GNO

While Larry & I were on staff at Rose Heights, there was a month when both Paul Baloche and Anthonys Evans (yes, both junior & senior) came to the church to do a concert. A month before, Larry was able to meet Max Lucado at a funeral for a church member....apparently Mr. Lucado was a relative of this person & he did part of the service for them. I missed all three events due to a sick child or scheduling conflict...or something. I was disappointed in all three cases because I'm a fan of all three (well, four!) of these guys. {Of course, I wouldn't have attended a funeral JUST to meet Max Lucado. That would be tacky after all. Maybe I could've just waited outside by the hearse.}

So anyway, early this month, we did THIS song at church and I loved it! I asked our worship pastor who sang it. He pointed me to Jared Anderson and then said "Guess what? He'll be in concert on 2/26 with Paul Baloche." And, as it turns out, the concert would be held at our old church, Rose Heights.

To be quite honest, my very first thought was "ouch....you go & enjoy that concert & let me know how it was." I mean, when Larry & I left there just about a year ago, we left on good terms. No one there is angry with us. We've had lots of sweet people call, email, write, etc to tell us they miss us, but no one's ticked off. That we know of. Still, I haven't stepped foot inside that building since April 5, 2009 so it was a very awkward feeling to think about going back there. For anything. Fear kicked in. Would I break out in hives & have a panic attack the doorway? Would I feel like I was being glared at from across the auditorium? Would it just be weird to be there? If the concert had been held anywhere else, I would've immediately looked into tickets & such, but because of the location, I hesitated. I hemmed & hawed. (Does anyone know what that saying means anyway....hemmed & hawed.....hmmm....maybe I should google it. And why does blogspot tell me that it's misspelled if I put 2 Ws in hawed? Seems like there would be 2 Ws.)

A few days later, I heard the concert advertised on KVNE and decided that I really did want to go and I'd just have to pray that it wasn't weird for me to be there. And then it hit me. It fell on 2/26. The day after one of my very sweetest BFF's birthday! Hooray! It could be a birthday night out if we could pull off! A few quick emails later, I had tickets and a very excited BFF ready to go!! Hooray!!!!!!!

Fast forward to Thursday. Out of the blue, a work thing came up for Larry that would mess up him being here in time for me to leave and get to the concert. With the kids just recovering from the stomach virus from He...., my sister didn't feel comfortable having them over to her house. (I don't blame her--we avoid stomach viruses like crazy, too!) Mom was going out of town to attend the Feminar. I was afraid everything was going to fall apart on getting to go at the last minute, but my dad saved the day (err...night) when he offered to come over & hang out with the kids til Larry could get home. Yahoo!!!!! I rented he & the kids Up and they LOVED hanging out with Grandpa for a couple of hours last night. I'm so blessed with sweet parents!

Last night, for the first time in I don't know how long, I went out after dark with a girlfriend just for fun. I do go to the grocery store, sometimes with this same friend, every week to get groceries. After dark. But that's not quite the same thing! ha ha! We went to the concert & then stopped at Taco Bell at 9:45pm for a Coke. (We'd sound so bad if we said we went out for tunes & a drink....ha ha!)

When I pulled into the church parking lot last night, my heart did race a little. Would I run into a thousand church people who would use their laser beam eyes to shoot me from across the room? Would I throw up on the auditorium carpet from nerves? But my nerves were quickly layed to rest when I walked through the doors with my BFF & began to hug the necks of those who approached me. Honestly, there were only a handful of Rose Heights people there. It was mostly people who came specifically for the concert & the worship conference that was being held today. I think that helped. If it had 'felt' like a regular church service at Rose Heights, it would've unnerved me more. But it was just a building for the concert I went to. And that worked for me.

When Paul Baloche began singing, I closed my eyes & all the walls of the building fell away. I was no longer in the building where Larry & I served for several years, I was in His presence. God is still God no matter what building I am in. I was reminded that no matter who is standing around me, my Creator still deserves my attention, my affection, my praise. He drew me in last night. He helped me to shut out everything that surrounded me. The Spirit was present and moving and it was a beautiful night of worship with 2 great singers and a sweet friend at my side.

I'm glad I went. As usual, the anticipation was far worse than the reality.

The flash REALLY washed me out. I don't glow QUITE that much in real life. :)

If you click on this one, blow it up & squint your eyes, you might be able to see Paul Baloche on stage. He's at the front with his guitar.