Concerts & Convicts

"Ryan, what are you doing?"

"Cleaning my gun."

"Well, you better make sure it's off!!  I don't want anyone to get hurt!"

Thinking before you speak.  Sometimes it's worth its weight in gold...or bullets.

So far November has been an absolute whirlwind.  Between finalizing the details of my CD release, planning my high school reunion, and working a full time sales job I hardly have a moment to breathe.

Poor Ryan has eaten way too many of these lately while I'm working on all these projects.

Speaking of food- I waited FOUR HOURS to vote on election day.  FOUR hours.  That's like watching the titanic 1.3 times.  RIDICULOUS, I SAY!  What does this have to do with food?  Well, I decided to vote before lunch thinking that I'd "beat the crowd."  Oh, how silly of me.  Because you see-  was in line behind the crowd that beat me.

What started out as an innocent citizen's journey to exercise her voting rights turned into a starvation experiment.  I didn't leave the halls of that school until 3:00 PM- I hadn't had a meal since the previous evening.  I was shaking, my pocketbook got heavier by the minute, and I'm pretty sure I was starting to hallucinate.   I did find a smashed pack of Captain's wafers and a Hall's cough drop in my bag, which only exacerbated my hunger pains.

Had I been presented with the choice that day I likely would have voted Ronald McDonald for president- anything to get me some food- and quickly.  

The Ronaldcare plan

But what's the positive side of spending 1/6th of your day in line?  Making new friends : D  I had the best time with a family of five in line.  They were a Jesus-loving Southern family from Northeast Columbia.   We talked about everything from Christian music to my candy addiction.   I LOVED them!

Needless to say, that work day was not very productive.  And as if our office and the surrounding areas don't provide enough entertainment, last Friday four men robbed a bank about a mile away from us.  It was like something out of a movie.  Shots were fired, people were told to get down or be killed, the men were masked, etc.  I was getting gas in my car during this frightening escapade and noticed about 50 cop cars flying around me and blocking off exits from the main road.  Soon after I found out that the men had fled the scene and were on the loose, a law enforcement helicopter began circling the sky.

Go go gadget copter.

The good news is that no one in the bank was harmed, and the police ended up finding all the men after a several hour search.  Sometimes searching takes persistence, which brings me to another point.

Macy's was having an unbelievable sale that day.  I stopped there during lunch before a very important meeting.

Why is it that sales people take FOREVER at the register when you're in a hurry?

"Macy's, how may I help you?"

It's as if their objective is to stall the sale.

• No, I don't want to sign up for a credit card.  Ether Ryan or I would end up hospitalized.
• Ma'am, really- don't bother folding the clothes.  They're going to get stuffed in a drawer anyway.  Let's just cut to the chase and throw them in a bag.
• Oh, your cash register is offline?  Fabulous.
• Price check on the last item?  Oh, sure.  Tick tick tick goes the clock.

After wiping the newly formed cobweb off the cash register my transaction was finally processed.  Upon receiving my receipt I bolted out of that store like a convict for whom the helicopter was searching.   And I made it to my meeting right on time.

This past Saturday several people from Dillon FBC went to the Chris Tomlin concert in Florence.  AMAZING doesn't begin go describe it.  A) I discovered my new favorite band- All Sons & Daughters.  Their music is INCREDIBLE.  They're the Lady Antebellum of Christian music B) Chris Tomlin is a phenomenal worship leader.  WOW.  What an unbelievable platform he has to reach so many people.  

It has probably been over a decade since Meagan and I rode the FBC bus together : D  The two of us sitting next to each other made for some equally long and annoying rides for the rest of the passengers back in the day.

Take for instance the 2000 Carowinds trip where we saw a guy wearing a shirt that said, "Paco" on the front.  For some reason still unbeknownst to me we thought that word was hilarious and shouted it the entire way home...

"PACO! PACO!!! PACO WANTS A TACO!!!!"

Where's the economy sized Excedrin bottle when you need it?

A few of my "bus mates" on the way to the concert were forced to listen as I retold the events of the previous day's bank robbery in Columbia.  I incorrectly began my story with:

"A four armed man robbed a bank..." instead of four armed men.

Whoops.  When have I ever been known to misspeak?  I got picked on unmercifully for that one.

I don't understand the motive behind committing a crime.  One look at a policeman and my heart starts racing, usually at the speed with which I'm driving.  Seeing a man with a sheriff's badge usually elicits sudden panic.

Seriously though, as a child I thought I was going to go to jail for removing the tag from a pillow.  I shriveled in panic when I saw the warning written on it. 

Let's take that extra energy and do something good with it, shall we?  Like worship with thousands of people in an arena.

We LOVE Chris Tomlin's music, especially his Christmas CD!

We had an absolute blast at the concert. Then Sunday came and went quickly, and Monday rolled around... this Monday was quite the experience:  on the way back to Columbia (very early) we stopped by Ryan's house to find two policemen in the front yard (what is it with me and police lately??).  Turns out someone stole some very expensive hunting items from their driveway.  Unbelievable.  And although it was sickening, I was incredibly thankful that Ryan and I hadn't pulled up on the crime scene.  We had just missed it, and who knows what could have happened otherwise.

I have already prayed for those people.  I'm in no position to make assumptions or judge someone's heart, but it doesn't appear that they're living like Jesus...

Later that day I started having chest pains and trouble breathing deeply.  After an impromptu visit to the doctor and an EKG, she told me she was "stumped" and believes I have some asthma.

My inhaler and I have become friends this week.  It's times like these that I'm so thankful to be otherwise completely healthy.  I have to use this inhaler for two weeks, and then I'm free.  I am incredibly grateful to the Lord for good health.

No, Katharine, this is not Bubble Tape.

Although it does bear a striking resemblance...

On the note of being thankful, I make an effort to read our devotional out loud each night.  It's particularly hilarious when a subject hits home, and Ryan and I use completely unsubtle hints to make a point to the other.

For example, a section may read, "Sometimes we need to BE SLOW TO ANGER, AHEM, RYAN, DING DING DING, and we need to be completely honest with our spouse at all times, even something as small as hiding purchases. COUGH COUGH KATHARINE COUGH."

Our devotional readings are as humorous as they are eye opening.

Last night our office held our annual bowling night for United Way.  For every mishap- i.e. a gutter ball (ahem, Katharine), we keep score of our failures and give to charity.

Let's just say, if this had been a golf game I would have won first place.  It's all about perception.  And good pizza.  That bowling alley makes really good pizza.

There are only SEVEN days left until Ryan and I get to pick up Jay from the airport for Thanksgiving!!!  But before that I have a multitude of activities planned for this weekend. 

What will I knock over, ruin, or smash?  Time will tell.  And so will my blog.

With uncontained glee,