- I feel down in front of 1000 or so people in the front of an auditorium.
- Hannah’s coffee lid popped off in her hand and coffee went all over an elevator full of people and all over Eliza Jane just as they were rushing to Eliza’s Bible reading.
- I lost my phone. In its recovery (“Recovery” is a wonderful word!), Hannah was just in time for a big security episode with non-lads Opryland guests in which EMT and screaming and cursing were all involved at 12:30 pm in the Cascades lobby. (For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness 1 Thess. 5:5….So thankful we were in the day group!)
- Eliza made the announcement to an elevator full of people: “I tooted. Cue (excuse) my body.” Oh dear…
- I fell–again–in front of 1000 people in the front of an auditorium.
- The Easter bunny had a big problem with tardiness this year, and children were a bit disappointed. But he worked it all out. We are not sure he is a faithful Easter bunny because he finished up his work while we were worshipping. However, to give him the benefit of the doubt, it did take us a LOOONG time to get back to the room after worship and all the eggs from the bunny were hidden when we got back.
- Someone got a marriage proposal onstage this year at Lads (a first!) Congratulations!
- Eliza announced to all the people entering an elevator: “You all be cah-ful! Dere’s tee-tee on dah flow-ah.” (There was not. Someone’s cooler had leaked in the group just before us.)
- All five of my grand-children (and some very dear “other” grand-children) were in one convention and all had important events to attend. And that was the hardest part–to miss some of those events, so that I could attend others. But what a blessing!
- I contracted laryngitis (almost to the point of complete silence) rendering me useless to any part of the big family for crowd control.
- I went to the right room at the wrong time for a competition (It was mistyped on our congregation’s schedule). I had a nice break…realized that no-one was showing up and then made a very mad, mad dash to a different room that was 19837 miles away, with 3 small children.
- I cried during Bartimaus and “Thank God for Kids.” Jesus Loves the Little Children.
But in the aftermath of the good storm, I rest in knowing that some 20,000 people, children and adults, have arrived back home with a greater, fuller, deeper conviction–a purpose to never be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. As Eliza Jane said, at the end of her speech…”I will not be ashamed …nevah, ebba!”