Third Year...Roller-Coasters...Softball...and an Amazing Cruise!

Jordon packed and headed out for Evangel

CFA softball players

More pics from our awesome cruise...

Delicious chocolate anniversary cake!

Another busy but fulfilling weekend...

Jordon, our oldest son, packed up his Jeep and headed out to Springfield, Missouri to begin his Junior year. I missed the trip this year to travel with him and help him get moved in. Hard to believe this is his third year in college already...where did the time go?

Sunday was a great day @ CFA. Worship service was blessed of the Lord. I preached a message entitled "The Ups and Downs of Life" from Philippians Chapter 4. Used the roller-coaster theme as the illustration to tag this sermon. God always anoints His Word!

We met at one of the local parks for our monthly church softball game. Always a great time of fellowship and playing the great game of softball. You know what...we've got a lot of awesome talent @ CFA. Thanks Coach for your faithful help and support of our players!

Memories of our amazing vacation cruise to the Caribbean continue to linger. Thought I would share some more pictures with you. It was one of the most enjoyable vacations Tammy and I have shared together!

Treasure your mate...treasure your children! God is so good!

Just a cruising...

My bride on the top deck!

Mandatory US Coast Guard Boat Drills!

Beautiful sunsets!

Evening dinner with our friends the Jackson's

First port of call: Cozumel, Mexico

What's up with this guy?

Beautiful gardens flanked by the ship in the background!

Taking a transport boat from the ship to the Belizean port!

Belize dock

Costa Maya

Before dinner @ night

Remember the ping pong tourney...I finally won the 3rd one!

Towel art creations each evening

Starbucks in the Bahamas!

My sweetheart with Atlantis in the background

SeaWorld across from our hotel in Orlando

The famous trolley ride each morning in Orlando

Thought I would share a little more about our recent 25th Anniversary in Ministry cruise that we took before General Council. This was a gift from our CFA family...totally enjoyable!

We loved every minute of our 7 day cruise. So many activities...so many decks...so many shops...so many pools...so many shows...so many restaurants...so many elevators...so many workers...and around 3,600 passengers, not including the crew (that's more than twice the size of the city where I first pastored!).

Of course, there were things available on the ship that we chose not to participate in: bars, casinos and dancing. Many were up to the wee hours of the morning. They delivered a daily copy of the Carnival Capers, which was our ship's guide to all the fun. That's where I discovered the ping-pong tournament and free-throw contest. Plus, they also had putt-putt too!

It was our dream trip that we had looked forward to for so long. Thanks CFA for making it happen. We sincerely appreciated your action of love back in May of 2008 celebrating my 25 years in pastoral ministry.

Now it's back to work and back to running a different ship...the CFA ministry cruise liner!

Love to all.

Meeting Rick Warren in Orlando!

Great chance to connect with Rick Warren!

Fascinating Pastor and Renowned Author!

One of the speakers we heard at General Council this year was Rick Warren.

What a powerful and inspiring communicator. He spoke for about 2 hours and then answered questions. I learned that his book, "Purpose-Driven Life", was the 2nd most published book second only to the Bible. WOW! He had no idea that this book was going to have this much of an impact on not only the United States...but the world!

This book has opened up a highway of influential opportunities all around the world.

He has had the opportunity to pray for two incoming Presidents on their Inauguration Day. The last one made much more of a "media splash" than the first one. Something pretty cool...Billy Graham sent him the black hat that he used when he prayed for countless Presidential Inaugurations. It appears the hat has been passed!

Thank God for men to lead and teach others to achieve great things for God!

Side note: Would you believe that I didn't even have my digital camera on hand when Rick Warren spoke...a pastor from Orlando took these photos and emailed them to me. How cool is that? Thanks Pastor Gary Rice!

Trip to the Caribbean and Big O!

Arriving in Port Canaveral, Florida

Checking out the sites before setting sail...

Tammy and I before evening dinner...

With our friends, Joe & Tammy!

Tammy at one of our port stops

Me dwarfed by the mammoth vessel of the Carnival Glory!

Celebrating our 22nd Anniversary on the cruise!

53rd General Council in Orlando

We just returned from a fabulous 7 day cruise to the Caribbean and also attended the Assemblies of God General Council in Orlando, Florida. Wow, what a trip!

These last two weeks were awesome...especially after a 13 month long journey of rebuilding our church worship center after the Flood of '08. You would have thought I wanted anywhere but where there was water, but this cruise to the Caribbean was amazing. Tammy and I had such a wonderful time...relaxing and refreshing! We even took this journey with some of our ministry friends. There was so much to do and so much food to try out...we're talking tons of food here.

We ported at four popular vacation locations....

1. Cozumel, Mexico
2. Belize, Central America
3. Costa Maya, Mexico
4. Nassau, Bahamas

Each city had its own rich traditions and tourist attractions. Shopping at each port city brought great opportunities for some great deals (it's just in my Andreasen blood!).

I even entered the Carnival Glory's ping-pong tournaments. We played out on deck 12 under a partially covered deck 13. One day the wind was just blowing ridiculously and we still had to play each match in that weather. Ask me how I did and I'll pass along the inside scoop...

The 53rd General Council in Orlando was packed full of business, elections, leadership conference, luncheons and dinners, speakers, services, reports, exhibition booths, National Fine Arts Festival, college reunions, meeting and catching up with friends, trolley rides to the motel and convention center (an average of about 30 minutes each way), etc. etc. We were extremely busy...but enjoying this once every two years opportunity for ministers, delegates and friends.

I'll write more later but wanted to post something quickly to share a few memorable pictures and thoughts from our trip.

Guess who I got to meet? Check back soon for the picture that captured my rare opportunity in shaking hands with a nationally known Christian pastor, best-selling author and world leader.

It's great to be home.

Love to all!