A Month in the Life

This is the first time I've been able to get to my computer! Since I'm on home turf (we live in Clearwater which is only 30 minutes away) I assumed I'd have a bit more leisure but it has been anything but that and now Marty and I wish we would have sprung for the hotel....oh well, my bed feels pretty good to me after a long day of practice, practice and more practice.

It all started on Wednesday when we had to be the "entertainment" for the Ladies Banquet at the Marriott. Then on Thursday for Ladies day we did the "name" song for the procession of banners. When I first got on the platform I was completely overwhelmed. The video feed monitors, the boom camera, bright lights and the echo of your voice coming back to you is CRAZY! Though I had memorized the words to my song, in rehearsal they left me completely and I had to lift Jay Rodenbush's music (Jay do you need it back?) and folded it nice and tiny so I could see the words to feed to the group. Yeah, I got a nice teasing from all my friends for that one! And the one thing I just can't get used to is the roaving camera guy. Somewhere there is footage of me with my eyes closed in worship and then a surprised look on my face when I realized the camera was RIGHT IN MY FACE! AAAAAHHHH! Can I just say that by the time the last song came there was a bit of hilarity that was overtaking as we were all starving (most of us had been there since 7:30 or so) and shaking from the cold. The platform was FREEZING because we are on the ground and since it is a Hockey stadium the ice is still frozen BELOW the flooring. We were all a wee bit tired, cold, and since I live and Florida and know how to dress for the weather (but apparently not a hockey game) I had a cotton dress on. I should have had boots on! Couple all that with the sheer magnitude of the event and you've got ladies with a slight case of the giggles. There is also footage somewhere of me having a palm branch fight with my niece Kalyx. My sister-in-law Christy Ballestero was handed a HUGE branch that looked like half a tree and we were laughing so hard watching her struggle with the giant palm tree branch to wave in adoration.

What did y'all think about the Foriegn Missions service? Tune in and watch it on the internet if it is archived yet. It was probably not only the best Foreign Missions service I've ever been to, but the best conference service I've ever been to. Gone are the mournful services that lament the sacrifice of the Foreign Missionary. This service made it a celebration with the cannons that blew confetti, the lively music, the circling golf carts, spotlights, and fanfare. These people are heroes and though they sacrifice so greatly I couldn't help but notice the joy in the missionary children's face when they announced that their way was paid to go back on the field. It was incredible!

I was glad our mass choir and music went as well as it did. I wasn't sure how the different robes would look but I was pleased at the end result. Everyone said the sound was pretty good too. Denee' Richardson put Tye Tribbet to rest with her solo on "I Want it All Back". I think after that job she did she got it all back and then some!!! My husband Marty "The Encourager" said "You did a great job Babe, but I noticed the camera pan over your face and you messed up the words to Melanie's song." *Sigh* It's not my feet that are killin' me this year, it's the WORDS!!!!