Back Home Again

An Uplifting Experience.

 I recently returned from a short trip to Nashville, TN.  I travelled there to attend the 2007 World Conference of the American Association of Christian Counselors.  It was my first time attending the event.  My employers at The Lighthouse Counseling Center in Jefferson, LA graciously paid for the conference fees, enabling me to enjoy the wonderful learning experience.

 My wife joined me on the trip.  We got a late start leaving New Orleans and what was supposed to be an eight hour drive became one of ten hours.  However, though I prefer traveling the backroads, the beautiful scenery along the Interstate through Central Mississippi and Northwestern Alabama made the ride more enjoyable.

What Budget...We Don't Need No Stinkin' Budget

In an attempt to stay within a budget, I had done much research before  booking our room in Nashville.  The conference was held at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel.  Not only did I consider the room price, even at the conference rate, beyond our budget, the rooms there and the conference's overflow hotels had long since been booked by the time I was asked to consider attending.  After my research, I booked a room in a chain hotel that was not too far from the conference site.  My wife planned to spend her days there sightseeing and spending time with her neice who is a resident of the area.

'When we arrived at our hotel the "Mars and Venus" thing happened.  When we walked into our room my wife and I obviously encounted two different things.  What I saw was a clean, somewhat utilitarian, but good and comfortable enough room.  My wife saw and felt something completely different...so much so that it gave her the "heebie-geebies."  No matter how much I reasoned about the dollar issue, she announced she was going to telephone the Gaylord to see if any rooms had become available.

I have a saying, "WDWDG." I have long since learned its not worth the emotional and mental drain of asserting what I believe to the best avenue when her whole being goes into such a mode.  Therefore, I have ample opportunity to "die to myself." because "Whatever Danelle Wants Danelle Gets."  As a result, we upacked later that night at the hotel which was the site of the conference. The one that was far beyond what our budget could handle.  Who needs money anyway? Right?

The Gaylord Opryland is huge.  Every guest should be issued a GPS along with their room key-card.  I'll save the wonders that are packed into the resort for another article.  However, I will say of the 7000 to 8000 that attended the AACC Conference, there were very few who had learned there way around by the end of the final day. 

 The Conference

The Conference itself was fabulous.  The plenary speakers were of international caliber and most of the workshop leaders are nationally known in the areas of expertise.  Each of the plenary sessions began and ended with incredible, live worship music.  Throughout the conference we also heard the music of several notable Contempary Christian Musicians and entertainers.

 Like any conference, this one reinforced the fact that simply sitting and listening all day is very tough work.  My first day of attendance began at 7:30 am. and ended at 6:30 pm.  After finding my way back to our room, I crashed.

We had a repreive on the second day.  The first plenary began at 8:00 am.  The praise and worship revived me, having only had the warm, brown-tinted water that is despensed from the in-room coffee-pots.  Its the only time that I use sweetener and creamer to impart a taste to "coffee."

I was only exhausted by the end of the first day.  By the end of the second, I was toast...so much so that I opted to skip the last workshop that I had signed up for that day.  Before retiring to our room, I simply relaxed near one of the many beautiful fountains and waterfalls that can be found throughout the hotel.  Based on all the other workshops I attended, I know I missed a very valuable learning experience, but after the drive up, the hotel drama, and the two days of conferencing with people from all over the world.  I could not go any more.  All in all, it was uplifting, but very exhausting experience.

Again, there were many wonderful speakers throughout the conference.  By opting to leave early on the last day I missed many more.  Of those I did have the opportunity to hear, I most enjoyed John Eldredge, the author of many books including, The Sacred Romance, Wild At Heart, and The Way Of The Wild Heart.  While all were very informative and entertaining, Eldredge spoke in a "down to earth" way to which I connected.  His simple, yet profound message was a call for each of us to "return to our first love."

The Long Drive Home

With the car loaded down with unbudgeted gifts for the kids and grandkids (WDWDG) we headed south out of Nashville.  Once we cleared the suburbs of Nashville we stopped for our morning meal at my second favorite breakfast spot... (the first is, of course, Brennan's in NOLA--when someone else foots the bill)... Waffle House!!!

As on the trip up, my wife and I shared the driving duties.  For the most part, I was either driving or sleeping.  The eight-hour trip that became ten hours a few days before, became 12 hours on the homeward journey.  Have you ever driven through Tuscaloosa, Alabama on gameday?  Now I can say I have.

Now I am home and settled in.  My spirit was renewed and I was reminded to return to the basics of my faith....after all, I am not the true counselor.  I am like the artist who studies the masters, spending years learning and honing the finer techniques of my art; I am the one who arrives at the scene, sets up the easel, the canvas, the brushes and the paint, then waits for the proper light.  Then, and only then, I become an instrument in the hands of the one who paints the true masterpieces.

Thanks for Riding Along...

Robb