Monday, November 05, 2007

Makes my heart want to sing...


just thinking about the Chris Tomlin concert I attended with hubby, Teen Son & TS' friend on Friday night. Here's a camera phone pic that doesn't do the night justice, but there you go.

The concert was held under a cool blanket of fog at the Santa Barbara Bowl, yet as Chris led us in worship under the heavens that fog blew out and we saw stars. Big, bright stars. If you've never had a chance to hang with 4,000 plus worshippers under a clear night sky, I passionately recommend it. I'm still glowing from the experience (can you tell?)

On the way in
we ran into all kinds of friends old and new; lots of hugging going on. Funny trivia: my pal, Katie Cushman was there too, with hubby Lee and Teen Daughter--in the same row! What a coinky-dink, huh? And the couple seated next to us were from a town just east of here called Ojai. Turns out they knew friends of ours from church. It's a small world when believers get together :)

Special shout out to Becca Dowling,
writing buddy, who graced me with the tickets. I needed this night and probably would not have pursued it on my own. So thanks, girlfriend. Also there that night was writer/speaker Lou Giglio who riveted us with stirring words of God's greatness. If you've never heard Giglio speak then You. Must. I just picked up Chris Tomlin's CD See the Morning and it has a bonus DVD with it which includes several music videos from the tour along with an appearance by Giglio. Woo-hoo. Hey, listen, if you can stop a concert mid way and take command of an audience with a 40 minute speech, then you have been gifted by God. All I'm sayin'.

And here's a bit of trivia
that even I hadn't remembered until Friday night. When I began to write Truffles by the Sea I typed out the refrain from one of CT's songs called Indescribable. Know it? Anyway, I used the words to inspire me to write about a woman who in the midst of various disasters finds beauty all around her. She even mentions the song in one of the last chapters. When the book was complete, I'd erased the refrain from that first page, and sent it to my publisher.

I'd forgotten about that
when at the concert CT launched into that song. And as he sang, I fought the tears so I wouldn't ruin another pair of contacts, lol. The galleys for this book are due in just a couple of days, and as I struggle at times to make sure that all the t's are crossed and i's are dotted, I'm assured that God's not perplexed. He inspired me at the beginning, and He will carry me all the way through.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So glad you could use the tickets, girlfriend! No offense but wish I could have been your seat...LOL I've heard Lou speak, and he is gifted by God for his calling. Love "Indescribable" and cool to hear about the "Truffles" connection. Just waiting for your book #2 to come out.

Blessings,
Becca