NYWC Nashville - Prologue

Last time I went to National YouthWorker Convention - in Austin 2 years ago - I said I was going to be blogging from the convention. I lied. I posted once about seeing the David Crowder Band for the first time, and that was it. So here comes attempt #2 at blogging from the NYWC.

Abby and I are here in Nashville at the Millenium Maxwell House Hotel. It's currently 32 degrees outside (at about 11:00 a.m.), and last night it snowed while we were waiting for the shuttle back to the hotel. Yeah- it's freakin' cold. Jedidiah is going to make a fortune this week on beanie hats. I should open a little chap-stick (or lip-chap, if you prefer) stand and make a fortune.

At registration we got our complimentary Youth Specialties bags, which are very cool this year.

This Freeset Bag tells a story of one woman's journey to freedom. She used to stand with 6,000 other prostitutes in a small but well-known area of North Calcutta. She didn't choose her profession; it chose her. Poverty does that. It robs people of their dignity and children of their innocence.

She still lives in the same area, but instead of selling her body, she makes Freeset Bags. Now she has choices - the choice to work decent hours for decent pay, to reestablish her dignity in her community, and to learn to read and write. Now her daughter won't have to stand in the street selling her body like she did. Freedom has been passed on to the next generation.

It feels like it's made out of hemp or something, and they come in two colors, army green and khaki.

Some other shwag we picked up along our journey through the YS store...
There was a 40% off Bible sale going on yesterday only, and we picked up these sweet pocket sized NIV Thinlines, along with some other stuff.

Today we make our first real pass through the big scary Exhibit Hall, where I will register to win about a gazillion iPods, Wii's, free t-shirts and vacations. Also- I'll be handed a bunch of useless crap like that foam finger up there, which will likely end up in the garbage, and is probably not easily bio-degradable. C'est la vie.

The theme for this year is Seriously Ridiculous.
The opening General Session is at 1:00 p.m. today. Francis Chan is speaking, David Crowder Band is leading worship and Mercy Me is performing. I'm really looking forward to this week.
More updates to follow.

Dateline- Nashville

Ahhh - Nashville. Not the stunning Mississippi-river-side skyline of Memphis, but it does have the Batman building, so I'll call it a tie.

We left about 8 a.m. this morning, and arrived here at about 10:30 p.m.
On the way here we stopped a couple of times for my new favorite delicacy - car sandwiches. Mmmmmm. Very soon, I'm certain the weight will begin just falling off.

We also drove by the campus of ETBU to check out new developments at the ol' alma mater. We didn't actually get out of the car, but we did notice lots of nice, new, graven images for donors to take credit for.

Remember the little road-gems I promised you? Try this one on for size:
We stop at a public rest area right outside Little Rock, Arkansas, and what do we encounter there?
Idaho Senator Larry Craig.
No, not really.
According to Abby, there was - in the women's restroom - a rather large black woman having a grumpy in one of the stalls. That wouldn't be so weird, except that she was singing, loudly, "Que sera, sera..."

Only in America.

A new twist on the Mars Hill debacle:
Turns out the itinerary for Saturday's wedding includes the wedding from 2-3, after that - photos; after that - a trip off-site (???) for some MORE photos; and finally a reception until 11 p.m. that night. So our options are:
a) Skip Grand Rapids, Mars Hill, Rob Bell, and the first week of the great new series they're doing.
b) Leave after the reception and arrive in Grand Rapids around 6 a.m. (all after having been wedding-ing all day).
c) Stay through the reception, spend the night, leave the next morning around 4 a.m. to arrive in Grand Rapids in time for the 11 a.m. Mars Hill Service.

So - you make the call.

I'm freakin' tired! Headed out at 8 again tomorrow. Destination: Knoxville, Cincinnatti, Colombus.

Shalom.