Travel Drama 08. You ready?

So, I’m headed to California in a few weeks for the Mt. Hermon Writers Conference. And yes, I totally plan on blogging. [Though some attendees mentioned NOT bringing a laptop. I said, "Hi. I'm Annie. Apparently you haven't met my oxygen tank, MacBook."]

Being that I am a teacher, and standardized testing is around the corner, this is poor timing. But to honor you, state of Georgia tax payer, I’m trying to miss as few days as possible. The conference begins on a Friday and concludes on a Tuesday.

So I’m teaching a full day on Thursday and then getting on a plane headed to the most intimidating experience of my life. For most conference attendees, arrival time is Friday morning. That’s when normal air travel will occur. Sister here, being the cheapskate I am, will only choose a flight that fits in my free Delta SkyMiles package. And that flight leaves at dinner time on Thursday.

Convenient for my pocketbook. Inconvenient for my schedule.

I arrive in San Jose at 9:05pm Thursday night. The last shuttle to the conference center is at 7pm. Whoopsie. Things I should have researched a little bit more…..

The airport is 45 minutes away from the conference center, so a taxi ride, aside from being WAY SCARY, would also be pricey.

Yo no quiero pricey.

And the registration desk closes at 10pm. So even if I rode in a stranger’s car for 45 minutes, I probably wouldn’t be able to check in.

Late night + taxi ride + not knowing anyone in the city + registration desk closed = Lifetime Network Movie that I do NOT want to be a part of.

So the nice conference lady (that I have been emailing so much this week that I think we are bfries or enemies) says that I should stay in a hotel on Thursday night and get the shuttle Friday. She didn’t like my alternative options, such as her driving to pick me up at the airport herself. (Just kidding. Shannon, don’t panic. I didn’t really ask anyone from Mt. Hermon to pick me up at the airport. Not this year, at least.)

Because I had a sudden stalker fear that if I tell too much of this story it could get creepy for me when I’m actually in California, suffice it to say that though staying in a hotel scares the bedbugs right off the sheets of my soul, I’ve never been one to turn down a continental breakfast. So it looks as if things may have worked out.

But oh the drama. The emails. The concerns. The flight changes. The reservations.

The internal stress that I was making someone irate all the way across the continent.

That is pressure, people.

And yet somehow, amidst all the stress, I resisted to urge to relieve my local Publix Grocery Store of every Cadbury egg in stock.

You can hold your applause. I haven’t survived Mt. Hermon yet. And Easter candy season ain’t over.

“You want mint for pillow?”

Ok, seriously. This isn’t a Tommy Boy quote off [unless you make it one in the comments, and I won't be mad].

A few things to discuss:

A) First of all, check the AWESOME NEWS on Steve and Randel’s blog. Good gracious, you people pray some stuff into being! Can we look back a few blog posts and refocus our prayers on …. oh I don’t know …. #4 on the prayer list? Whatev. Seriously, I couldn’t be more happy for Steve and Randel- but let’s keep praying that the deal will close. Hurry to ATL, y’all!!

B) I just watched the movie Elizabeth The Golden Age and OH MY GRACIOUS I loved it. I immediately called my generational bud-dom bfry and we discussed all manner of Elizabethan era, the monarchy in England, and Sir Walter Raleigh. Watch it. I mean this. You’ll be glad you did.

C) Ann has some pictures from our photo shoot up on her website. I feel weird saying anything else about it, except this- she is good. Real good.

D) I blame BooMama and BigMama for my new obsession. Well, I’m going to give some blame props to this guy’s wife. Because apparently Travis’s wife has the most fabulous pair of trouser jeans in the world. And I want some. Badly. It’s all I can think about…. when I think about shopping for pants. This journey is not complete. I will find you, trouser jean- you can run, with your wide cuff and straight leg, but you cannot hide.

And these are the things we’ve needed to discuss.

Goodnight.

My grandmother would consider this her favorite blog post ever. Can people in heaven read blogs?

My favorite book of all time is Christy by Catherine Marshall.

It is the true story of a young woman (Catherine Marshall’s mother!) in 1912 who hears that there is a need in the Appalachian Mountains- the children need a teacher. And she can’t resist God calling her to go there. She packs up her safe life and moves, alone, to Tennessee. [Hmmm....]

I don’t remember the first time I read the book. The truer statement is I don’t recall a time when I didn’t have the book by my bed. I mean, I wasn’t three, but I have loved it for years. In total, I’ve read it close to 50 times. Start to finish. [I know that's bizarro. I never claimed to be anything else.]

I’ve been sitting at this point in the post for about 10 minutes. And I can not figure out what else to say. I feel like I need to say, “This is my favorite book because…..” and then discuss the characters and the setting and the plot. But I can’t come up with an answer that I think will satisfy. Instead, I will just say what is true.

Because this novel moves me.

That doesn’t make you want to read it, I know. Nor does it make Christy stand out from any other book you’ve read before.

But it is different. I love it. It speaks to my soul. It changed me. It changes me.

I am a better person, a better teacher, a better Christian, a better woman, because of this novel and the real life example set by this woman.

I met Catherine Marshall’s grandson one time. He was dating a friend of mine. As we were introduced, my eyes filled with tears…. while we were shaking hands. I proceeded to talk too much about how wonderful his family members were. Awkward, to be certain.

But that is the power of a beautiful written word. And a beautifully lived life.

Check Shannon’s blog for other bloggers’ favorite books. You have a blog? You have a fav book? Join in the fun!!

things go terribly awry.

Here is a short list of knowledge I gained today, thanks to the SEVERE thunderstorm that bombarded the metro area around 6am. Which is, to my daily chagrin, when I am getting ready in the mornings.

1) It probably is important to have a working flashlight in your house. I’m just sayin….

2) Students have no problem letting you know when your hairdo is subpar. Listen, kids, I had only completed 1/4 of my hair regimen when the power blew. So. Shut it.

3) Having an electric garage door opener is a huge blessing every morning, EXCEPT the mornings when there is no power. Dear Jonathan and Amy, before you moved to Costa Rica, maybe you should have told me what to do if my car is held captive by my garage.

4) Procrastination kicks my tail repeatedly. I thought last night about the importance of straightening up the house since a bunch of real estate agents were passing through today (16 total, according to the pile of business cards on my dining room table). But because I’m a dork, I thought I’d just straighten up first thing this morning.

Trying to find the right place to put sundry household items in the pitch black dark is challenging, to say the least. The bruise on my left shin is proof of this.

5) Barrett Parkway with no working street lights is a like a field of land mines. I’m serious that I felt I needed a helmet. I don’t think that makes perfect sense. But when the entire stretch of road is dark and everyone around you is being ridiculously cautious, and the intersections involve up to 14 lanes, a helmet seems like a good choice.

I wanted to say this: ONE CAR AT A TIME, PEOPLE. Don’t you KNOW how four-way stops work? Because every time that second (third, fourth…) car sneaks through, it throws off everyone’s groove.

Thus making a helmet important.

I know I’m weird. I’m ESPECIALLY weird at 6:30am. But I truly remember gripping the steering wheel and wishing I had a helmet.

And wishing Tatum’s car had more gas, since I had to take her toaster to school. Remember, my Camry was involved in an intense hostage situation.

So, I will be making some changes to my life, thanks to this experience. Namely, opening the garage at the first strike of lightning…. and keeping a hair dryer at school. Sheesh.

AWESOMENESS REMINDER-
It’s Tuesday. Dave Barnes is hookin’ you up with some new music- have a listen! His new album comes out on April 1st, but pre-ordering is the way to go. Seriously, you can order now and get 2 CDs (one for you and one to share!) and a DVD. OR you can order 2 CDs, a DVD, and get a tshirt. Ah… I love tshirts. Do it, people. You life will be better.

Unless you don’t have power. Because no matter how cool Dave Barnes is, he can’t generate electricity.

That is one beautiful sunrise. (And sadly for you, my photography skills are truly underwhelming.)
I led a teen breakout group at a retreat hosted by the singing group BELOVED this weekend. Though it was really fun and the Lord totally showed up, it was not without it’s challenges. Spiritually. Personally. Emotionally. Technologically (I can’t even go there- I almost threw a projector into Lake Lanier).

I left the retreat far more mentally exhausted than I have been in a long long time.

So that leaves my blog voice a little hoarse. And tired. [This is how exhausted I was yesterday- I didn't want to CHECK MY EMAIL. That, my friends, is unheard of in Annie-town.]

As I was leaving the retreat early Sunday morning, I drove over the bridge that spans a portion of Lake Lanier and I looked to my left to see this breathtaking sunrise. The weather has been refreshingly mild, so I was able to roll my window down, put the ole Camry in park, and just watch for a minute.

After such a beautiful/challenging/draining/fulfilling weekend, where I literally fought for the girls’ attention and spiritually fought for their hearts, I sensed the Lord in that moment. And though this sounds crazy, I think He said “Thank you”.

And I think He said it with a sunrise.

So I said, out loud, “You’re welcome. Any time.”

He doesn’t need me. He can accomplish His purposes without me. To be honest, it would probably be simpler and better done if He didn’t factor me in. But for some reason, He does. He longs to make us a part of His grand story, even though by doing that, He adds sin into the equation. And insecurity. And flaws galore. And stupid jokes that He would not tell because He knows the limits of His humor, unlike some unnamed blogistas [me].

His humor has no limits, by the way. Have you SEEN a giraffe? That’s funny.

The focus, for the teen girls, was understanding God’s heart for them. And I challenged them to ask God to love them out loud and reveal His heart, as it says in Zephaniah 3:17. It always seems that when I accept the challenges I issue to others, He answers.

I think that sunrise was His answer. He took time to rejoice over a flawed and easily exhausted girl who has nothing much to offer. But I offer that nothing much to Him.

And He painted the sky to remind me that nothing much is exactly what He wants.

Let’s rally behind Steve and Randel and pray for their house to sell!!

God has a plan for them in Atlanta- let’s ask Him to fight on their behalf.

Greater is He, y’all. Greater is He.

how to Lord finds new ways to reveal Himself to me every day.

how He can embrace all of me.

how I’ve gone this long without knowing the beauty of risk.

how He uses words to speak deeply to my very soul.

how long the same verses (ex: Prov. 13:12) will cause a lump to develop in my throat.

what next year will look like.

what my ministry really is.

how many more options can flood my brain.

if 2008 will be the year.

why I bulldoze down one path when God intended me to turn left back there.

when all the pieces will form a picture that I understand.

why He is so mindful of me. (Psalm 8)

Sometimes I wonder how deep His love goes.

Because I don’t know how it can be better than this.

Oh boy, y’all. Today was fun.

The right thing to write, the tear-jerker scenario, is how uncomfortable it was and how unworthy I felt to be the center of attention, how I teared up and shooed my friends away saying, “I can’t do this” in a dramatic fashion, blah blah blah.

But let me tell you the God story in this- because God has spend significant time [read: constantly for the last 27 years] telling me who I am to Him, things like this are fun.

Yes, there was a bit of awkwardness- I usually don’t wear this much makeup. But the whole time I kept thinking, ‘this is another step towards my dream’. And I was lovin’ it.

The photographer, Ann, is a lifelong friend of mine. So when it was time to decide on someone to take these pictures, she came to mind first. (Well, her and Jeremy Cowart, but I think he’s probably booked… and a tad bit famous.) Ann is starting her photography business, so I was excited to work with her. More than anything, I want pictures that really look like me. And being that Ann and I have been friends for almost 3 decades (yikes!), I figured she could look through the viewfinder and see the real me, versus just the “hot model” me that anyone could capture on film.

I have already hired two full time employees. And by “hired”, I mean I buy them lunch sometimes. And by “full time”, I mean they are my best friends so they really can’t ignore my pleas for help. Or my phone calls.

Molly is my manager, in charge of my calendar and making sure that the venues I speak at are set correctly and meet our expectations. At least, that’s what she will do when someone starts asking me to speak somewhere. There wasn’t much for her to do today, so she worked at her current place of employment, but I could sense her support beaming over from her office across the Square.

Haley is my stylist. She has been dressing me for years- she found my homecoming dress in 1996 and she’s picked out 3/4 of my closet ever since. [The 25% that I pick out are the clothes that make you question my style.] Today, Haley helped me select my outfits and did my hair and makeup. And because I paid extra (I got her son some nuggets), she also came with us to “the shoot” to keep me looking fine.

Since it was raining we didn’t get to take any outside pictures. But we went to the Marietta Square with the hopes that our sister church, StoneBridge, would be open and that the pastor, David, would be there. Though he mocked me openly, he did allow us to shoot in the sanctuary.

Haley got my camera out of my bag after about 1 1/2 hours of shooting. I mean, if anyone deserves to see the humorous side of this whole “making a new career” thing, it’s you bloggites.

Here is me posing for Ann. Outfit #2. Location #5 (in StoneBridge). We also shot at a local coffee shop and that was really cool. I can’t wait for y’all to see the pro shots.

And here’s how I felt after 1 1/2 hours of smiling. You know me, that much time of being serious and following directions, I needed Haley to give me some relief. So I decided to make a stupid face. See stupid face below.

I mean, y’all.

In this next picture, we are standing on chairs in the back of a RiverStone plant church on the Marietta Square because my friend Ann is a photographer and she is taking photos of me for a website because I want to be a writer.

That whole run-on sentence blows my mind. If you would have told me 10 years ago (before RiverStone existed, before I had written one sentence that made me feel alive, and before Ann owned a digital camera) that today would have happened, I wouldn’t have believed you.

Because I didn’t know.

I didn’t know that God dreamed so big for my life.

I didn’t know His dreams for Ann’s life.

I didn’t know His heart for Marietta.

I know now. And I love Him more for it.

THIS is something I’ve had my fingers crossed for. Thank you, A&E, for being gracious and compassionate…. on all of us. I’m long distance hugging you, A&E, and you can’t stop me.

Today is Take Photos For Website day. Better known as The Could Be Really Hilarious.

I’m kinda hoping for something like this.
(You’re wondering if I’m serious…. and I’m going to let you wonder. I’ve never feared a popped collar before… it may be just the touch I need to really make it in the writing biz.)

Update tonight.

It’s one of my favorite colors. It matches my eyes.

My friend Dee Dee tagged me on her blog yesterday and I have to now list 10 random things about me.

I’m very grateful to be given a blog post topic today because

#1- I had such a severe migraine tonight that I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital. But Mama pulled through as usual and drugged me back to health. Almost health. My head is still pounding, just not punching anymore.

See, look at that. One down, nine to go.

#2- If I could only drink one liquid the rest of my life, it would be orange juice with lots of pulp.

#3- I was the homecoming queen of a VERY small and easily influenced high school.

#4- I’ve read the book Christy by Catherine Marshall 40+ times. It’s the finest book ever written.

#5- I talk to my hair straightener every day. I say “Today is Tuesday. I have turned you off and unplugged you.” It’s called OCD, people. Or BEING CERTAIN YOUR HOUSE DOESN’T BURN DOWN. Whichever you prefer.

#6- My middle name has a silent R smack in the middle. And, no, I won’t tell you my middle name because I don’t think that fits in the “safe internet behavior” category.

#7- My favorite number is 7, or any multiple of 7, except 63. I hate 63.

#8- I prayed for Deion Sanders in middle school and then T.D. Jakes led him to the Lord. I will always consider that one of my first documented answered prayers.

#9- When I listen to songs and sing along, sometimes I pretend that I am auditioning to be a back-up singer. My audition usually goes really well and then I’m asked to record and go on tour. I almost always have to turn the artist down due to prior commitments. But it’s nice to be recognized for my talent.

(*Reminder- new music on Dave Barnes’ site today. Great song!!)

#10- My grandparents owned a used bookstore when I was younger. If I think about it hard enough, I can still smell the books, hear the bell ring when the door opens, and feel the shag carpet under my feet. It’s possibly the strongest childhood memory I possess. You can read more about the bookshop and my wonderful grandparents HERE.

So there you have it. Were I in top condition right now, I’d keep going just for kicks and giggles. But I’m afraid the plethora of random facts would be scary to you and somewhat disturbing.

I’d love to tag all of you, but that isn’t how the game is played. Officially, I tag Caroline, Jake and Melissa, and Marie. But, to the rest of you blogmies, I encourage you to list your top 10 random facts and then come back and leave a link in the comments so we can all read. (So just consider yourself “unofficially” tagged- sorry, but I’m a first born, I insist on following the rules.)

If you don’t have a blog and are so inclined, you’re welcome to leave your top 10 in the comments. Or maybe this is the day to start your own blog? Blog birthing is a beautiful and natural thing. I encourage it.

Seriously, don’t be ashamed to confess your personal randomness. I just admitted that I hold back-up singer auditions for myself. It can’t get much weirder than that.