Friday the 13th could be your 'lucky day!'

There are just a few more minutes left in the last "Friday the 13th" for 2012.  The first one was in January and the second one was in April - so they were all 13 weeks apart!  For those of you who worry about this, there won't be another one until September 2013!

We pay attention to Friday the 13th, but not because we are superstitious.  You know Marcia, who helps us with Gatlinburg reservations.  Friday the 13th is a special day for them.  If my facts are straight, they got engaged on a Friday the 13th, and they got married on a 13th (but not Friday).  So whenever Friday the 13th comes around, they try to do something special.  And it's usually something "anti-superstitious."

A few years ago, they decided the best way to celebrate the day would be to stand on the bridge of the Titanic.  No, not the actual bridge - it's underwater!  But there is a replica of the bridge in Pigeon Forge at the Titanic Exhibition.  So they and their boys came over to Gatlinburg and visited the Titanic on Friday the 13th.  Here's a photo to commemorate the event:















You, too, can enjoy the Titanic - and lots of other things in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  In fact, just today - Friday the 13th - we got an email from guests who are coming for Labor Day.  They wrote, "We just realized how much there is to do in Gatlinburg, so we want to stay an extra night!"  We were happy to be able to accommodate them.

Actually, if you've been following our news, you know that today COULD be your "lucky day."  We still have a great 3-night package open at All Decked Out.  You can arrive on Wednesday, July 25 and stay until Saturday, July 28 for only a TOTAL of only $475.00 - including everything, even the tax.  That works out to only $140.43 per night, which is a discount of almost 17%.  To get the discount, just enter coupon code July3 at the time you make your reservation.  You can easily book online by going to our Web site at www.SmokiesRentDirect.com and clicking on "Book Online Now."  But you'll have to do it quickly, because this package will expire 10 days from now.

See you in Gatlinburg - either in July at our special price, or this fall - we still have lots of good dates open!

Did Jesus ever laugh?

Now, what does that headline have to do with Gatlinburg?  Read on...

Today is Sunday - a day that we Christians think especially about Jesus.  Last night, I was updating the "Favorite Links" pages on our Web sites.  I found a really cool map of the Gatlinburg parkway that shows every shop and every restaurant on the parkway.  You can find it, too, by visiting our Web sites and going to the "Favorite Links" pages.  Here are the direct links (click on the cabin names below):

Smoky Mountain Tower
All Decked Out

While I was doing this, it reminded me of a recent trip to Gatlinburg, when we visited the Thomas Kinkade gallery at the south end of the Parkway, just before you go into the National Park.  I was really struck with a painting in the window by a Kinkade associate, Mark Keathley.  It shows Jesus dancing with a whole group of children, and He is laughing!  Not just smiling, but really laughing!
You can find out more information about this wonderful painting at this link:

 http://shopping.artofthesouth.com/p-2870-dance-of-grace-by-mark-keathley.aspx

What do you think?  Did Jesus laugh?  I think so, because the Bible says he experienced everything we do, but without sinning.

So when you're in Gatlinburg, you might want to wander by the Kinkade gallery and see the painting for yourself.