I recently had the opportunity to attend my first Baylor Bears football game, where the colors of green and gold were everywhere! Even though I am a Baptist, and live in an adjoining state, this was my first visit to the campus of Baylor University, chartered in 1845 by the last Congress of the Republic of Texas. It is among the largest Baptist Universities in the world, with a 1,000-acre campus next to Interstate-35, between DFW and Austin. 
For me, the REAL reason to go to the game was to see granddaughter, Kaitlyn, on the sidelines, in her new roll as one of the freshmen Baylor cheerleaders. She is shown here with her mom, who also was a cheerleader throughout high school.
As soon as we arrived on campus on the Saturday morning of the game, we hustled over to the part of campus where the "Bear Walk" is staged. That is when the football players and their entourage, make their walk from their arrival bus to the stadium. If you look closely, you can see that Kaitlyn is one of the (privileged) few, who stand on the side of the yellow rope that marks the path for the players and coaches. Us family members are on the other side of the yellow line, but that does not keep us from posing for a group photo together!
Since an actual bear might be hard to control for the traditional "Bear Walk", the costumed mascot (known as Bruiser) makes the stroll instead.
Bruiser is a common sight at the Baylor home games, and a crowd favorite! You can learn more about Bruiser, and all the Baylor traditions/teams/trivia at their website, www.baylor.edu .
Many folks are familiar with the practice of tailgating before a sporting event, but the stadium at Baylor University offers the unique opportunity of "sailgating"! Fans can pull their boats into the harbor beside the stadium, and enjoy some "boat-rockin' good times and good food" before the game starts!
After the Bear Walk festivities were over, we went back to tour the Bear Habitat across the street from my granddaughter's dormitory.
I had been aware of the live bear area for decades, because one of my classmates from elementary/ junior high/senior high school, died in a tragic accident, while a student at Baylor University. His parents had the first Bear Plaza built in his honor.
It saddens my heart to remember his life being cut short, yet I can smile, because I know I will see him again in heaven. 
Behind the chain-link fence is where the two live bears live. They are named Judge Joy and Judge Lady. The title of "Judge" is a reference to the namesake of Baylor University, Judge R.E.B. Baylor.
This photo shows McClane Stadium, built at a cost of $260 million. It opened in 2014, and sits on 97 acres, adjacent to the Brazos River. This state-of-the-art athletic venue is an appropriate addition to the oldest continuously operating university in Texas. (Incidentally, it is interesting to note that famous revolutionary war leader and hero Sam Houston gave the first $5,000 donation to start Baylor University. Then, in 1854, Houston was baptized in the Brazos River, by a reverend, who would later become a President of Baylor University.)
McClane Stadium seats 45,000 spectators, and was designed by the same architects that produced the New York Yankees Stadium. The distinct band of yellow you see in the lower level represents the "Baylor Line". It is a made up of new Baylor students who wear special yellow football jerseys, which has a name on the front, and their intended graduation date on the back. 
The "Baylor Line" is a tradition that started in 1970, with the yellow-jersey-clad freshmen rushing the field before the home football games. It was quite the sight to see, and seemed to produce an endless line of leaping/running/skipping enthusiastic freshmen!
Granddaughter Kaitlyn also ran onto the field (shown as the front cheerleader in this photo), but wearing her cheer uniform, rather than her freshman yellow jersey. 
Since just weeks earlier, I had been at the Huntsville, Alabama Space and Rocket Center, where I learned a great deal about the International Space Station, I was absolutely amazed when a broadcast from the International Space Station appeared on the score board! It was the astronaut Robert Kimbrough, giving a greeting to all of the fans at the game (including his daughter, who is a Baylor student, as well!). He had a Baylor University official logo behind him inside the space station, and he was wearing his Baylor green shirt. At the end of his remarks, he did a 360 degree "flip" for Baylor! (Of course, it is considerably easier for him to do a flip in a no-gravity space capsule, than for Kaitlyn, and the other Baylor cheerleaders to perform their amazing flips here on earth!)
Kaitlyn is shown in this photo with the hand in the "open palm position", which is part of the traditional "Sic 'em Bears" rallying cheer.
When the game was over, and we exited the stadium, I was intrigued by the spectacular green lighting of the bridge, as it reflected over the Brazos River in Waco. 
My next Baylor Bear Expedition took me to ATT Stadium, in Arlington, Texas. This photo shows grandson Jacob, in front of the goal posts, as we entered the famous athletic venue, minutes after the doors opened up. Several years ago, I toured the facility when it was still called "Cowboys Stadium", and wrote about it on this blog in a post called "Superbowl Expedition". Tours are still available, and you can go to their website ( www.attstadium.com ) to find out more information. I was there this time with my family to see granddaughter Kaitlyn cheer for the Baylor Bears, in their match with rival Texas Tech University. 
When I took the tour over five years ago, I learned that the scoreboard, which goes from one twenty-yard line to the other twenty-yard line, was the largest high definition video screen ever erected. So I was SO EXCITED to see that the roaming cameraman put Jenny and I up on the big screen long enough for her husband to get a photo of us!
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When the Author's Addendum: After I returned home from my visit to Baylor University in Waco, and the Steve Hudson Memorial Bear Plaza, I had a new appreciation for the ceramic angels Steve Hudson gave me when I was about ten years old, and we sat next to each other in our Fourth Grade class, in Central Elementary School, in Harrison, Arkansas. I distinctly remember when Steve walked into my parents' store (Home School Supply) carrying a gift-wrapped package for me, I ran and hid in the back, where he could not see me. (I was very timid back then!) After he left the premises, I came out of hiding, and opened the gift, which contained these angels. Now, he is WITH the angels in heaven, and these figurines are a reminder of a time long, long, long ago. Perhaps childhood "puppy love" never completely leaves your consciousness. I know this one will not.....
There is an Arkansas State Park that has been developed atop the mountain, that is measured as the highest point above sea level, for the entire state of Arkansas. It is one of 50 summits across the USA where folks can register their names when they make it to the top.
For this reason, it is only natural that the group of ladies I hike with, nicknamed "WHO", which stands for "Women Hiking the Ozarks", was eager to explore this particular state park.
Many of the WHO outings include camping in tents or rustic cabins, but that was definitely NOT the case for our time at Mt. Magazine State Park!
The room I was in had a delightful balcony, overlooking the Arkansas River Valley, located near the center of our state.
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There are many scenic spots along the state highway that runs through the park, where one can enjoy the views and serenity, without hiking a long distance. 
Weddings (both indoor and outdoor), are a common occurrence at Mt. Magazine State Park. To find out about having a wedding, or other special event/group outing here, just visit their website at 
My son had done some recreational rock climbing at Mt. Magazine, so I wanted to see the area that was used for that sport. The park ranger told me it was directly below the lodge, so I ventured down the trail below the lodge to explore. Since it was almost dark, there were no rock climbers, but I did encounter a nice couple, who offered to take a photo of me, on top of the bluffs used by the climbers.
The dining room of the new Mt. Magazine Lodge is spacious, with a three-story glass wall that allows views of the magnificent views on top of the mountain. 
At sunset, you can be sure that folks will be gathering below the lodge, to see the skies do their "color shifting" from pale blue to pink to red---depending on the atmospheric conditions each evening.
I was intrigued by watching the sunset reflections on the outside of the dining room windows, as well as the actual sunset! The darker the skies became, the more dramatic was the reflection.
There is a modern visitor center at the park that has clean restrooms, helpful rangers, a gift shop, and very interesting exhibits. It was the meeting place for members of our group, as we gathered from all points of the state, for our first "official" hike of the outing.
Exhibits inside the Visitor Center tell everything one needs to know about the biology and geology of the park.
Mt. Magazine is one of the few places in the U.S. that is suitable for the growth of the very rare, "Maple Leaved Oak Tree". I was delighted when I saw specimens of it growing along some of the trails and overlook areas! This photo was taken at the Petit Jean Valley Overlook.
It is fun to hike at Mt. Magazine at any time of year, but going in the fall will enable you to enjoy the autumn palette of a hardwood forest. Our group was on the last weekend in October.
All of us wanted to take the short hike to the summit of Mt. Magazine, so we could say we put our feet on the highest point in Arkansas!
I was thankful to have the opportunity to attend The Pensmore National Symposium on Religious Liberty, held recently in southwest Missouri.
The event was held on the campus of the College of the Ozarks ( 
The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Ben Carson, retired neurosurgeon and former 2016 Republican Presidential Candidate. The list of awards he has received in his long and distinguished career would be enough to fill the entire auditorium, but he preferred not to speak on those. Rather, he urged those present in the auditorium to be engaged in the political process and work to assure that our constitutional freedoms are not undermined. 
Dr. Carson emphasized the importance of Christians studying the platforms of each party, and analyze how these platforms agree, or disagree, with the truth of God's word. 
Considering the impoverished youth, rise to professional acclaim, and incredible list of awards that Dr. Ben Carson has received, he can be a "visual aid" (only as an imperfect human being on this earth, versus Jesus , our LORD, in heaven) for one of my First Place 4 Health ( 
This poster was on display in the lobby of the auditorium, and is a reminder to me that I cannot just read and memorize Scripture---I have to APPLY it in my daily life choices. That means I am to be humble and gentle; I am to bear with one another in love. 
When the Symposium dismissed for lunch, the hundreds of people in attendance headed outside to pick up box lunches, with a choice of turkey, ham, or gluten-free. 
Chairs and tables (complete with linen tablecloths!) had been set up outside , on the spacious grounds of the College of the Ozarks. I was reminded of a phrase I used to hear, as someone who was born in the Ozarks and raised here. We called it "Dinner on the Grounds". It started years ago, before air conditioning was invented, and was often held after worship services, when everyone in attendance went outside and shared a "covered dish" they had brought from home for the occasion. 
These high school students that attend the C of O Laboratory School, called "School of the Ozarks", may not fully realize how significant are the opportunities they are having to be present when such distinguished speakers come to visit their campus. That is one reason the laboratory school is described as a place with experiential learning activities, whose academic programs exceed the state of Missouri's educational requirements. More information about attending this school is on the main college website, 
After lunch, I was thankful to be able to attend a press conference, held at the Keeter Center, near the entrance to the College of the Ozarks. I have written about this remarkable facility in other articles that are in the archives of this blog (April 16, 2016 and January 1, 2016). 
The event was opened by Dr. Jerry C. Davis, President of the College of the Ozarks. His opening statement in the program said, "As we approach the 2016 election, it is essential that every American cast his or her vote. As Christians, we are obligated to vote. Voting is an important part of seeing change unfold in America."
The press conference was moderated by one of the professors at the College of the Ozarks. In addition to Dr. Ben Carson on the panel, there was Texas U. S. Congressman, Louie Gohmert, Jr., and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) William Boykin. 
Members of the media were allowed to randomly ask questions of the three, and not surprisingly, many of the questions were addressed to Dr. Ben Carson, since he had been in the news extensively during the lead-up to the 2016 Presidential election. He reminded us that Jesus Christ is not running for office, and as such, we are never going to find the "perfect" presidential candidate. Rather, we are to consider the long-term consequences of our choice of presidents---especially as they relate to the appointment of Supreme Court Judges---and cast our vote accordingly.
I was thankful to get to meet Mrs. Ben Carson, after the press conference. When I asked her if I could take a photograph of her, she replied, "Only if you will be in it with me." I was impressed with her graciousness and humility. She commented on the beauty of the Ozarks, and indicated she was enjoying her visit to this part of the USA. Mrs. Carson is a successful author and businesswoman, and along with her husband, founded Carson Scholars 
Mrs. Carson is not the only one impressed with the beauty and hospitality of the Ozarks. Thousands of tourists come here year-round---many of them drawn by the numerous entertainment venues of Branson, Missouri, which is just across the bridge from where College of the Ozarks is located. These motorcoaches parked outside the Keeter Center are a common site in this area. 
If you would like to picture yourself sitting on this porch, enjoying all the amenities of the Keeter Center (which has a gorgeous restaurant, and a boutique hotel recently voted "best in the US by Trip Advisor") , then make plans to visit College of the Ozarks. It will give you MILES OF SMILES! Tricia