A Glimpse...

Consider this fair warning: this post contains a lot of pictures and this time, I'm not Bekah the roving reporter. This is a glimpse into not only my evening, but my heart.

My sister, Julie, and I went to Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis last night for a Gaither Homecoming concert. It was her first one ever and my first one in a long time. Here we are - and you can see that just a few other folks showed up for the evening as well. :)
The concert was her birthday gift to me, and what a great gift! But beyond the fact that I'm a Gaither junkie and was a full force Bekah-razzi last night (93 pictures and you're welcome for not posting all of them), this evening was perfectly timed. I haven't gone into a lot of detail on the blog but I'm walking a journey right now, and this night was manna in my wilderness. Thank You, Lord for having Your hand in everything about my life, right down to the Gaither song set.

Bill started out the night with the song "Old Friends," and while I was mostly spending that time messing with camera settings and getting all settled in my seat, I can tell you that in this journey I walk, I am so thankful for friends. Friends who seem to understand that there are times right now when I can't call or text or hang out, because I'm listening to God and that takes silence and concentration. Friends who understand that sometimes I must melt down and in just a couple minutes, I will be okay.

Gordon Mote plays the piano for all the Homecoming concerts, and he's played for a bunch of country artists as well. What a great sense of humor he has! (My favorite moment was when Mark Lowry sat down with him, traded his glasses for Gordon's sunglasses, and then said, "Well no wonder you can't see! These are filthy!") Gordon can play a trillion times better without his sight than I ever could with two good eyes and eleven years of lessons. And though I'll never play like Gordon, what a great reminder that I don't have to see to walk forward in faith.

The Isaacs joined Gordon for some singing early on. I've had a picture of Becky (in the white shirt) on my blog before...she's someone that people tell me I look like. You know, when they're not telling me I look like Flo from Progressive. These three are siblings. Sonya is wearing the black shirt, Ben is - well, he's the guy! - and then Becky is in the white shirt.

I was very excited to see that the Martins were part of the evening. I have been a huge fan of their music since I was in college (and we won't talk about how many years ago that's been, now) and I have even seen them in their own concerts a couple of times. AMAZING family harmony. (They are also siblings. Joyce is on the left, Jonathan is in the middle and Judy is on the right).

They sang one of my all-time favorites from their repertoire: All People That on Earth Do Dwell. In addition, they sang a song I'd never heard before, but it could not have been more perfectly timed for my wilderness journey. It's called The Promise and here are some of the lyrics that caused a tear or two to roll down my cheeks:

I never said that fear wouldn't find you in the night

Or that loneliness was something you'd never have to fight

But I did say I'd be right there by your side and I did say I'll always help you fight

'Cause you know I made a promise that I intend to keep

My grace will be sufficient in your time of need

My love will be the anchor that you can hold onto

This is the promise, this is the promise I've made to you.

So keep on walking - don't turn to the left or right

And in the midst of the darkness let this be your light:

That hell can't separate us and you're gonna make it through

This is the promise, this is the promise I've made to you.

Russ Taff also came out to do a couple of songs. Several years ago, Russ sang baritone for the Vocal Band.

The Isaacs came back out to do some more songs...this time with their Mom, Lily. They did two songs that I knew from having watched them on the Gaither Reunited project: The Three Bells and I Will Praise Him. The Three Bells gets stuck in my head for days, but I think their rendition of I Will Praise Him is the best I've ever heard.

Bill helped them out on The Three Bells. :) I didn't take any pictures of I Will Praise Him because I was in full worship/absorb mode at that time!

Lynda Randle sang the last songs before the Vocal Band came on. I love her voice - probably because it's right in my range! :) And the last song she sang was "He Will Carry You." More great words:

There is no problem too big God cannot solve it

There is no mountain too tall He cannot move it

There is no storm too dark God cannot calm it

There is no sorrow too deep He cannot soothe it

If He carried the weight of the world upon His shoulders

I know my brother that He will carry you

And then....Alpha and Omega time! I love that song. Here is the (modified) five member Vocal Band. Michael English had surgery a couple of months ago and is apparently (much to Julie's dismay...he was the whole reason she wanted to go!) not back on the road yet. So Marshall Hall filled in for him. But anyway, this was their opening song. So powerful. Alpha and Omega was the song that proved to me the best way for me to learn scripture is to learn it through song. The lyrics are pretty much straight out of Revelation.

I love the Vocal Band's music, but I love their humor too. The banter between Mark and Bill is always hysterical. In this picture, Mark was explaining his arm flab to Bill. In our family, we call this "The Bricker Swing." And I think I'm in the early stages of it.

I told Julie that you know you've watched too much GVB when you know what's coming up and you hold off taking pictures until it arrives. This is from the song Journey to the Sky, and I knew the snapping would make a fun picture. (Heads of people in front of me only added to the joy.)

I almost missed this one. I was trying to time the actual click of the camera. Wes (who is such a powerful singer yet such a little guy!) hits a high note in which they pick him up to "help" him.

Now y'all knew you were not going to get out of this post without a few pictures of David Phelps!

He sang Nessun Dorma...oh my WORD. That song gets me every single time. I can sing every word. :) And I'm now officially learning what they mean.

Did I mention the man can sing?

My favorite picture of the entire night. Love this one. Okay - done with Bekah-razzi. Back to what the night meant. :)

On the left is Wes Hampton, who I thought sounded better last night than I've ever heard him sound ever. And on the right is Marshall Hall, the Michael English fill-in. Marshall used to sing baritone for the Vocal Band.

Wes was belting it out last night. I think this picture was taken during the song Hide Thou Me.

Bill likes to play the piano now and then, so he took over during Hide Thou Me and sent Gordon over to the organ. Because oh yes, he can also play the organ.

The guys gathered around the piano to sing with Gordon. Who, by the way, can also sing. (Bill said he - Bill - was thinking of running for president and he was going to make Gordon secretary of transportation.)

David and Mark Lowry. This was not the time he sang this, but since I'm talking about Mark, I'll talk about it now. In the second half (actually right at the very end of the concert) he sang this song called Make it Real. I'll admit that historically this song has not been one of my most favorite Vocal Band songs. But again, this time it was so appropriately timed. I started crying almost as soon as he started singing. Some of the lyrics:

I can't fill the emptiness inside of me

Or calm the troubled waters of my mind

So if You're really out there and You're listening

Then prove to me that those who seek will find.

If You can just see fit to show me some of Who You are

If You can shed some light into this broken sinner's heart

I need to know the truth and I need something I can feel

I need You to make it real.

There must be some good reason why You brought me here

Through valleys where the shadows hover close

Down here there's a mask to cover every face

But Your sweet Face I long to see the most

So if You think there's just the slightest hope for me

In spite of all my questions and my doubts

Then let me hear Your still small Voice speak out my name

And let me know what others talk about.

The part that really got me was when, halfway through the song, he did something I've never heard him do before on this song. He broke away from it long enough to sing I Believe; Help Thou My Unbelief. I just learned this song not long ago, and I have been singing it in the car nearly every day lately.

I believe; help Thou my unbelief

I take the finite risk of trusting like a child

I believe; help Thou my unbelief

I walk into the unknown trusting all the while

I long so much to feel the warmth that others seem to know

But should I never feel a thing, I claim Him even so

God got my attention with that one.

The second half of the concert was the true Homecoming style singing. It started out with Buddy Greene tearing it up on the harmonica. (He tried to redeem the bad name it's gotten through the years. He can play the daylights out of that thing!)

The Martins did another little part of a group song. I loved all the hymns they sang in the second half. My years of rebelling against hymns have long past and I now really appreciate them for the richness they have!

Charlotte Ritchie sang a few solos throughout the night. This one was from when she sang Tell Me the Story of Jesus.

For some of the songs, they played footage in the background of those same songs sung years earlier with Homecoming singers who have now died. This particular one was taken during Rock of Ages. Vestal Goodman sang the solo on this during the taping for Down by the Tabernacle. I was at that taping when I was a sophomore in college! I knew as soon as they started the music for this song that they'd be using her solo!

Speaking of Vestal...right after that, they brought out this guy. Logan Smith is his name, and they said he's 13. He is a Vestal fan through and through. He sang "What a Lovely Name" and definitely had the Vestal vibe going on! That kid can SING.

Toward the end of the concert, Woody Wright came out to sing a solo.

The next to the last song they did was one I've written about on here before: I Then Shall Live. As I've said before, if I had to condense my life's hope into a song, this is it. As I have walked the steps of this journey - which isn't done yet - I have prayed over and over to be faithful to the Lord and to what He is asking of me at this time.

I am His child and I am not afraid...I know how fear builds walls instead of bridges...When relationships demand commitment, then I'll be there to care and follow through...Your Kingdom come around and through and in me...Your power and glory, let them shine through me...Your hallowed name, oh may I bear with honor...and may Your living Kingdom come in me.

The last song of the concert was Because He Lives...another one I've been singing over and over. That song was sung at my baby dedication 32 years ago, and I've always thought it must have a very special place in my life.

But greater still...this calm assurance...we can face uncertain days because He lives. Because He lives...I can face tomorrow...Because He lives, all fear is gone...Because I know...I know He holds my future...my life is worth the living just because HE LIVES.

Waterfront....

Remember my pictures of Ariel and the tourists? Those were taken around this area in Norfolk:
We did not go in the museum or any of the exhibits, but I did get some pictures. I have every intention of returning to visit at some point, so I was willing to save some adventures for the next time around. :)

Remember how I said there were lots of Ariels around the city? Here's another one. I especially enjoyed her flower in her lil belly button. :)

The Battleship Wisconsin...now that's a big ole boat!

That last picture was only one little part of the boat. Here's another:

No trip to the waterfront is complete without an anchor!

There were ships everywhere!

We walked around for a while, and then we decided to do one of my favorite things of the whole trip: a ferry ride!!

Here's our ferry, pulling right up for us to hop on board! (We weren't really hopping at that point. The sunburns had already entered the "significant" stage.)

Sun-kissed Bekah - happily aboard the ferry!

The ferry took us across the Elizabeth River to Portsmouth. There, we had the opportunity to see a lady chasing an injured Mallard duck through a street, randomly shouting at traffic and passers-by, "It's okay! I called PETA! They're on their way!" Oh if only I could have taken a picture of that!

We ate dinner and headed back on the ferry. By that time it was almost dark, so the sights were even better.

Goodbye sweet waterfront!

I was burned to a crisp and tired from a long day, but I did so love my trip to the waterfront. I loved the ferry ride. Certainly the beach is still the calming place to be, but what a great experience to be able to walk around this area and enjoy a slice of life I don't often see! (And by often, I mean ever.)

Bekah's Just a Goofy Big Kid

My vacation to Virginia Beach was carefully scheduled around my birthday. I became another year older and wiser while taking in new sights. OR NOT. I mean, I did become another year older. Not sure that I matured in any way. And in celebration of my big kid-ness, I bring you the following pictures.

After Lynnette and I spent a few hours on the beach, we packed up all our stuff and went to find some lunch. Then we walked down a good portion of the Boardwalk, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Along the way, we found this shell, which I thought would be the perfect photo to end a scrapbook page of shell pictures I'd taken during shell collection time. So I posed and Lynnette took this picture:
I'd seen the guy walking toward the other side of the shell as we set up our pose, but not until Lynnette cracked up did I know where he went. I decided to caption this picture, "I wanted to bring this home for my shell collection, but realized it exceeded the remaining 12.5 pound weight limit in my suitcase. Too bad I didn't figure that out before I fought the guy on the left for it!"


Another sight on the boardwalk was this guy. I think she said his name was Neptune?

I thought he looked like King Triton from the Little Mermaid. My sister thinks he looks like Rupert from Survivor. Both, I think, are more fun than Neptune. So I've named him Rupert Triton.

And of course - where there's a Triton, there must be an Ariel! There were actually a number of Ariels around the city, but this one was taken in Norfolk. Mark and Lynnette took me down to the waterfront (more on that later) Sunday evening.

And this was my favorite statue of the trip. This was also on the waterfront, appropriately located in front of Hooters. (If you could see the lady from the side, you could better appreciate JUST how appropriate that location was!)

It was accompanied by this sign:

Glad I made it there before the loan ran out!

And Now, to the Good Stuff

My vacation posts are very random. Not all neatly organized like my trip to Hershey last year. But that's okay. Trying a new way is fun too.

Thought I would go ahead and skip to the best part - which was where I actually met the ocean for the first time in my life. Y'all have no idea how excited I was about this. I've had a lot of people tell me they can't imagine not having seen the ocean on a regular basis. Probably equates to how I can't imagine not seeing corn fields on a regular basis. :)

I got to see the ocean on my actual birthday. Lynnette and I drove down to the Boardwalk and when we walked from the parking garage toward the beach, I saw this beautiful sight peeking out between two hotels:

I was such an embarrassing sight, hurrying toward the beach, camera poised. I was a true tourist and I did not even care. Took this right as I first stepped into the beach sand and felt it squishing between my toes. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!

And then I handed the camera to Lynnette and just basked in the joy of it all. Here I am with the beautiful, beautiful beach...and the beautiful, beautiful ocean behind that. All joy!!

These pictures are my favorite, perhaps of the whole trip. Not necessarily my best side, but this was one of those moments that I savored so deeply that I can still remember every part of it - and I hope to never forget it.

Walking into that water for the first time and hearing those waves crash - was everything I thought it would be and more.

I loved sinking down into the sand and feeling the water splash up over me and then run back out into the ocean.

Huge life wish - accomplished!!

Definitely a wonderful birthday present. Definitely worth the sunburn that now itches like crazy and is starting to peel. :)

Bekah Buys a Boat

Now that I've been to the ocean, I think I should get a boat. After all, every good beach babe has a means of transportation, right?



Since I was out on the coast, I thought it was the best place to look for the state's best boat.



This was the first one I found:

But it brought back really bad vibes of my sixth grade field trip to Camp Tecumseh, when three of us had to get in a canoe with two seats. Yours truly got to sit on the bottom of the boat in the middle and ended up with a soaking wet hiney. Not much kills a fat sixth grader's self esteem faster than a wet hiney on an overnight field trip. So I ruled out this boat.





Then I found this one. Much newer, nicer paint job, and it came complete with its own sand! (And shovel, I might add!)



But boats are so much more fun when shared with friends, and seating on this one was just too limited, so I kept looking.

BINGO!!!!!!!!!

Now this, my friends, is a boat! Sign me up! And pay for it, too, while you're at it?

Birthday Bash on the Road!

Well, Tsofah knew I was up to something! :)

In honor of my birthday this year, I decided to do a destination birthday. Never before have I treated myself to such a gift!

So after getting up at 4:15 in the morning...

...and being dropped off at the curb for my first ever flight by myself...

...I found myself in the air!

...landed in Detroit....which was quite rainy, I might add.

...and then made one more little jaunt....

before arriving in...

VIRGINIA BEACH!

My best friend moved there a couple of years ago, and I'd not gone to visit her yet.

NOR....

...had I ever seen the ocean.

In my whole life.

All 32 years.

I know...it boggles the mind, but it's true!

So for the next few days, I'll let you take a peek at my vacation. :) But to fill you in on this first part, I'll tell you that I was most worried about navigating the airports on my own. I'd never been in any of the ones I went through this time. I didn't know where to find anything, but I figured it out pretty quickly. Must be smarter than I thought!

My favorite part of the trip was during my layover in Detroit. I (trying to look like a seasoned traveler) bought a chai and settled in with my book to read until it was time to board. A middle-aged man across from me asked if I minded if he shaved. And shave, he did. For about ten minutes, right there in the terminal.

I was very grateful for decent weather for my travel day. It did rain the whole day - at every destination - but we didn't have any weather delays to speak of, and the turbulence wasn't so bad.

Little Bit o Nature

What to do on a beautiful Sunday afternoon!?!

Well, I took in some of the sights. Little bit of nature. While I don't know that I'd ever classify myself as the "outdoorsy" type, I do appreciate things like this because they really help me to appreciate God's greatness!

Okay, so God wasn't responsible for the paved trail, but didn't He do a great job on the rest of the scenery?

My hiking shoes:

Sometimes it's beauty before comfort, y'all.

Or whatever the sunburn permits you to don.