Another life lesson. I'm doing a retreat. It's this weekend. I am giving a talk on Renewal. I have also helped with artwork, emailing files hither and yon, music, singing, making CDs, writing, you name it. I have been feeling a little (!) on the stressed side, trying to get all this stuff done for Friday night. Yesterday morning, I listened to the radio while I was eating breakfast, and heard a mini-sermon on how sometimes you think you're doing God's work, but you may be focusing on all the wrong stuff. And then it hit me — God definitely does not want me to be getting stressed about making 80 CDs by Thursday. He wants me to be relaxing in a bubble bath, thinking about my talk and resting. After I had this thought, I got a call that someone had volunteered to burn ALL the CDs for us, and to give him as many as we needed. If that wasn't an answered prayer, I don't know what is. The point of this weekend isn't the music, the themed T-shirts, the food — it's about letting God into your life. I got caught up in all the trappings of making the weekend special, and was in real danger of forgetting what really made the weekend special for me when I went on it a year ago. So, boys and girls, if you're the praying sort, please say a prayer for me giving my talk on Friday night. Good thoughts/vibes/wishes gratefully accepted too. Thanks.