philbennett
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03:21:31 pm on August 15, 2011 |
On Sunday, August 14th we held our 7th Annual Belmont Blast at Y.M.C.A. Camp Widjiwagan out on Old Hickory Lake. What a day we had !!!!
God graciously provided a gorgeous, much cooler than average day with beautiful sunlight and huge billowy white clouds – hard to get much better. There was a great turnout, and we had both many who had been to all 7 of these to folks coming for the very first time. The first timers were offered many opportunities to get their party on with a picnic lunch, swimming, relaxing on the beach, canoe rides, rides on the Banana boats (yes, a banana-shaped inflatable boat pulled by a speed boat – life jackets required, thank you), the Blob (a large inflatable bag thingy that you sit on at one end while a person jumps off a tower onto the other end, thus propelling you into the air like the space shuttle and then into the lake). And yes, yours truly provided the blast off leap for someone who I will not name (Antony Boshier) which resulted in him getting much air. We both survived…You can’t talk about Camp Widjiwagan without mentioning the two, count em’ – TWO 100 foot waterslides. These are not just huge fun, as you careen down them at speeds exceeding 70 miles per hour (o.k., I made that up) but hey, it FEELS like 70 miles an hour as your tear down the slide toward your crash landing into the lake. But the slides offer more than this – they offer folks the opportunity to challenge your friends to RACE down, to compete in an Olympic – style event where there can be only one winner. I was indeed challenged to a vicious, no quarter given race by Dara Bacon (me – “may I ask why you are challenging me – just curious? “ Dara – “yes – I’ve already beaten everyone in our small group, and you’re next”.) And, world –class sportsman that I am, I can admit that she beat me, though it was unbelievably close. But the loss has made me re-think my theory that a larger mass + gravity will produce greater speed than a slimmer, sleeker, more athletic profile….and I am investigating some claims which have emerged that she may have jumped the start a little early, which would result in a default win for me…stay tuned for the results…
I also want to give props to the Mercante family, Tony, Michele, and their sons, Michael, 10 and Nicholas, 7. As a result of an innocent squirt gun incident some years ago (involving the boys primarily, but maybe mom and dad too, now that I think about it) the boys, Michael & Nicholas, now show up at the Blast each year loaded up with the state of the art technology in water guns and water – based weapons of mass destruction. The Mercante’s snuck up on me while Jim Davis and I were helping with parking as people arrived. As I walked off one of the lots I turned to see a 10 and 7 year old waiting for me, with strange weapons of watery destruction, the likes of which I had never seen before. As they quietly approached, I also realized that my own water gun (a formidable weapon in its own right) was out of water. I was in a rough spot. I held up my weapon, and told them I was out of water, and that they had me… and they did. But then their parents, Tony and Michele came up and saw the deal.. Tony stopped the boys, said “it’s not right to shoot an unarmed man” and in an act of fair play I do not ever expect to see again, opened up the cooler he was carrying and proceeded to help me RE-LOAD my water gun. It was unbelievable. Then Tony stepped away and the battle began. And A 7 & 10 year-old unleashed their futuristic weapons and proceeded to soak me as I have never been soaked before. I emptied my water gun on the boys, but they pressed on. I was no match for them. I congratulated them (and their parents) for the clear and overwhelming victory. I told them, and I tell everyone reading this, that these are NOBLE and HONORABLE people, and I honor them and their victory. So if you have never been to the Belmont Blast, you have no idea of what you are missing. All of this and more awaits you if you will come join us. And yes, I took some tough hits, and suffered some losses. But I am strong, and I will recover, in time.
I will survive.
And I can’t wait until next year.
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Andy 1:13 pm on August 16, 2011 | # |
Huge billowy white clouds…I had no idea you were so preciously poetic Phil…
Great day! Thanks to the Community Life Pastors for hosting a fun shindig.
Anonymous 6:24 pm on August 21, 2011 | # |
I like to think that, if Jesus came up against you, unarmed, in a water gun fight, He would have let you re-load your gun, too. Great story and yet another fine example of how Belmont peeps strive to be living examples of Jesus in the skin – lol!!