It’s a mighty good day when I get to see both of my podcasting buddies.

Even though we haven’t really podcasted lately.

But still. I love them a whole bunch.

And MY WORD Travis did a phenomenal job leading worship tonight. Watching him on that stage is watching someone who’s sitting smack-dab in the middle of his calling. And watching Angela on that stage with him makes me smile. They’re an adorable couple.

So Atlanta is good. Great, in fact. We got us a FRESH WORD tonight, and we cannot wait for tomorrow.

Wish y’all were here.

A couple of weeks ago our friends Todd and Marti went to see Dave Barnes in concert. And after we texted back and forth about 35 times in the hours leading up to the show (I WAS SO EXCITED FOR THEM, YOU WOULDN’T EVEN BELIEVE IT), I asked if he wanted to answer some questions about the concert (and some other stuff, too) for the blawg.

Todd was gracious enough to agree, and I for one am WAY BEYOND GRATEFUL because I am in the middle of a writer’s block smackdown.

So it helps when someone else provides All The Words.

*****

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, how happy does Dave Barnes‘ music make you?

10 +

Dave Barnes knows how to craft a catchy song that incorporates all of the vital ingredients: great melodies, soulful harmonies and they ever so important opportunity to play the shakey thing as you drive in the car. Oh yeah, and he is not one bit scared of embracing a key change in his songs.

And he’s from Mississippi so that makes me unbelievably proud, even though I had nothing to do with his tremendous talent.

Would you like to tell the internets what happened before the Dave Barnes show when you walked back to your car to get your camera?

I’m at the corner waiting to cross back to the venue and I say to myself, “Hey, that looks like the talented singer-songwriter Dave Barnes talking to some people on the corner.” So I immediately got a little giddy/nervous/excited and I approached Dave and his bandmates. I introduced myself and told them I was a friend of yours. They couldn’t have been nicer more down to earth guys.

I told Dave I was originally from Mississippi and how much I’ve enjoyed his music and was looking forward to the show. He was really modest and gracious and obviously had no idea just how much I had been obsessively listening to his stuff over the past week.

And were those guys pretty much the nicest people you’ve ever met in your life? Just like the people we grew up with in Mississippi?

Gosh yes. They were so genuine.

Side note: As we were talking, he asked me how long I had been in L.A. and what I did. When I told them I worked at [Large Movie Studio] they were like “that is so cool!” (as you and David know, it is so not), and I was like this close to saying “Hey y’all if you want I can give you a tour of the studio tomorrow if y’all are staying around L.A. and if you need a place to crash, Marti and I have a guestroom…”

Thankfully the exchange ended with my standard closing when I get too nervous: ”See y’all inside. Take care now.”

Would you recommend a Dave Barnes show as pretty much the perfect date night? Did Marti enjoy the show as much as you did?

Oh yeah, totally a date night show. Marti loved it and so did her older sister, Angie. She’s a member of the obsessed, listen-to-Dave Barnes-while-driving club as well.

It was a great night. Period.

So. Did y’all eat anything good before the show?

Uh, yeah. We ended up going to the Rainbow Bar & Grill, which is next door to the Roxy (where Dave Barnes was playing). Someone at work said we had to try the pizza. So we did.

And did you look at your plate of food and say, “THE PORTIONS! I CAN’T BELIEVE THESE PORTIONS! I’VE NEVER SEEN SUCH LARGE PORTIONS!” in honor of Martha?

You know, Martha would have been beside herself at dinner. Even I was pretty shocked when they brought out those two pizzas. There were five of us eating and we still had I think four pieces left over. And believe you me, I did my best to make sure that didn’t have to happen. But I failed. I know you’re disappointed.

In your opinion, have I ever exaggerated when I’ve told stories about my mother-in-law here on the blog? Because people tend to think that I exaggerate, that she can’t possibly be like I describe her.

Nope. No exaggeration. No ma’am, not one bit. They broke the mold with Martha.

Which is more fun? Seeing Dave Barnes in concert? Or performing a choreographed dance at your wedding reception so that said choreographed dance can be featured on a national television program?

You know, as fun as the Dave Barnes concert was I’m going to say the reception. I mean as stressed out as I was the weeks leading up to our wedding day with being followed around by a reality show cameras and having to learn a dance routine all under the cloak of secrecy, with all of that being said, I was so happy to finally marry the woman of my dreams. It was the happiest day of my life.

*****

And all the internets said: AWWWWWW.

Have a great weekend, everybody.

I’m headed to Atlanta this morning for Deeper Still. Mel and I have been looking forward to this weekend for a long time; in fact, I booked our hotel room EIGHT MONTHS AGO.

(Just typing that makes me giggle a little bit, because trust me: if my mid-20s self had known that my late-30s self would make arrangements to attend a two-day Bible study EIGHT MONTHS IN ADVANCE, my mid-20s self would have ROLLED HER EYES like nobody’s business.)

(Oh, believe you me: I was a CYNICAL DELIGHT.)

Anyway, if you’d like to keep up with what’s going on at Deeper Still, Melanie and I will be blogging over at AllAccess while we’re in Atlanta (technology permitting, of course). The folks at the Deeper Still blog will be updating all weekend, too.

I also have it on good authority that The Jeans will be making a return appearance.

I don’t want to get my hopes too high, but I do expect to have a bit of a holy moment when I see those jeans again.

And you’d better believe I’ll be taking some pictures.

Happy Friday, y’all.

The girls and I each had a different kind of microphone for our Q & A session on Saturday.

Shannon had a cordless microphone.

I had a lapel microphone.

And Melanie? She had this kind of microphone.

It brought me untold delight.

I kept waiting for her to break out with some choreographed dance moves while she lip-synched some lyrics.

Or at the very least to lead us in an impromptu cardio-funk routine.

But sadly, she forgot to pack her leotard.

I have a new post about hoochie mamas over at AllAccess.

Okay. Maybe not hoochie mamas.

But I am talking about the fact that it wouldn’t hurt if people would put on some clothes.

Some clothes with coverage, to be more specific.

And I’m asking some questions, too.

(Fancy!)

I would be lying if I told you that I was easy-breezy in the weeks leading up to SheSpeaks. Because the fact of the matter is that I was what you might call PLAGUED BY ANXIETY. I was utterly convinced that any situation that involved me saying real-live words in front of a real-live people had DANGER! DANGER! written all over it, and there were days when the simple act of, you know, breathing raised my heart rate to aerobic levels.

In fact, I’m thinking of writing a book called The Crippling Fear and Anxiety Workout: Lose Weight – And Your Sanity! – While Sitting Perfectly Still.

It’s sure to be a bestseller.

Fortunately, the anxiety subsided a little bit when I landed in Charlotte. And once I actually settled into the swing of the conference routine, I had so much fun. Even if I wanted to throw up as Melanie, Shannon and I made our way to a luncheon Friday afternoon.

Because nothing conveys an attitude of calm confidence like vomiting in a lovely, light-filled atrium.

The luncheon turned out to be great, though. Lysa was as gracious and encouraging as ever, and I loved getting to know some of the people who work with her at Proverbs 31 a little bit better. They were, without exception, warm, engaging and kind. I tried my best to behave so that I wouldn’t embarrass them.

Though I may have crossed the line when I used the phrase “pimp my post” in our Q & A session Saturday afternoon.

I do, as ever, have such a delicate way with language.

One of the weekend’s biggest highlights was being led in worship by Lindsey Kane, a girl so adorable that Melanie and I honestly could not look in her direction without lapsing into our very best Martha imitation and saying, “She’s darlin’! Just darlin’! Can you even BELIEVE how darlin’ she is?!”

Because, well, she’s darlin’.

And talented, too.

I especially enjoyed getting to hang out with blawgy friends. Mel, Shannon and I met so many neat people, and do you know that Robin even brought me a box of the fancy Cheez-It Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan Duoz? They’re PRACTICALLY MY LOVE LANGUAGE, Y’ALL.

I was deeply touched and will remain forever grateful.

And I finally – FINALLY – got to meet DeeDee and Tina in real life. After two years of reading their blogs. And they were just as wonderful as I knew that they would be.

Saturday night several bloggers made an impromptu supper run, and I ended up sitting across from Annie and Missy, also known as my Bravo-Watch-What-Happens soulmates. I laughed until I just flat-out guffawed, and I was slack-jawed, really, over how much we have in common. It felt like we’d known each other for years.

Yesterday, as I was alternating between dozing and reading Us magazine on the flight home, I couldn’t help but think that if I’d let that stinkin’ anxiety get the better of me – if I’d done what comes naturally to me and said no to Lysa’s invitation – I would’ve missed out on so much.

Missy, Mel, Shannon and Annie

Dawn, Shannon, Jo-Lynne, Mel, Annie, Some Loud Girl, Robin, Valerie, Lisa B., and Sarah

Because I would’ve missed out on them. And so many others.

That would have been a very sad thing indeed.

So yeah, I’m a person who is most comfortable when I’m sitting on my couch, wearing my pajamas, hiding behind my computer and cranking out some stunningly mediocre content. I’m a behind-the-scenes girl who will tell you in a heartbeat that Home Is My Happy Place, especially if there’s some quality reality and/or home improvement television involved.

But this past weekend reminded me that every once in awhile it’s good to stretch my heart and my faith by stepping outside of my comfort zone. It’s not easy for me, but it’s good. It’s necessary.

And it’s worth it.

It really is.