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Things to Ponder Going Into 2012

Posted on December 30, 2011 by auburnchick

My weekly issue of People magazine arrived in the mail today, so I, as usual, casually perused it.

Then, when I saw the article, “Remembering Patrick,” I slowed down and read carefully.

I’m a child of the 70’s/80’s, thus it should come as no surprise that Patrick Swayze danced his way into my heart in the movie Dirty Dancing…

What a heartthrob!  His death saddened me…hence my interest in the article.

His wife, Lisa, has written a book about her life with Patrick, and the article contains excerpts from it.

I caught my breath, though, as I read the following…

Patrick rarely talked about his ‘dark thoughts.’ ‘Where am I going to go if and when I die?’  When he said [that] out loud, my heart would jump out to him.  I wanted to comfort him.  ‘You’ll be in heaven.’  I knew what I wanted to believe, but there was no way I could be sure.

I’m not God, so I can’t even begin to know the condition of Patrick’s soul when he departed life.  Did he have a relationship with the Lord?  From the above quote, my guess would be no.  Nor does his wife.

How very sad…to live your life without the SURE knowledge of where you’ll wind up after you die.

You want to know the ironic thing?

Patrick knew he’d be somewhere.

Here’s the hard truth, folks.

When we die, we will go either to heaven or to hell.

If you accept that Jesus Christ, the only man who ever walked this earth without committing a sin, died for your sins and was raised after three days, then you WILL spend eternity with the Lord.

The alternative is…well…it’s not good.

As we bid farewell to 2011, we will, undoubtedly give thanks for another year that we either managed or feel blessed to have survived.

But what lies beyond…in 2012?

We’re not guaranteed tomorrow, folks.  There are no do-overs…no Groundhog Days, despite what the movies would like us to imagine.

Salvation is serious business.

It’s the life and death stuff.

After all, when you strip our lives down…take everything away from us…careers, family, friends…all that’s left is our individual selves and our souls.

Tough stuff…not the lightest questions to ponder going into the new year…but important, nonetheless.

Where do you stand?  If a loved one was going to write a book about you after you died, what would that person say?

Would that person be floundering for words, trying to figure out where you “landed” in the afterlife, or would there be a sure knowledge that you were in heaven, praising God with everything you had, anticipating that person’s own arrival one day?

Happy New Year to all of my bloggy friends and those of you who have never commented but either faithfully visit or got lucky enough (*cough, cough*) to land here today.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , | 5 Comments »

The Gift

Posted on December 15, 2011 by auburnchick

I’ve officially turned into a sap.

Yesterday morning, during my drive to school, my local radio station played the following song…

I cried as I sat in my parking spot at the school and listened to the end of the song.

The song speaks about how the most important gift you can present to God is the thing that is most precious to you.

Soooo beautiful.

As I listened to the song later in the day, I cried again.  This time, my tears flowed as I heard the part about the bird being let out of the cage and singing the beautiful song inside its heart.

I pictured the students I teach.

They are like the bird in the beginning of the song…wounded.

I have taken them in the palm of my hand…nurturing them…helping them get stronger.

It is my prayer that one day, they will be set free from the ties that hold them down.

I hope that one day, they will sing a song of joy.

May God be glorified when this magical moment happens.

Filed under: Christian, Teaching | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

Selling Out

Posted on December 11, 2011 by auburnchick

Something has been bugging me for a while now, and I think it’s time to vent.

No, this has nothing to do with being a vegan.

That was yesterday’s post.

😉

See, I’m starting to wonder what’s in the minds of people who decide to compromise their values by getting involved in things that speak otherwise.

Take, for instance, Brittany Spears.

This girl came from a strong Christian background.  She took pride in her values and bragged about being a virgin.

And then she hit it big.

And she wound up falling from grace.

Jessica Simpson has a similar story, and now she’s expecting a baby with her fiance.

Most recently in the news is Mr. Kim Kardashian, who hails from a close-knit, conservative family in the Midwest.

What a far cry from those strait-laced roots, eh?

I know I’m a bottle blonde now, and thus I get confused easily (like, duh), but I wonder what it is that pushes people to make that final leap from living for God to living for him/herself.

Is it the quest for fame, or is money the driving force?

Oh, before you think that I’m quick to judge, please bear in mind that I know I’m not a whole lot different from those who grace the covers of Entertainment Weekly and People magazines.

Daily, I make choices and sell out to the culture that surrounds me.

Still, though, I have lines I won’t cross, and I’m very careful to make choices that don’t leave people confused.

I’m careful not to post things on Facebook or even on my blog that might leave non-believers scratching their heads about the appropriateness of my behavior.

I try to dress discreetly, and I don’t “like” things on Facebook that involve sexual humor, cursing, or questionable songs or videos.

Not that I’m perfect.  Again, let me say that I am a harsh judge of my own character, and I’m certainly NOT a person that God is going to give a gold star to.

Still, I’ll never be a sellout in my desire to accomplish my dreams.

Will it be worth it in the long run for those who do?

I somehow doubt it…especially given the fact that God will hold us accountable for every word, thought, and deed.

Every single thing we do will be judged.

Not only that, but non-believers are watching us believers.

We say a lot about Christianity and God through our actions…through our choices.

Are you a sellout?

This is a question all of us need to ask ourselves regularly.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Unashamed

Posted on November 13, 2011 by auburnchick

I’m going to steal this quote that one of my church’s youth pastors posted on Facebook tonight:

Being ‘unashamed’ about Christ isn’t just a refusal to deny Him.  It’s being brave enough to never be silent about Him.

This really hit home with me…especially after the morning’s sermon.

My church recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary.  It was a momentous milestone in this day and age.

My church just purchased a venue in which it will be able to serve the community through innovative ways, and so the sermons lately have been about looking forward and just what, exactly, we Christians are called to.

No matter where we go, whether it’s across the world or across town, we are called to spread the love of God and news of His Son’s sacrifice for the lost.

We are called to do so in word and deed.

I am the first to admit that my actions and words do not always reflect my love for the Lord…I am still a sinner, after all, but one saved through grace.  Yet, I do strive to serve God with all of my heart, and I’ve always welcomed and, in fact, embraced the opportunity to tell others about Him.

It’s not because I think it’s my job to “save” the world.

It’s simply because I am so GRATEFUL for what God has done, and my heart hurts for those who can’t see the TRUTH.

As I listened to the morning’s sermon and later read my friend’s words, I was taken back to a time not too long ago when I was told to be silent about Jesus.

The mandate pained me greatly…caused much angst in my soul.

You see, when you love the Lord and seek to serve Him, it goes against your nature NOT to speak up.

It’s like trying to hold back flood waters pushing against man-made barriers…sand bags, if you will.

We take so much for granted in this country.

Most Christians who live in the United States will never know the true meaning of bravely speaking up for Jesus.

At least not in the sense that Christians in other parts of the world do.

Yet, our resolve does get tested in the pressures of everyday life…situations in which we don’t want to appear “different” by going against the grain.

Sometimes, situations preclude us from speaking up…in the name of “political correctness.”

How would you feel, though, if your father publicly denied you…withheld His support and love from you in front of others…and passed by silently as if He never knew you?

It would sadden me, and I think it would cause others to wonder what kind of relationship I really had with my “supposed” father.

I, AuburnChick, am not ashamed, and I will never be silenced.

Does this mean that I will run around trying to convert people?

Nope.

God does that all on His own.

What it does mean is that if someone asks me if I love Jesus, I will proudly answer, “Yes.”

Will you go beyond not denying Him and actually speak up?

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 1 Comment »

What Will You Be Running Toward?

Posted on November 6, 2011 by auburnchick

On Saturday, Rooster and I enjoyed several hours of vegging in front of the television. We had several DVR’d shows to watch. We enjoy the same shows, so this can count as “quality time” because of the conversations that are often generated from the shows.

One of the shows we really enjoy is Criminal Minds.

Did any of you watch last week’s episode?

Oh.

My.

Goodness.

It was dark, as most of the episodes are.

Of course, there was killing and profiling and chasing the bad guy.

It was a difficult episode to watch, but then things got interesting.

See, the gist of the plot (sorry if I’m going to ruin this for you) is that the killer is killing people, then resuscitating them to find out what they’ve seen of the afterlife because, in his younger life, the killer had died.  He had, for years, been haunted by the fact that arms were reaching out from behind him, preventing him from going toward the “light.”

Deep stuff.

Rooster and I looked at each other in the realization that this episode was taking a very deep turn.

Two of the main characters expressed that they’d had after-death experiences, but both of them had been different…one of them able to run to the light and the other person had been held back.

Can you say S-C-A-R-Y?

Why, you may ask?

Well, if you’re a Christian, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Each person who doesn’t acknowledge the saving grace of Jesus Christ will not live in the light after he or she passes away.

There will be arms reaching out, preventing the unsaved, from entering heaven.

The Bible states that there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in hell.

I wonder if those arms reaching out from the dark represented the things in this life that had held the television show’s characters from accepting Jesus as Savior…false religions, selfish ambitions, belief that people can earn their way to heaven through good deeds.

Folks, there are a lot of misguided people in this world.  There are NOT many paths to heaven.

There is only one…through Jesus Christ.

This is not religious intolerance.

It is, quite simply, TRUTH.

Every time I hear of someone passing away…famous (Andy Rooney) or not…I wonder…

Did that person embrace Jesus as the breath left his or her body, or did the person find him/herself overwhelmed by a darkness that will never, ever go away?

This scares me more than anything in the world.

There are too many kind, “good” people walking around thinking they’ve got things figured out.  What a shame when they find out otherwise.

I hope that the Criminal Minds episode leads people to really consider what lies beyond this temporary, earthly life…what they will be running toward in the end.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , | 1 Comment »

Chiming In

Posted on October 26, 2011 by auburnchick

Today I did a little something out of my comfort zone.

For all of you smarty pants out there, it’s not that I crawled out of bed this morning, thank you very much.

Nope.

Despite a long, but pleasant, day at work, I decided to extend my day a bit…

By going to church…

And signing on to be a part of the handbell choir…

When I told Rooster about my plans, he said, “Mama.  That’s a little lame.  They don’t really do anything.”

That’s when I reminded him that I used to play handbells at church…way back when he and Chicky were wee things.

He, being all grown up now, didn’t remember.

I started playing around the time I was pregnant with Chicky, and I played, on and off, until I moved from Miami to Coral Springs…around the time Chicky entered kindergarten.

Going to church tonight was a big thing for me.

As I’ve mentioned a time or two on my blog, I tend to be a loner, preferring to bury myself beneath lesson plans, television, knitting, or whatever book I’m currently in the middle of.

Meeting new people?  Not on the agenda most days.

But go I did, and oh my gosh…I was soooo glad!!!

I knew one gal there, and although she was wearing an Alabama shirt (boooo, hisssss), I managed to get past the throw-up in my mouth (not against her personally, mind you but those colors she was wearing and the fact that Alabama actually seems to be playing decent football this year) and play nice.

FYI, that last sentence refers to the rivalry between Auburn and Alabama.

😉

Most of the people at the practice haven’t played bells before.  Because it’s been about fifteen years since I’ve picked one up, I was nervous.

Oh my gosh, but the first time I rang the bell I’d been temporarily assigned, I felt like I was home.

There’s something inside of me that is drawn to music.  I love to hear it, but I have a deep desire to learn how to play it.

My church has a new music director, and he’s a very nice guy.  He’s teaching everyone the basics, and I’ll admit that I felt as nervous as one of my students learning a new reading strategy…especially when he called on me to name a certain note.

The 45-minute session flew by.

I could have stayed for a couple of hours.

I am already looking forward to going back next week, getting a little better in my sight reading, and meeting new friends.

Oh, and I plan on wearing my Auburn attire as well.  Might as well fight fire with fire, church or no church.  😉

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: | 4 Comments »

Trust

Posted on September 19, 2011 by auburnchick

I know that yesterday I blogged about my fourth week of teaching, but I just had to share a sweet teaching story with you.

First, the background.

The first few days of school, I had a student in one of my classes that was quite the cut-up.  Actually, that class had three cut-ups, and their antics were quite a problem.

Finally, around the third or fourth day, I asked one of the guys, “D,” to stay after class.

He was about to face a reckoning.

Well, I think that the Lord got a hold of my vocal cords and took over that conversation.  Rather than coming down hard on this student, I took a gentle approach.

I began by telling the student what a great personality he had.  I explained that kids loved him because of his fun personality.  However, that personality was getting him into trouble in my class.

He nodded in understanding.

I then went on to explain that he could make a good choice by channeling that energy and personality into something positive.  I told him that he was a natural leader, and that the other students would imitate his behavior…good or bad.

Then, I told him about Barack Obama, who got elected based on his charismatic personality and not his experience.  I explained to D that he had the same kind of potential within himself.

The last thing I told D was that I believed in him.  I told him not to listen to other people who said otherwise.  I repeated, several times, the mantra that I believed in him.

Well, he signed my behavior log with a statement about what we had discussed, and I gave him a pass to his next class.

I had no idea if I would see a difference.  I’d had this type of discussion with several of my students last year, and they had not hit their marks.

I didn’t have to wait long to see results.

After school, I spoke with Ms. “J,” who teaches math across the hall from me.  D is in her class.  She immediately asked, “What did you say to D?  He was a completely different child today.  He asked to sit in the back of the room and did all of his work quietly.  He told me that he had spoken to you.”

Oh my.

He had listened.

Better yet, he had taken my words to heart.

Folks, three weeks later, I have not had a single issue with this student.  He comes in, follows procedures, contributes politely to classroom discussions, and then leaves.

He’s making good choices…choices I knew he could make if he just believed in himself.

But this story gets better.

A little over a week ago, I had to administer an untimed, computer-based diagnostic test.  During the test, D asked if he could go look for his brother, who had first lunch, so he could get money for his own lunch, which would be immediately after my class.

I gave him the okay.  As he began to walk out my door, I quietly whispered, “I’m letting you go because I trust that you won’t be wandering around aimlessly.  Trust.  It’s something that you and I have built since the beginning of school.”

Well, this guy came back a little while later and resumed his test.

After he finished, I approached him and quietly asked how things were going.  He told me that he had been working hard on his behavior.

He paused then and lowered his eyes, telling me that he had been slipping in Ms. J’s class.

Then he said something that floored me.

He said that he owed her an apology.

My mouth dropped to the floor.

I explained that she would forgive him because we’re all humans and prone to make mistakes.

But this story gets even better.

Fast forward to early last week.  We were discussing characters, and for the bellwork that day, I had asked students to list three strengths and three weaknesses that they possess.

Then, we did a Think-Pair-Share exercise (my first…and before my mentor modeled it for me later in the week).  After students shared their answers with their partners, I went around the room, asking students to share at least one thing they had shared with their own partners.

When I got to D, he explained that one of his weaknesses was trusting people.

Can I just tell you that I paused in that moment.  I had tears in my eyes.

This young man who had been working so hard in my class has trust issues, and yet he made himself very vulnerable in that moment by allowing us to have that glimpse into his soul.

It was obvious that he trusts me.  I don’t know that he would have shared such personal information if he didn’t.

Folks, teaching is not about the big paycheck (yeah right).  It’s not about having summers off (ha, ha, ha).

It’s about unforgettable moments like the ones I’ve shared above.

Teaching is about impacting young lives…to the point where kids begin making better decisions…thus affecting the rest of their lives in very positive ways.

I’m learning that my students need daily reminders that they are special.  It doesn’t take much.  Quietly spoken, sincere affirmations such as “Good job” or “Thank You” can do more for children than long, eloquent speeches.

I think, in a way, this experience with D is helping me with my own trust issues.  I didn’t think I could teach reading.  I didn’t think I was ready.

God knew otherwise, and all He asked me to do was to trust Him.

I think that my experience with D is God’s affirmation that I’m following His plan and doing a good job.  In a way, I feel God’s pat on my shoulder telling me “Thank you” for obeying and trusting.

I guess lessons in trust aren’t just for teenagers, eh?

Filed under: Christian, Teaching | Tagged: , , | 3 Comments »

VIP Treatment – Day 2 – Part 2

Posted on August 30, 2011 by auburnchick

After Family Force 5 performed and a short break had ensued, concert goers were treated to another popular band…

Switchfoot!!!

Doesn’t he look like Keith Urban?  The girls screamed like crazy.  Heck, I think I heard a few guys screaming too.  😀

Every band must have a guitar player or two…

It doesn’t hurt to have singing and guitar picking talents…

The lead singer, Jon Foreman, really worked the crowd, praising the Lord in song…

Jon “borrowed” a pair of sunglasses from an audience member…

What a likeable guy he was!

It was hard to say goodbye to the band…

But, goodbye is what we said and then we waited…

And waited…

And waited.

A solid 45 minutes later and after much instrument tuning, the next act was ready.

It was Toby Mac!!!!

Rooster has been listening to this group for a number of years, and I like the music the group produces as well.

What stood out to Rooster and me was the fun the group had during the performance.  Watching them enjoy themselves helped us to enjoy ourselves that much more.

The energy this group put forth during the show was, quite simply, incredible.  They never stopped moving!!!

The sheer talent of each group member once again humbled me.  I sure wish I had their music-making abilities!!  (Of course, I’m sure they wish they had my mad knitting skillz!!)

I loved watching the DJ do his thing…

Look at the way these guys interacted with each other.

During the show, the guys went into the audience and set up a jam session right there in the middle of the crowd…

When one of the singer’s earpieces stopped working properly, the music shut down.  It was an interesting moment.

Like the true professionals that they are, the group improvised by adjusting their set, relying less on some of the big equipment and more on raw music, if that makes sense.  It was so neat to witness this.

Toby Mac read scripture to us.

Betcha won’t hear that at a Not-a-Lady-Gag-Gag concert!!

As the jam session was winding down, one of the singers made his way back to the stage, pausing to either sing or test out his equipment…I’m not sure which.  I don’t think anyone really knew he was there!  He was within arm’s reach of me!!!

Toby Mac followed a minute or two later…flanked by his beefy security guard…

When the group got back together on stage, they played one more long series of songs…

The group said its goodbyes, but was it really goodbye for the night??

No!  We were treated to an encore!!

The group had been fantastic and the crowd expressed its appreciation with loud applause.

The weekend had been one of much praise.  Ultimately, the purpose had been to give glory to the Lord for His goodness and mercy in sending Jesus to die for our sins.

The Word had been preached, both directly from the Bible and indirectly through clean lyrics and songs of praise.

I love the last picture…both singer and crowd goer giving credit where credit was due…

Sure, I felt like a VIP last weekend, but the most important person who ever walked the earth is the same person who died for my sins.

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , | 1 Comment »

VIP Treatment – Day 2 – Part 1

Posted on August 29, 2011 by auburnchick

I’m going to break Day 2 of my VIP treatment into two posts because, quite honestly, I don’t want you to pass out at the sheer volume of pictures I want to share.

I drove to the venue early Saturday afternoon, eager to see the lineup of groups.  Rooster didn’t arrive until the third group performed, so I was by myself for a couple of hours.

The first performer was Jamie Grace…

What a cutie!  Her voice sounds a lot like Macy Gray’s.  You’ve probably heard this song before…

Next up was Peter Furler…

What a great singer!  If you don’t recognize his name, maybe you’ll recognize this song, which he performed on Saturday…

Here are a few other pictures of the band…

Don’t you just love the drummer’s do?

It was over before we knew it!  BTW, that’s his wife standing to his right.  She plays the keyboard.

While we waited for the next group to fine tune its instruments and set up the stage, the crowd grew.

Rooster slipped to my side just as the band began to play.

It was Family Force 5!!!

Can I tell you a little secret?

I had never heard of this group before Saturday.  In fact, I’d never listened to a single one of its songs.

I wish y’all could have seen the teenagers who pressed in closer to the stage.  EVERYONE was jumping in the air…including us old folks…keeping time to the words being pelted out by the green gloved young man…

These guys were like energizer bunnies…they never stopped moving!

Every performer had his specialty…

The next series of photos captures a unique drum/synthesizer.  Notice how the buttons/pads light up as the band member hits them…

These guys were very talented.  I was amazed as I watched them switch instruments and seemed to play effortlessly.

These guys were showmen to the fullest, giving the crowd a GREAT experience!

There was a LOT of dancing going on, let me tell you!

Question for you…have you ever heard the song titled Wobble?  Neither had I…until Saturday…

What a cute song and perfect for even young children!

Of course, the group had to show us older folks how to do it…

I’m not ashamed to admit that I tried to Wobble as well.  I couldn’t quite get the hang of wrapping my arms around myself as my legs criss-crossed, but heck.  It didn’t matter.  I was having fun.

The group finished its set and left the stage.

We weren’t fooled.

They came back for an encore…

Yeah…the balloons were…strange…to say the least.  I wonder what my students would say if I walked into class sporting one of those things…

After the band finished its encore performance, it was time for a break.

I headed back to the potty I blogged about yesterday (porta potty on steroids), grabbed a plate of food on the way back, and sat down to rest.

There were two very BIG acts still to come…

(to be continued…)

Filed under: Christian | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a comment »

The VIP Treatment

Posted on August 28, 2011 by auburnchick

A week ago, one of my local radio stations had daily brainteaser contests.  The winning callers received two tickets for each of two days of Christian concerts that would be occurring over the weekend.

I was determined to win tickets.  I wanted to see the bands that were going to be featured…my memories from last summer’s concerts fresh on my mind.

Long story short, I won, being the brainiac that I am.  No.  Scratch that.  I’d have to credit the Lord for the tickets.  I’m not really all that smart and had a bit of luck on my side.  Either way, I won, and I was happy.

I was thrilled and picked up my tickets on Friday.  Well, I was shocked when the guy at the radio station told me that I didn’t need to take chairs because there would be chairs already set up in the VIP section.

Oh my goodness!

I had planned to take Rooster to the concerts with me; however, Dancing Girl was having her 16th birthday party on Friday night, and he had already planned to go.

I called up my friend, Jane, who I taught with last year, and she agreed to be my date for the evening.

Now, you guys have to first understand that Jane is 61 years old.  Don’t let her age fool you, though.  She’s not your typical 61 year old.

Nope.

Jane is way cool and has more energy than most 20-something-year-olds.

I was thrilled to get to spend the evening with her because our schedules are going to be busy this year, and we’re not going to get to see each other as often.

As we drove to the venue, we saw a sign that said, “VIP Parking.”

“Nathalie, do you have VIP parking?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but I have VIP tickets.  Let’s try,” I said.

Turns out that the tickets got us to the good parking spots as well.

It was our first taste of the VIP treatment, and we were as giddy as children with candy.

We went in our own special entrance and had special bracelets put on our arms…

We were also given tickets for free drinks (not alcoholic, mind you…this was a Christian concert series).

We found the gated off section and saw white chairs set up in rows.  We found seats in the fifth row.

Can you say happy?  We got a gal to take our photo, which I’m planning on having framed.  Jane is such a dear friend to me.

We chatted until the first band began to play…PETRA!!

I don’t know how familiar you are with Christian music, so I feel that I must explain that Petra has been around for forty years.  Their music has the feel of heavy metal.  At the time they began playing oh so many years ago, most Christian music fell into the genre of Gospel.  Petra helped revolutionize and popularize Christian music.

I am quite proud of the little camera I own.  It takes GREAT pictures, as you probably know by now.  This post is going to be picture-heavy, so be forewarned.  I just couldn’t decide which pictures to omit.

Here are some snapshots I got of Petra…

The guy in the next picture stirred Jane’s heart.  I think she liked his long hair, and I chuckled as she told me he was cute…

I don’t want to leave out any of the band members.  This guy was awesome!

They performed a GREAT show and took their bows at the end…

We had to wait a bit between acts so the next act could set up the stage according to its preferences.  There was a screen hung up on one side of the stage, and Christian short films were shown.

I, however, had to go potty.  I was not happy at the thought; however, when nature calls, you answer.  So, I went looking for the restroom and was dismayed to discover that I would have to use a porta potty.

Folks, I am a soccer mom who has loathed porta potties for many years.  I refused to use them unless it was early the first morning of the tournament…when my hiney was the first to sit on the nasty seat and the potty cubical wasn’t stinky.

Here’s what I saw as I approached…

I was a little curious because I’d never seen a potty that large.  Usually these things are closets.  I was not expecting much when I walked in.

Let me tell you…I was shocked when I opened the door…

The first thing I noticed was the smell.  It was…get this…PLEASANT.  No pee smell to stick on my body after leaving.  On no sir.

There were four…yes FOUR…bathroom stalls in this trailer.  Every stall had toilet paper, and the toilets flushed!!!

The sinks…yes, there were two…had HOT and cold water…and soap!!  AND, there were paper towels too!!!!

Being a VIP was FUN, let me tell you.

On the way back to my seat, I had to walk under a tent set up with tables and chairs.  I saw a long banquet table set up with food, and a couple of people were filling up their plates.

Curious, I asked if the food was for workers of the concert or for patrons.

Get this…it was for VIP guests, of which I was one of.

JACKPOT!

There were various types of meat, but there were also vegetables!!!!  SCORE!

Jane had been keeping watch over our seats, so when I returned, I just had to share our good fortune, urging her to go pee and check things out.  I also told her to grab herself a plate of food on the way back.  Her eyes got big.

Yep, that’s me…good friend that I am.

Jane came back raving over the toilet trailer.

We were living the high life in Podunk, USA.

Good times indeed!

But, I digress.  Back to the concert stuff.

Next up was Matthew West…

This guy’s music was much easier on the ears, and I quickly realized that I was familiar with his songs, having heard them on the radio and sung them in church.  His band was FANTASTIC!

What impressed me about Matthew was the way he connected with the audience.  At one point, he went into the audience and found a guy he nicknamed “The Rickster.”  Apparently, this guy had not been singing the La La La La La lyrics, and Matthew had busted him…

He gave The Rickster his own solo, and the guy, bless his heart, was a good sport and sang into the microphone.  It was priceless!

Here are a few more pictures of Matthew, who sang songs from a new album that is about to be released.

Last up for the night was Third Day!!!  Oh my gosh, but the crowd had increased exponentially.  Jane was pumped.  Third Day is her favorite Christian group, and she owns all of the band’s CDs.  She started singing as the lead singer began…

So, what is up with lead singers and long hair?  Must go with the territory, eh?  Oh, I’m not complaining…just making an observation…

I took TONS of pictures that I think really captured the fun and mood of Third Day’s session…

It’s so easy to understand, when you see this band in concert, why it is so popular.  The lyrics sung are powerful, and the voices are deep and rich.  God has blessed these guys and continues to bless people through the music they play.

The next series of pictures show you the keyboard player.  Look at the fun this guy was having…

And here are more pictures…random…of Third Day…

Check out this guy’s guitar…silver!!

I just love the next picture…raising his hands to Jesus in praise…

I have such respect for those whom God granted the gift of music to…

I think the next series of pictures are neat, given the red/pink background…totally unplanned…

The band came out for an encore, and we were treated to one more song…

And then it was time to go…for real this time…

I was exhausted when the evening was over, and my ears were not working very well.  Still, Jane and I laughed and chatted the entire way back to my car and during the ride back to her apartment where I dropped her off.

I felt incredibly blessed and, truth be told, a little special.  The VIP treatment was just what I needed.

The best part?  There was another day of concerts coming up.  I could not wait!

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