We have been having so much fun watching the unique ways God has been working around us and for us as we prepare for our new life as missionaries in Kitale. Our most recent blessing came in the form of just plain ole' FUN!!
Third Day has been Amy's favorite band for a long time. (For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, this is where the email address "Mac Blaster" stems from, as their lead singer is Mac Powell.) Whenever they come to town, we try to go to their show with Amy's fellow groupie, Heather, and her husband, Paul. This year, Third Day was playing at the Puyallup Fair with Toby Mac. Because they got the Saturday night venue, the tickets were more expensive than usual. And because we are trying to save money for our mission, we decided to forego this time. This was a real sacrifice for Amy in particular, because it was very possibly the last time she would get to see Third Day with Heather before we leave for Kenya.
About a month before the show, Scott and Sam of Spirit 105.3 were giving away tickets on the radio. Amy called in and won 4 tickets in the 12th row!! Amy and Heather have a pact that any Third Day prizes get split 50/50. To the disappointment of the husbands, they decided to take their oldest boys, Ethan and Zachary.
Then, two weeks ago, Matt Case on Spirit 105.3 was giving away more tickets. Each day of the week, you could call in to get entered in a drawing for 5th row, 4th row, 3rd row, etc. Amy called in each day of the week, entered the drawing, and didn't win. By Thursday, apparently Matt Case was tired of talking to Amy every day, because he gave her two 2nd row tickets! So now, the husbands were going to join the fun (from the 12th row, of course, while Amy and Heather rocked out in row #2!).
Two days before the concert, Amy got a random call from Onnie at Spirit 105.3 saying, "Congratulations. We'd like you to have 4 back stage passes at the concert!" (Ethan secretly videotaped Amy calling Heather to tell her the news. That video will NEVER be shown in public.)
So, Jason and I started thinking, "How on earth could this happen? Maybe God has a plan for Jason and I to both be at the show for a reason? Or maybe He's just blessing us because He is so amazing and good." Jason's buddy Pete came up with the idea of putting our blog address on T-shirts and giving them to the Third Day guys and Toby Mac. Amy ran with that idea and quickly called up a friend who does silk screening.
Because we felt that God might be up to something here, Amy decided to take Jason backstage with her. Ethan was disappointed because Heather was taking Zachary backstage, and eating cotton candy with Zachary's Dad while the rest of us were backstage was not what Ethan was hoping for. But, he was very mature and decided to be grateful for getting to go to the show.
Before the show, we were at the Spirit booth getting our backstage passes. When Sarahann from Spirit realized that Ethan wasn't getting to go with us, she quickly spoke to her supervisor, Amy, and two more backstage passes appeared! All 6 of us got to go!!
When Ethan gave Toby Mac his T-shirt, Toby graciously bowed his head and prayed a blessing over our family and the work we will be doing in Kitale. How cool and fun is that ?!?! Mac, Mark, David, and Tai from Third Day also now have T-shirts with our blog address. We don't know if they will ever look at this blog (but if you are reading it now, Guys, THANKS for taking the time!!), or if anything else will come of our brief meeting with these talented artists, but we are so thankful for the blessing of getting to meet them and see them play one last time before our new life begins!
Oh, and one more thing, we let the boys have the 2nd row for the Toby Mac portion of the show. Afterwards, Amy asked Ethan, "What did you think of Toby Mac from the 2nd row?" and he replied, "WHAT?!?!?" So she asked again, and he replied, "WHAT?!?!?!" Amy momentarily panicked, thinking he had lost his hearing. Then he removed his earplugs, and asked again, "What did you say, Mom?" Whew.
