Social Saturday - Visits & a Concert

Yesterday we packed everyone in the car and headed to Athens.  The one in Georgia - wouldn't a little trip to Greece be nice though? (maybe not with 5 little ones, but . . .)  A friend from college who I last saw at my wedding had just moved there, and we were able to visit.  It is so funny getting together with friends who you bummed around with in college & now your kids are running around putting on plays together in dress up costumes.  It felt slightly Twilight Zone-ish - but so fun.  Hopefully this will be the first of many visits and kid plays.

Me, Stella and the X-Factor watching a 'play'. Actually, I believe she was the initiator of these plays & was director/actor in the beginning - but settled into encourager in the end.  I believe X-Factor has the gift of encouragement for the moment we arrived she told us she thought we were great & was an amazing hostess to everyone - she truly has an endearing personality & beautiful eyes to boot!
Their son, Z man thought it was so fun when Arturo took his picture.
With all of their 'new' toys, Stella became fascinated with one of those magnetic doodle boards (of which we have 3 at home).  Go figure.  My college friend, Dr. N helping Stella 'erase' it!

I also received a phone call from my friend Amber who I am in an accountability small group with, and she invited me to go to an Indigo Girls concert.  Basically, I had an offer of a free ticket, free ride, free food -FUN with friends.  It was all quite last minute - but SOOOOOO worth it.  If I would have had more time (since I literally got back from Athens & hopped in a car to go), I would have scrounged up an 80's/90's outfit, put on a LOT more makeup, possibly earrings for the occasion.  Maybe next time, gives me a chance to find my parachute pants. LOL

Anyway, the Indigo Girls were playing in Chastain Park - I had never been there, and it was beautiful.  We had a blast.  A HUGE thank you to Arturo who was a real trooper & took care of lots of cranky girls - so as not to deal with the crankiest of them all - knowing he had a full day's work the next day.

The Indigo Girls are extremely talented & who doesn't want to sing Closer To Fine with a few thousand other girlfriends, but I really wanted to go because . . .

I didn't have to plan the event, make food, drive, dress anyone other than myself, prepare anything, organize, you get the point.  I just went - sang - ate - enjoyed - talked - ate - sang - talked - ate - ENJOYED it all.  Yippee.
I'm on the end, and these are the other beautiful ladies who helped make the night happen.
The Indigo Girls!  Sweet seats, eh?  Ok, so my zoom was on, but still.

I'm trying tell you something bout my life . . .

I did learn something from this concert.  I enjoyed singing, but as I looked around to others raising their hands, eyes closed, singing with adoration - I knew I'd changed.  I sang with the best of them - and it was fun - but only fun.  I can only sing in adoration to Jesus - He alone deserves my adoration and praise. I realized that I did not want to raise my hands - that motion has become a sacred form of praising God.  The simple gestures of a concert have taken on a new meaning - I wasn't bummed, I was psyched!  So excited that God is first in my life, and for no brief amount of time do I want to surrender His place to anything or anyone.  Ever!  To God be the Glory!