As Patti noted yesterday, at this point there isn’t anything left we can do… we have to go with what we have. At 3 PM today Todd and I begin the journey to Atlanta. We’ll be spending the night at Chris and Angie’s house tonight and completing the drive Thursday morning. At this point there just isn’t much left to do.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a little nervous about vending at YS for the first time. It’s a huge deal! And since I’m the one in charge of designing, training, and otherwise making our booth happen… I’m feeling the heat. I feel great about putting Youth Ministry Exchange in the exhibit hall for the first time, but I am definitely nervous.
From a leadership perspective I’ve got all the doubts running through my head. Do we have enough handouts? Did I spell something wrong and 3,000 people are going to tell me about it? Is the booth going to look good? Who are our booth neighbors? Is this too soon to vend or is it too late? Am I forgetting anything? Will anyone show up to my seminar? (I’m at 10:00 PM Saturday) How are we going to deal with people who are mean? Do I have the booth scheduled right? Will I regret giving away an iPod? Am I leading too much or am I taking charge or am I just a knucklehead that no one likes anyway? Will I say anything stupid? Will I be myself? How much money will we lose? What if no one has heard of us and they all think we’re a waste of time? Is this all a waste of money? Am I investing my time in Atlanta right?
On top of that, there is all the personal stuff. Because I’m going to the convention not just to be a vendor… I’m also going as an attendee. I am looking forward to sitting in on a couple of seminars that will help us in Light Force. I can’t wait to see all my favorite worship artists. I am looking to hanging out with friends. I am pumped about meeting blog/YMX friends for the first time. I can’t wait to see Angie and Chris tonight. I hope I don’t get a ticket driving 750 miles each way. I’m going to miss Kristen and the kids. I hope I don’t spend too much money on food and stuff like that. I hope that I am open to God leading and teaching me stuff that I need.
This conference always comes at a good moment for me. Despite all the work and planning that has gone into our booth in the exhibit hall, I also really need the encouragement that comes from being around people like me. I’ll find myself getting into so many conversations about youth ministry stuff. And typically, in church life, you have to explain everything about everything because not very many people "get" youth ministry. But when I’m at this conference, when I talk to people, they say "Yeah, I get that. That happens to me too." What a pleasure to be around people who get you!
My prayers for the convention. I pray that I am an encouragement to people at the conference. I pray that I receive the blessings and well wishing of others with grace. I pray that I am a giver of blessings. I pray that I go to learn more than teach. Listen more than talk and watch my mouth. I really want nothing negative to come out of my mouth. Amen.
What about you? For those who are going? How are you feeling?
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