Texas & Worship

Quick Texas update...In bullet points!

• Texas is awesome! Everyone literally says "Ya'll" & "Fixin'" They're also really polite drivers & are friendly at the supermarket!
  
• Conference itself was a waste of time & money. Unfortunately, I spent most of it out of my own pocket, so I'm out a couple hundred dollars. BUT! Praise God for Clergy Taxes! I get to write the whole thing off! Yay!
• Networking with people was amazing! I met a lot of veteran DCE's who were pioneers in this ministry. I also talked to a Publisher from Concordia Publishing House & he's going to have me start writing for them! Apparently, they need a lot of new faces & fresh blood in the House, so they were looking like CRAZY at the Conference. I mentioned the lack of College Ministry Resources & Curriculum & he thought it would be a great idea for me to write some! So, Huzzah! (Bringin' it back)
• Friends, friends, friends! I not only saw some fellow Interns from CUI this year, but I also had a chance to catch up with some friends I went to school with at Concordia, Nebraska my Freshman year of College. The girls were still cliquey & rude as ever (nothing changes, eh?) But, I had a chance to catch up with my friend, Lamar, who's serving in South Dakota. What a great way to connect with people!

Honestly, I won't be going to the next National DCE Conference in 3 years. It was just way too much money to spend & it wasn't worth it. The break-out sessions & big-group talks weren't very relevant (after going to the Y.S. Conference last October) & it just wasn't worth the money. If I had paid full price for my registration (instead of the cheap student discount I got), I would be even more disappointed.

On to worship...

I love worship. I love leading worship. I love praise & worship music. I love Hillsong & Chris Tomlin! I just love it all.

I wish I could write these amazing worship songs like others I know. Whenever I sit down to write something or play something, it just doesn't come out! I'm a backed up toilet of praise!

My new Call/Job at my church has kind of pushed me out of leading worship. I'm very appreciative of this because now I can truly focus on my passion, youth, but it's also hard to give it up. God has blessed our Praise Band so much within the last year! He's doing amazing things & I still want to be a part of that...Maybe I can work something out. Maybe I could just play/worship once a month??? We'll see...

So, as I sit at my desk, doing nothing, listening to Hillsong United, I wonder what kinds of things God has in store for me in regards to music...Who knows the amazing & awesome plans our Creator has!

He's just so sneaky!

REI & Texas!

I want to take a few moments & relish in the joy of REI!

Tonight, I went to REI to look for a new North Face fleece. I've been eyeing this pretty blue fleece online now for a while, so tonight I decided to bite the bullet & spend part of my tax refund money on the joy of a new piece of hiking & leisure attire!

So, not only did I get my awesome new fleece, but I had $20 in my co-op dividend! Yay! $20 off of a North Face fleece! Hooray!

Oh, REI...How I love thee!

In other news...I'm going to Texas tomorrow!

You may be thinking to yourself, "Why on EARTH would Kelsey be going to Texas?!" Well, my friend, it's not exactly by choice. . .it's work. Every 3 years, there's this National DCE (Director of Christian Education) Conference somewhere in the Nation. Three years ago, it was in San Diego (Yay!) & this year, it's in Texas (Yikes!)

I don't know why, but I have a healthy dose of fear in regards to Texas. Yes, I know a handful of people who actually from Texas & they're pretty normal, to say the least. . . But, I have to say that my twisted perception of Texas definitely includes chew tobacco, spurs, Wranglers, "Ya'll", boots & cowboy hats. I've been watching "Miss Congeniality" a lot too lately. . .that may be the reason why I'm partial to this point of view.

It's not that I'm afraid of Texans, I'm afraid of what those Texans are going to think of me! I'm a California city girl. I like real Mexican food, not Tex-Mex (however, I do enjoy Chipotle), & I wear flip-flops everywhere. I've seen too many John Wayne movies for my own good & know what Texans think about Californians. . . "This town aint big enough fer the both of us, yuh yella bellied lizard!"

I'm sure that Texas will welcome me with open arms, especially since I can hold my liquor & sometimes adopt a Southern drawl when I drink too much. . . So, nobody will even notice, right?!

This time tomorrow, I'll be sippin' a Budweiser & two-stepping with my friend, Laura! So, yee-haw & ride 'em, Cowboy!!!

I'll make sure to give a full report when I get back.

Writing the "King's Clothes"

As I was sitting in my office today, watching the Northern California dreadful rain drip down my window, I started to realize how awful of a writer I am. Some people have the knack for blogging or ability to sit down & write a novel or really good thank you note. Not I.

My youth group is doing a play in May to raise money for the National Youth Gathering in New Orleans in 2010 & I'm in charge of writing it. Since "this is my job", I have the privilege of thinking of witty & funny things for our youth to say while portraying the lovely fairy tail, "The Emperor's New Clothes". Yes, I agreed happily because I don't want to head up cooking all the food for a couple hundred people nor do set design or costumes. So, if the mere task of writing a play is what I'm called to do for this mediocre fundraiser, then awesome!

But, as I sit in my office, staring out my window (due to writer's block), I realized how awful of a writer I really am! Don't believe me? Here's a sneak peak at this amazing award-winning script I'm working on...

Opening Act III, the Tailor requests a long list of ironic & needless things. This is the conversation between a few of my characters.


Duchess Daze – (holding a long piece of paper) I can’t believe we have to get all this stuff! What’s a Per-sseean rug anyway?

Lady Dane – It’s Persian.

Duchess Daze – Oh yeah!

Lady Vogue – This list is shameful. Starbucks Venti, double-shot, non-fat, vanilla Lattes on ice? They don’t drink soy?

Duchess Daze – Lady Vogue, not everyone is Lactose Intolerant like you.

Lady Vogue – (appalled at her statement!) I am NOT Lactose Intolerant! My stomach just doesn’t do dairy! (ashamed) It's always a losing battle...

Lady Dane – All of this is just way too much change. I cannot deal with all this pressure!

Duchess Daze – Well, Persimmon rug or not, this is ridiculous.

Lady Dane – It’s PERSIAN!

Duchess Daze – Oh yeah!



Seriously?! Persimmon? Come on!

I'm just going to chock this whole thing up to a learning experience & stick with public speaking.

David Crowder Band Rockumentary

This is pretty much one of the FUNNIEST things I've seen in a while. Go DCB! You definitely know how to make a great Rockumentary!