Sleeping with Strangers...

So this trip has been pretty exciting thus far. Our plane had issues with the generator, so we ended up being parked at the gate for an hour while they fixed it. The good news-I got caught up on some reading. :) The bad news, I'm out of books to read for the trip home.

Anyway, I FINALLY got into Wichita, and I realized something-I'd never met the person picking me up. We connected via cell, found each other, and I got the good news that I would be sleeping with this stranger for the weekend. Fortunately, the stranger and I get on quite well; the stranger gave me a bridal bracelet, and we made the floor vibrate. We're totally having fun. :)

Okay, I'll fess up-the stranger is my friend Shirley, who I have known for a while online, and she is one of the dearest women I've ever met. Definitely glad I didn't have to wait until heaven to meet her.

Sooo... the concert. Since I was late getting in, we had just enough time to scarf down some dinner that her kiddos were kind enough to order for us and get to the concert just as Nate Sallie was opening things up.

Blah blah blah... concert... concert... concert... Todd.

Actually, the non Todd part of the concert was great. Awesome, even. I really can't describe it. They had a couple of places where everyone on the tour was on stage, and it was amazing. I will never again look at the Little Drummer Boy the same.

Had the intermission, and then Todd got on stage. Have you guys bought his Christmas album yet? Seriously, folks, it is the best Christmas album. EVER. Go buy it. And tell your friends to buy it. If you don't, I'll invoke my mafia connections and affinity for blowing stuff up. ;)

The coolest thing about the concert was how Todd explained the story behind the story. Each song is from the perspective from each of the members of the nativity story. You can get some of it via podcast on iTunes, but it's a million times better. The tour continues through Tuesday, so go if you can. Of course, Todd was in his usual form, and WHOA! The way God works through him totally blows me away. The best part-which we have been quoting and doing to each other (the girls I'm with)-is the angel part. He does this angels conversing with God bit. And his God voice... you have to experience it. I can't describe it. Anyway, all weekend, for everything, we keep asking each other, "is it time yet?", and then we put up the pretend microphone, and say, "No."

Afterwards, I had the chance to talk to Joy Whitlock, an incredible new Christian artist who does a song on the Christmas album and sang at the concert. You also need to check her out because she's got an amazing heart for God and is about one of the sweetest people I've met.

We all hung out and got a chance to chat for a while before heading out in our caravan. And OH MY GOSH! I now have proof positive that Todd and I really were twins separated at birth (well, if we'd been born the same year). To protect the innocent, I won't tell you what it was, but oh MAN! We are *SO* related!

Shirley and I headed to KC, I chatted her ear off to keep her awake, and because I was sooooo excited to finally meet her. Got to the apartment, fell into bed, woke up (naturally-what is up with that? We didn't get to bed until 4) at 8, and were up and running for the day.

Today, we had a gal from IHOP come teach for a while, then we did lunch, toured "The Hop" as we affectionately call it, and then the gal came back and prayed over us. It was a weird, incredible experience. I'm still processing.

Then, Shirley did a seder dinner so we all knew what one was like, which was a pretty incredible deal. She gave us all bracelets for being the Brides of Christ, which was awesome. She led worship and the rest of the girls and I laid on the floor doing some creative interpretive dancing, which made the floor vibrate. Actually, I think it was more that we were rolling on the floor from laughing so hard.

Did I mention I'm totally in love with these women?

I think the thing that sucks about having so many wonderful friends in so many wonderful places is that we can't do this stuff very often. I hate not being able to see them regularly and just share life in person. Because it's really hard to make the floor vibrate via the internet.

However, I'm also very blessed because it does mean that when I travel, I get to see people I know and love. Like tomorrow, Pammer is going to meet me "at the Hop" and we're going to service together with her family. How freaking awesome is that? To have friends all over the place that you can pop in, share a little Jesus love, and head out.

The heading out sucks, though.