Hide and Seek

Hello again!

First thing is first. This touring Halo Ensemble I'm in has a website! I'm so silly and don't think I've posted it, yet, so here it is!

http://haloensemble.org

Check it out! We'll have a blog on there as well ... and since more people are going to be involved in it, hopefully it will get updated more often than mine ... then again maybe it will be a case of too many cooks in the kitchen. Let's hope 1) I can be more disciplined and diligent and 2) that too many cooks thing doesn't happen/plague the ensemble.

Good news! We've given our first official concert. It was on Tuesday evening. It was pretty "thrown together" and as a group, it was a pretty big wake-up call that God will hold up His end of the deal, but we have to do some work as well. It's a joint project of ours. Nevertheless, it was pretty well received and we're raised some money from it! Hooray! We've also been able to get the word out and have some new people sign up for the email list, which is fantastic!

Laura has been working hard and gotten the fundraising letter together for us ... which was a big task for her. Since our trip is coming up so soon, we're having to do a lot of retroactive fundraising, but we know the LORD is faithful and we're investing trusting in Him and His vision for the group. His abundance knows no limits! Praise Him!

We've had confirmation from a good friend of ours, Christian, that he is for sure coming to Hungary to be a part of Crescendo. It's been pretty up in the air, but he is coming to play with us and be part of the festival and we're so excited for that! It's truly an answer to prayer in a huge way! But also the beginning of more prayer, that the festival will be a wonderful time of renewing and preparation for him.

On a personal note, I just returned early this morning (3 am) from a good friend's wedding in Michigan. Personally, internally, it was a difficult two days and I'm exhausted in many ways! But it was also wonderful to be there for Erin and her family. It was such an honor to be a part of the wedding and be able to rejoice with the rejoicers in a more intimate way. She was (and still is) a beautiful bride and the complete opposite of a bridezilla! She was so calm the whole time, even if she was faking it, it was incredible. Regardless of anything that happened that day (and with the exception of the harpist, the groom stepping on the bride's dress not ten minutes into their new marriage, and my camera taking a little tumble, everything went swimmingly!), by the end of it, they're married!!! AMAZING!

MasterWorks unofficially ended today. Almost all of the students have gone home, a few are just lingering, extending their departure and trying to avoid the unavoidable. All that are left are a few suckers (like me), counselors and staff members. The campus has turned into a little bit of a ghost town now, but it's okay. Very shortly the withdrawal and sadness will set it, if it hasn't already. But there will always be next summer ... or if not, then eternity.

I'm not very good with goodbyes, myself. Good thing there's Eternity! Honestly, I'd be a constant mess if it weren't for that Hope.