, we left to head to Joyce’s grandma’s house near Gilmer, TX. We spent the night and the next morning with her. We also went by where Joyce’s grandpa is buried. We then headed back to Abilene that afternoon on the 29th. We’ve spent the last couple days of the sabbatical resting and getting groceries.
Overall, my sabbatical has been a great experience. We got to see family and friends we don’t get to see very often. Joyce and I got to spend some needed quality time together. We got some rest and had some good devotional time with the Lord.
Clue 4: The answer relates to something he is carrying with him.