Friday (4/16) I was ready and about to head out - around 2:45 PM - so I could make a couple of stops en route to First Baptist. Well, I happened to glance out the kitchen window and saw a car in the driveway that I at first thought to be my housemate's.
I opened the kitchen door - it opens into the garage - to make sure hers was still there and it was. I went on out to my car and unlocked and loaded my field bag inside - I had my Stormie Omartian The Power of A Praying Woman Bible in there, along with my camera - in its mini carry bag - and some other things that I thought I might need.
Then I went back and hit the switch on the wall to raise the garage door. When it went all the way up, I had a startled housemate standing there! I learned that she had finally located her garage door clicker - she had taken it with her on the trip - and had not yet hit the button. So - she was rightfully startled when the garage door went up since she didn't know that I was still at home or that I was about to leave.
She introduced me to the co-worker who was dropping her off. She said that the woman had to go return the rental car. I'm not sure if this was the co-worker who flew in from out of state to attend the conference or not. I didn't ask her.
Anyway, she left and I helped my housemate inside with her baggage. We talked briefly and I warned her that I might be 11:00 PM getting home. Then I headed out. I made a stop to pick up the mail, then made another stop to pick up something to eat. We had been told to bring something to have for supper because we would not have time between the conclusion of the volunteers meeting and the opening of the doors to the conference attendees to leave and go get something.
Once all that was done, I headed to FBCJ. I found that after 3:00 PM parking is allowed in the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board parking lot, so I parked there and gathered my gear and went inside the church. I was told that they weren't quite ready for the volunteers to check in yet, so I went on to go and eat the meal I had brought along.
While I was eating, I learned that they were ready for us, so I went and checked in and got my assignment - I would be working with Stormie Omartian - which was what I had requested. This was my 3rd time to work as a volunteer at the Conference and the 1st time that I was assigned the position I requested! Oh well - 3rd time's the charm, I guess! I returned and finished up eating and disposed of my trash.
By that time it was almost time for the volunteers meeting to begin. I reported to the meeting place and Beth led the meeting, then assigned us to our team leaders based on categories of what we were doing, among them:
- Product Table
- Encouragers
- Greeters
Well, I went to Stormie's product table and met the others who were assigned to work there. Then we met Lou and Sue - Stormie's "road managers". We received quick training on what it was that we were to do. Having done this twice before, I already pretty much knew the drill - but there were some specifics that I needed to know. They got us ready to go.
Soon afterward, Sue is standing out in front of the product table and a woman comes walking in and up to her and starts talking to Sue that looked like Stormie - and sure enough, it turned out to be Stormie Omartian. After a couple of minutes, Sue brought Stormie over and introduced us to her. Stormie extended her hand to me and I shook hands with her and she personally thanked me for helping with her booth this weekend. She went on around to all of the other volunteers and did the same.
Lou and Sue had had us to each pick out an item that we wanted - as a "thank you" for helping out. I chose a copy of Stormie's autobiography, entitled Stormie:A Story of Forgiveness and Healing, and so it was put aside on a table off to the side of the booth with a post-it note on it with my name written on it. Well, Lou and Sue asked Stormie about going ahead and signing our items for us. She agreed; so each of us went over there to claim them. I took my camera along and Amanda - whom I would later learn is Stormie's daughter - took a picture of me with her mother. We also wound up getting a group shot of Stormie with all of us volunteers. I got some other pictures of the volunteers with Stormie as well and a shot of her autographing my copy of her book.
There was another guy working in the booth as well - Chris - and he turns out to be Stormie's son. Lou and Sue are her brother-in-law and sister. They were all really nice people. They live outside of Nashville, Tennessee.
We got somewhat busy - selling product - Lou, Sue and Chris were handling credit card transactions; Amanda was assisting Stormie at the meet and greet. Stormie was under the weather - her allergies were getting to her big time - but she sat at the table and signed for a multitude of people and posed for pictures with them.
Lou and Sue finally sent all of us volunteers up to the Sanctuary for the beginnning of the conference. Mandisa - an American Idol contestant - opened the conference with a mini-concert. Then Chonda Pierce was brought on stage and she did a Christian comedy routine.
There was a break afterwards; we returned to the booth and sold more product. I was able to slip away and get my picture taken with Chonda. I also slipped away and went and purchased an E-Women coffee travel mug. We worked the booth awhile longer, then went back to the Sanctuary for the Jeremy Camp concert. Lou and Sue had told us that after the concert we would not need to return to the booth.
Well, about 9:45 PM I was to the point where I was unable to listen to any more of Jeremy's music. I had also forgotten to bring along my PM meds so that I could take them. So, I got up and made my way out and to my car and came on home - getting in about 10:15 PM. I changed clothes and got ready and went on to bed.
By the way, I did get some pictures of Mandisa, Chonda Pierce and Jeremy Camp performing. Yes, I did come in earlier than expected - I had based the time on previous conference experiences.
Saturday (4/17) I woke up about 5:00 AM. Lou and Sue had told us that we didn't need to be back there until about 7:30-7:45 AM. This was contrary to the 6:55 AM on the sheet from E-Women, but I went with what they said since they were my "bosses" for the weekend. I finally got up about 5:30 AM and went and and took a shower and got dressed, read the newspaper, had breakfast and then went and finished up getting ready. I left home about 7:10 AM after talking with my housemate and saying it would probably be around 5:00 PM when I got home from the conference; I was expecting to be held over afterwards to help sell product afterwards and also break down and pack up the merchandise.
I got down to FBCJ and found that the MBCB parking lot was already full - it was almost 7:45 AM. I went around to another parking lot that my housemate likes to park in when she drives. It had only one car in it, so I parked there and made my way to the Fellowship Hall and reported for duty.
We got to work and began selling product. Stormie arrived around 8:15 AM I think it was - earlier than I thought she would - and had another meet and greet with the attendees. We were shipped off to the Sanctuary to catch the Pre-Show with Mandisa; then Sheri Rose Shepherd did a teaching segment; following Sheri Rose, there was a break. I was able to get my picture taken with her before the crowd arrived. We made more sales, then went off to hear Angela Thomas speak.
I saw where a number of volunteers were heading out, so I got up and left and went back to the booth. I was early. That was okay - a few minutes later, Angela came to her booth and I took the opportunity to go and get my picture with her. Then they dismissed for lunch - I had already eaten by that time. A local deli had catered with boxed lunches for the volunteers and everyone who had ordered one. I helped with doing more business; as I had eaten and the other volunteers hadn't.
After lunch was over, Mandisa put on a mini-concert. I was there for a while listening when I had to obey my kidneys. At that point I went on back to the booth. There was a break in place soon afterwards; then the last speaker of the day was our own Stormie Omartian.
Of course I wasn't going to miss Stormie's message. I went up and got a seat and sat there the entire time listening to her. As she wrapped up, I got up and made a beeline back down to the booth and I informed them that Stormie had just left the stage. Amanda thanked me for the "heads up" so that she would be ready when her mother arrived.
I had picked out and purchased 2 books - for the bride and groom - suitable for wedding gifts. I had their names and notes on there about the occasion. I had put them over on the table for Stormie to sign when she came down. I also had the idea of getting a picture of Stormie with Amanda and Chris.
When she got down there, a crowd followed and we were doing some business. Amanda and Chris posed with Stormie, but the photo was blurry - I know why - I had the setting wrong on the camera. After about 20 minutes, Stormie signed our books - the volunteers' extra purchases - and she, Amanda and Chris posed again for me and this time I got a good one of them. I showed it to Stormie and she loved it and asked me to send it to her. She was about to grab a slip of paper and write her e-mail address on it, but I told her that Sue had already given it to me.
Stormie, despite not feeling well due to allergies, was such a trooper. She did a total of 3 meet and greets while at the conference. Mandisa only did one to my knowledge and the other artists I think only did one - some of them may have done 2, though. I was very impressed with how sweet she was.
I got a hug and thank you from both Stormie and Sue and then I left. I headed for the car, got in and drove away. I headed home. It was around 4:00 PM when I got in. I'm not sure what my housemate was doing - if she was napping or what. I unloaded my stuff - and put a box out on the den table containing a coffee mug I had gotten for her, plus I had picked up extra copies of some materials that I thought might be of interest to her and I put those out.
I came on back to my bedroom and changed from jeans to shorts. Then I laid down and made a couple of phone calls. Since then I called and placed an order for supper and scooted back out and went and picked it up. My housemate was getting ready to leave as I was returning. Tonight is her high school reunion and she was finishing up getting ready. She nearly forgot her camera till I reminded her and she went back and retrieved it.
After I finished supper, I uploaded the Conference photos from my camera - I took a total of 50 - and saved them to a folder on my flash drive. Then I uploaded some of those to an album I created in my photo center account with a local store and even ordered some prints. The order will be ready on Sunday after 11:00 AM.
I suppose this is all as I'm about to go feed Rusty and head off to bed....
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