7,000 Seats Filled With Screaming Women

Last week I went to Ft. Worth, TX for my wife's company's national rally. She has a home business selling Premier Designs Jewelry. I go to the national rally each year as part of the entertainment.

This is a HUGE contrast to my normal week. I go from working in a progressive church setting, to a business setting but with a contemporary church feel. The production level is huge. Every time we go on stage, a team of people mic us up, using tiny wireless headsets and tegaderm adhesive. The production level is crazy huge!

There were two things that grabbed my heart while I was there. We heard from missionaries in over 70 countries who Premier supports. It was awesome to hear what God is doing around the globe and here in the states as well.

Also, every rally, there is a huge patriotic performance. This year, I came out to do a solo to an older song called, "Somebody's Praying You Through." The stage was set up with about 75 men and women who have lost someone in the military or currently have a loved on serving abroad. The narrator talked about honoring those we lost, and their families left behind. I about lost it! I had to pray for God to make me a cold-hearted unemotional butt-hole just to make it through the song! Anyway, here are a few pics of my time last week!

On Vacation....Sort Of

This week I'm hanging out with my wife in Ft. Worth, TX. I have VERY sparce internet connection possibilities... So...I'll see y'all soon...sort of. Pictures and more about what we're doing to come soon. Enjoy...in the mean time, you can follow my updates HERE on Twitter.

What's Been Canceled?

I realize that my posts are somewhat sporadic. The past couple of weeks have been busy for poor Derrick. (Sorry, I don't normally speak in the third.) Last weekend I finished my jet-set life and started my journey home. That's where it hit the fan.

We were trying to leave DFW on a private charter but due to fog, our pilots couldn't get to us. So we waited, thinking any moment they would arrive and we could make our way to Irvine, CA. Finally, after a few hours, we were off....sort of. Due to a strong headwind we weren't moving as fast as planned. When we arrived in Irvine, I was already late for my return flight home to Tulsa. So, I got a flight to Dallas arriving at 12:00am. Chris, my campus pastor didn't want me to drive all night for fear that I'd run off the road. (I fall asleep at the wheel easy..btw.)

Premier got me a hotel room, and at 5:30am the next day I arrived at DFW to get my 6:50 flight to Tulsa....which was canceled. Whoops...I was supposed to lead worship...good thing Stephen Cole was prepared. The Tulsa campus experienced worship live via satellite and I continued to book another flight...hoping to lead worship. The band was ready, but then my flight was canceled again. Okay, not going to make the 10 o'clock experience.

Then my next flight was delayed every hour, on the hour. Not going to make the 11:30 experience. It seemed that at any moment the fog would lift and we'd be on our way. So, finally we board the plane at 3pm. Around 3:45 the pilot comes on and says that the airline canceled our flight but that he had gotten it re-instated. WHAT? THEY CANCELED THE FLIGHT WE WERE SITTING ON? THE NERVE! So, we left, made it into Tulsa at 4:50pm. I completely missed church.

All of this because of fog. I mean, snow...no problem. Rain...it's okay. Fog.....everything collapses. I guess it was important to see the runway...you know, to stay on it and everything. Okay, now I've told my story....don't feel sorry for me. Well, you can if you want. Moral of the story...hindsight is 20/20, when your flight cancels don't assume the next one will work out....just go rent a freakin car!