Friday, February 22, 2013

A Concert & A Thought.

So back in Nov. I had just gotten back into town after being gone almost the whole fall. I heard there was a Carrie Underwood concert coming through Spokane in Feb. She is probably my favorite female country artist, and I just adore her. I really am not star-struck by celebrities and I certainly do not worship them! I find that strange and unhealthy for people to love someone so much that they've never met and probably won't ever meet. But I do think Carrie Underwood is a beautiful girl inside and out. I love her music, style, and I love that she shares her faith. And honestly, she's the only artist I've ever said I'd like to meet one day. I don't know why, and I don't even know what'd I'd ask her, lol.

Anyway, by the time I heard about the concert, there were no tickets left, or that is, that I could afford. The concert was selling out, and fast. So, with the busy holiday season approaching and much other more important things in my life going on, I put it aside. Even though it's someone I'd LOVE to see in concert, I decided it wouldn't be worth it unless I had great seats! The cheapest tickets at that time were incredibly expensive. (For me, during Christmas. ;)

Fast forward to Feb.
The day before her concert, I heard on the news, followed up by Facebook friends, that Underwood was hanging out in downtown Cd'A, and shopping in stores I go into often. Just two mins from my home. I was so sad I wasn't downtown, and was jealous that so many others got to just "run into her" in shops. But I never have moments like that. Haha! I was sounding a little selfish, but I was so jealous!

I checked for last min tickets online and I couldn't even find any. So once again, I gave up. I just decided to wait to see her another time, and it wouldn't be the end of my life.

Thursday morning, day of concert, I received a text from a someone about how TicketsWest had released some open seats for sale. I looked online, but it didn't list anything. And for a sold out show, I figured if any tickets opened up, they'd be gone in a flash. Well, about 4ish hours later, I left work, and heard on the radio that tickets were still available. Not really believing it, I went ahead and called TicketsWest, and 2mins later, had confirmation that there were floor section seats available for about a third of the original price. I was stunned, and hurriedly called my sister. I told her, asked her if she'd want to go with me, waited while she called her husband (to figure out kid details) and called back to reserve the tickets. Then I rushed through the rest of Costco, (where I was buying them over the phone, while trying to pick out avocados) hurried home, changed clothes and headed back out to meet my sister and head to Spokane.

We had a blast! It was a really awesome concert, well put together and well done by Carrie herself. She is one artist who can really perform great live! I sang along to the songs, took a bunch of photos on my iphone, enjoyed being with my sister, and enjoyed a beer. (What?! It's a country concert, ya gotta have at least one! ;) our seats were on the floor section, but back a ways. They were good seats, but me being short, I still had the unfortunate view of a few very tall people that blocked the center stage :/ but it don't ruin my night. Because, really, I was just happy that I was able to be there.

So why was I so stoked?! Why was I freaking out when I realized I was actually going? It's just a concert. It's just another famous singer, with talent and good looks. Why do I care so much? I guess I've gotten pretty excited at most concerts I've attended. Probably because where I live, we don't get too many big events through town. And even less that you're able to attend, or want to attend. But still, why was it so exciting and so fun?

Here's what was going through my mind at the concert, after, and today.
Humans just have a natural instinct to get excited when there are a few thousand other people excited about the same thing. If one person is, it builds and builds. (See my post from fall 2012 about excitement building up)
I still don't think it's healthy when I see 14 and 15-year-old girls practically crying just trying to get an Instagram "like" from their favorite celebrity. It's weird and sad.

Maybe it's because if you don't know Jesus, you long to adore something so big and so great. It's in our nature. We were created to be in the image of Christ. So we all want to worship something and someone. (I just won't raise my kids believing that a celebrity has that much meaning in their life.)

But I do understand how it's fun to just enjoy being that excited. I really appreciated it last night during the concert when Underwood spoke of some of her songs changing peoples lives and how that meant so much to her...followed by her two songs that describe God in our lives. {Jesus Take The Wheel & Temporary Home} Underwood is not quite as outgoing about her faith like some. She's honest about it but doesn't make it a huge priority to let it be known loud and clear. I would appreciate it and like her that much more if she did. But, she doesn't lie about it, and I can appreciate it for that much.

I was standing there listening during one of the songs, and just started watching other people. I looked all around me. The Spokane arena, full. And everyone was cheering, yelling, singing, screaming... I thought *Wow.. What it must be like to stand up there, being so well known, and having an arena with a few thousand people screaming for you. How do you even begin to comprehend that?" And this is just one stop on her Blown Away tour. Multiple cities...tons more people. Then I thought *I wonder how God feels when a huge group of people are worshiping him* I have been to Creation, a Christian music festival, a few times. And it was amazing to look around and hear thousands of people singing a worship song together, to Him.

But even if it's not a few grand, if it's just your church of a couple hundred? He still hears. And if it's just you by yourself? Yeah, He still hears it. And I'm willing to guess He loves it just as much. ;)

As a believer in Christ, I want to express my excitement and love for Him like so many people express for so many celebrities. Sure, its pretty fun to meet a movie star, or get backstage tickets to a concert of the biggest band of 2013, or even become the winner of one of the big TV singing contests. But no matter how big that person might seem now, they are still nobody compared to Jesus, and they will mean nothing when we come face to face with the God of the universe. (I'm not trying to make that sound so unpleasant. It's just the reality of it.) He does love us, even though we are small specs. So why not let Him know you love him back? Because unlike Miss Carrie Underwood, God actually hears you tell Him. She's sweet but she can't be everywhere at once, talking and listening to everyone everywhere, all the time. ;)

t.

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!

I hope today is finding you well, whether it’s spending time with your love, or cramming chocolates into your mouth (even though you promised yourself you’d wouldn’t), I hope it’s a fun one!

Today I want to recognize the true heroes of this glorious day of love- men. Without them, we’d have nothing to celebrate, right? We wouldn’t wake up to love notes, or have that box of chocolates and a bouquet of pink roses delivered to us at work, and we sure as heck wouldn’t be so excited to get dressed up and stick on those 3inch heels for just another week night in February. But hey, here we are, wondering why we even care so much. But really, don't forget to thank your man if he did so. It's not easy being a man these days. Some women put so much pressure on them to be so perfect. They are only human, and so are you. They're trying, I promise.

Side note: I was in Hallmark this week grabbing a couple silly v-day cards and the sign above the Valentine’s section said “Valentine’s Day - Thursday, February 14th.” Because, well, I guess some men do forget what day it falls on each year. Ok, I should be fair, I’m sure some women forget too.

We really do a great job of rubbing this whole *Oh yeah, Valentine’s Day is soon! Gotta be all lovey-dovey to everyone this week!* to the young ones. Probably one of my favorite moments of this week leading up to v-day, was watching my nephew flirt with an Applebee’s host, whom he also gave a valentine to. He’s 5. BAM.

This year, for me, I’m enjoying it a little more than usual. I have a reason too. And that’s what makes it special. I’m also spending the evening, not in a fancy restaurant or a chick flick at the movies, but in our community theater watching my girl-friend play a crazy beggar woman in “Sweeney Todd.” Yup, cute, right? Lol. It’s what we do for our friends. Or, what we do when the person we would spend the evening with is two-thousand miles away. Haha, that’s why part of tomorrow will also be spent on Skype. I wonder how busy Skype will be tomorrow anyhow?! Gotta guess there will be a few online dating couples who will be on...lol

Anywho, I’ve decided Valentine’s day is just one of those days that you might love one year, and hate the next. So on those happy years, you milk the day for everything it’s worth. You eat the sweets, you day dream a little more, you express a little louder your feelings to that one person, all because we decorated our world in love for this one day. All because we were told to do so. But I do think it can be (I said- can be,) slightly silly and shouldn’t be taken too seriously. It’s just one day out of the whole year! We still have 364 other days to express our love! So instead of being worried about how perfect today needs to be, just because it’s v-day, just celebrate loving someone special. (Or just liking them ;) Just be happy.

Well, there’s not much else to say about this interesting day. So I think I’ll leave it at this-
For those of you who are lonely this year, just look at the other amazing people in your life that God gave you and give them a call. (It doesn’t have to be romantic love.)
And to the people who are going out with their hotties, I hope you have fun. No, really have FUN. I hope you remember what a blessing it is to have that person in your life and celebrate what God put in your life.


Now, back to that box of chocolates. xoxo,
t.