Thursday morning we got to sleep in a little and make waffles at the hotel. Texas-shaped waffles. 🙂

Then we went to the Alamo to look around and wait out the rest of the morning before the film festival started.

Dad had some Storyteller recording to do in San Antonio, so he dropped me off for the film festival while he recorded a man named Soapy Dollar. When he was done we had dinner with another person and ate outdoors on the River Walk.

Thursday evening brought the opening ceremonies for the 2013 San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival!

There was lots of great music…

Friday we got up early to see a documentary called “Three Hearts” (by Samaritan’s Purse)…wow, what can I say but you have to see that film. It was powerful.

Later that day I went to hear Alex Kendrick speak! It was so neat to hear the story of how they got started, and how God has worked and shown Himself faithful as they serve Him with their talents.

We had to leave San Antonio the next day, so we couldn’t stay for the awards ceremony, but we had fun watching it later at home. 🙂

How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. Psalm 36:7-8

For those of you who are wondering, the main reason we went south was we were tired of having to bundle up every time we went outside.

Well, not really.

For the first leg of our journey, Dad and I were going to the Christian Filmmakers Academy in San Antonio! It was going to be a looong drive to get there–two 12-hour days. It was very different (but cool) to hear bluegrass music playing at a gas station in Missouri!  We spent the first night in Kansas with some good friends, the Hendersons.  It was encouraging to be with them and break bread with them on Sunday morning.  Then it was off to Texas.

We arrived in San Antonio on Sunday night (did I say late?) and checked into the hotel. Monday was going to be an early morning to get to the film academy on time.

But for some reason I don’t think that bothered me. 🙂 I was excited.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday went something like this: Get up early (6 a.m. or earlier), get dressed (and do hair for one of us 🙂 ), grab a few road-friendly things from the continental breakfast bar, and jump in the car…hoping to beat San Antonio morning rush hour traffic and get to the academy on time. Thankfully, we did. The rest of the day would then be full, meeting people, doing a little exploring over meal breaks, and listening to lectures by top-notch people, including Doug Phillips, Geoff Botkin, and Stephen Kendrick!

Other speakers included…

It was so enjoyable and educational to listen and learn from so many people who are using the medium of film for the glory of God!

And…it was great to meet Stephen Kendrick!

There was a little fun going on too…

Wednesday night…we graduated! 🙂 It was an amazing three days at the academy.

The next day…will be posted later! 🙂