Today I attended my first Catalyst conference at the Gwinnett Arena - I'm a fan. Looking towards the end of the year with conference money budgeted (that I would lose if it was not spent), I took the advice of some friends and registered for Catalyst after briefly scanning the website. I had planned to stay near the arena, however, childcare issues emerged their ugly head. We determined it would be better if I dropped the kids at school and then made a mad dash toward Duluth - normally a 45 minute to 1 hour drive from home. I awoke this morning to a refreshing rain, something we have been without for about 3 weeks. Usually I would be thrilled, but for those of you not used to driving in Atlanta, rain turns normal traffic headaches into migraines! I dropped the kids off at school at 7:25 and started my trek. I should have been early under normal circumstances. Listening to NPR en route, I didn't notice how slow the going was until I turned off of Hwy 316 in Lawrenceville and began to creep towards Duluth. I arrived 30 minutes late to the conference. I had no idea what to expect. Some of my students were jealous that I was attending this year, while they had to stay in Athens for class.
I was treated to some great worship music and then hearing Andy Stanley kick off the event. After a break of wandering the booths, and navigating (in awe) the crowd of 10,000 folks who streamed into the passages of the Arena at the close of the first session, Louie Giglio took the stage as the speaker for the second session. The speakers were good that morning, but the highlight was participating in setting a world record for the most folks to simultaneously sit on whoopee cushions! Yes, I'll be in the next Guinness Book of World Records. Alas, though they have my name as a participant (we all had to sign a little form to prove the numbers), I doubt very seriously that my name will actually appear - but hey, my butt will be represented under that curious heading!
The morning was so powerful I decided not to eat lunch with friends, but to grab some grub alone so I could think and process. I ate at Moe's Chinese cousin's place, Mama Fu's (at least they have the same designer). It was great. I got the feeling I needed some ice cream to top it off. I searched around the area but could find none. But, when I got back to the Arena I remembered Brusters! I had a huge cone of Butter Pecan Ice Cream while wandering (again) around the booths and displays.
The afternoon session was kicked off by more great worship music and Blue Like Jazz author Donald Miller. He is a great speaker - he is just as I imagined he would be after reading his book, witty, rambling, but with a punch.
I can't wait to go back tomorrow for the second half. Erwin McManus starts the day!
I know this is devoid of any spiritual specifics - I need to do some more processing and soul searching before I make any deep pronouncements or proclamations. However, once again it seems God is up to something big in my life. I'm glad - been kinda dry over the past few months. Or maybe I've just been in shock after discovering we are going to have a baby in a few months. Our two kids came along the easy route - we adopted. OK, it was not easy - it was 12 years of turmoil and stress of infertility then failed adoption attempts before they arrived with us 5.5 months apart. We didn't think there would be anymore kiddos. However, sometime just before our 20th wedding anniversary conception happened in my wife's once "barren" womb. I just laughed out of shock.
More later....
