Okay y'all so we've just passed the halfway point of WinterJam and I am stoked. Mostly because it means I'm that much closer to a celebratory vacation in Florida with my best friend. But also because it means I'll have some normalcy in my day to day life.
If I'm being perfectly honest, not every day is a walk in the park. Some nights you get next to no sleep, other nights you get a lot because of ridiculously long drives. Some days you get to shower, other days you don't and you learn about the importance of baby wipes and deodorant. Some days fly by and others seem to go on forever.
Yesterday was a mixture of those. I got a fair amount of sleep and I got to shower, but the day seemed like it was never going to end. It was just one of those days. The evening brought on some stress, and I wasn't sure if my emotions were going to stay in tact much longer. That changed though, when one customer came up to my table and asked for a lumiton. (A lumiton is a light up glow stick thing). I asked how I could help him and he said he needed to buy one lumiton because the little boy sitting in front of him had nothing, meanwhile all his friends had bags of merchandise and every light up toy known to this tour. Call me sentimental, but that warmed my heart and almost brought a tear to my eye. He had no idea who this kid was, but took it upon himself to make sure that the little boy could enjoy the night as much as his friends.
Sometimes it just takes the little things to put it all in perspective. It shouldn't matter how tired or (unfortunately) smelly or frustrated we are. We all have those days. What should matter is looking beyond our own needs and wants, and instead, focusing on furthering the Kingdom. All it takes is putting "me" aside, and investing our time and love into everyone else around us.
After tonight's show, we only have 19 shows left. Still over a month till it ends, but only 19 chances to be the hands and feet of Christ to the people who walk through the venue doors. I know I'm going to have days when this is easier said than done, but I hope that I (and whoever else reads this), can make it my goal to really focus on the people around me, whether they're my colleagues or the people coming to the concerts.
Now it's time to find something to eat before I fall over from a caffeine overload. Also, I wish you were warmer, Memphis.
Thank ya, thank ya very much,
Ellie
Saturday, February 25, 2017
Tuesday, February 14, 2017
25 Years Down, Who Knows How Many To Go
On Sunday, I turned 25. I was also working at the WinterJams in the middle of nowhere Peoria, IL.
When I uttered the words "I'm 25" that morning, I suddenly felt old. In five years, I'll be 30, and to be honest, that does not sound appealing to me in any way, shape or form. I was talking to my friend Creed about this who felt the same thing when he turned 25. But he told me not to think about it because 30 is still five years away. I sighed and decided he was probably right, so I went back to selling shirts and glow sticks and didn't think about it again.
[keep this first paragraph in mind - it'll come back into play down below. somewhere.]
This was quite the unconventional birthday. I'm not sure I can say that I ever expected to wake up on a tour bus and work a 14 hour day on my birthday, but I did. So there's that. The odd thing - at least to me anyway - was that I wasn't bothered by this reality. Of course, I could have done with maybe a little less physical exhaustion, but that's the name of the game. And sure, I wasn't home to be with my family, but, I WAS with family. Even with more than 150 people out on this tour, so many of them have become dear friends. And when you combine that many friends together, you become family. I'm not sure how many of them will ever see this, but for those who do, I'm so very thankful for you and your sweet friendship.
I should note, that I also share a birthday with Adam, a friend and fellow bus mate. So before I got off the bus at the crack of dawn - at least that's what it felt like - I left a wee note on the bus wall wishing him a happy birthday, as well as Abraham Lincoln, and reminded my dear boys to lock the doors, lest they wanted Abe to haunt them for keeping it unlocked.
After the morning and early afternoon had passed and everything was ready for the concert, I got "ready" for the night. Which meant brushing my teeth again, slapping on some deodorant, trying to make my hair presentable, and putting on clean clothing. I found my way to the volunteers, where I was given a delicious birthday coffee, was sung to by all of the volunteers (thank you Russ and Jonas) and subsequently turning bright red. I also got to quickly FaceTime my sweet boy Judsen (my 4 year old boyfriend back home) and listen to him sing to me while trying to play golf at the same time.
Doors opened, we started selling, I ate cotton candy dippin' dots (never again will I do that) and my sweet friends brought me a cheesecake with a candle and sang happy birthday. They all signed a card and wrote sweet messages and it was all I could do to not cry. I saved that for later when no one was around.
After the end of the night, I went to my bus to find all of the guys waiting with pizza and cake and a card wishing me and Adam a happy birthday. And again, I had to keep myself from crying since I'm on a bus with a bunch of dudes. They wrote me a punny card as I have done for them, and left sweet messages with terrifying pictures of animals inside and somehow it was one of the best cards I'd ever been given.
The oddities of the day added with being out on the road with family truly made for one of the best birthdays yet. And the wishes from back home filled my heart to the very top. I am so thankful for everyone who celebrated with me, in person, in text, via Facebook - from the very bottom of my heart, thank you.
I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about being only five years away from turning 30 - to be honest, it still kind of freaks me out. But, I know that God has a plan and He will provide. Maybe not when I would like, but things will come to fruition in His timing. I just have to be patient.
So here's to 25 - I pray that I will continue living this beautiful life God has given me to the absolute fullest, following His plan along the way, chasing after my dreams even more and eating way more cake. Because cake is good.
Four score and seven years ago,
Ellie
When I uttered the words "I'm 25" that morning, I suddenly felt old. In five years, I'll be 30, and to be honest, that does not sound appealing to me in any way, shape or form. I was talking to my friend Creed about this who felt the same thing when he turned 25. But he told me not to think about it because 30 is still five years away. I sighed and decided he was probably right, so I went back to selling shirts and glow sticks and didn't think about it again.
[keep this first paragraph in mind - it'll come back into play down below. somewhere.]
This was quite the unconventional birthday. I'm not sure I can say that I ever expected to wake up on a tour bus and work a 14 hour day on my birthday, but I did. So there's that. The odd thing - at least to me anyway - was that I wasn't bothered by this reality. Of course, I could have done with maybe a little less physical exhaustion, but that's the name of the game. And sure, I wasn't home to be with my family, but, I WAS with family. Even with more than 150 people out on this tour, so many of them have become dear friends. And when you combine that many friends together, you become family. I'm not sure how many of them will ever see this, but for those who do, I'm so very thankful for you and your sweet friendship.
I should note, that I also share a birthday with Adam, a friend and fellow bus mate. So before I got off the bus at the crack of dawn - at least that's what it felt like - I left a wee note on the bus wall wishing him a happy birthday, as well as Abraham Lincoln, and reminded my dear boys to lock the doors, lest they wanted Abe to haunt them for keeping it unlocked.
After the morning and early afternoon had passed and everything was ready for the concert, I got "ready" for the night. Which meant brushing my teeth again, slapping on some deodorant, trying to make my hair presentable, and putting on clean clothing. I found my way to the volunteers, where I was given a delicious birthday coffee, was sung to by all of the volunteers (thank you Russ and Jonas) and subsequently turning bright red. I also got to quickly FaceTime my sweet boy Judsen (my 4 year old boyfriend back home) and listen to him sing to me while trying to play golf at the same time.
Doors opened, we started selling, I ate cotton candy dippin' dots (never again will I do that) and my sweet friends brought me a cheesecake with a candle and sang happy birthday. They all signed a card and wrote sweet messages and it was all I could do to not cry. I saved that for later when no one was around.
After the end of the night, I went to my bus to find all of the guys waiting with pizza and cake and a card wishing me and Adam a happy birthday. And again, I had to keep myself from crying since I'm on a bus with a bunch of dudes. They wrote me a punny card as I have done for them, and left sweet messages with terrifying pictures of animals inside and somehow it was one of the best cards I'd ever been given.
The oddities of the day added with being out on the road with family truly made for one of the best birthdays yet. And the wishes from back home filled my heart to the very top. I am so thankful for everyone who celebrated with me, in person, in text, via Facebook - from the very bottom of my heart, thank you.
I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about being only five years away from turning 30 - to be honest, it still kind of freaks me out. But, I know that God has a plan and He will provide. Maybe not when I would like, but things will come to fruition in His timing. I just have to be patient.
So here's to 25 - I pray that I will continue living this beautiful life God has given me to the absolute fullest, following His plan along the way, chasing after my dreams even more and eating way more cake. Because cake is good.
Four score and seven years ago,
Ellie
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