Sometimes the best things in life ARE free...

...and sometimes they're not.

Tonight we got to see Bebo Norman for free at a concert celebrating the end of a canned food drive for Mission Arlington. It was just the kind of Bebo concert I've been craving. The last two we've been to were ones where he shared the music stage with a few other solo musicians and so only got to play 5-6 songs. They were great, but just not the same as Bebo and Gabe Scott on the stage, just the two of them and about a million musical instruments, all of which can be played by Gabe. Tonight, he played the hammered dulcimer, dobro, slide guitar...and the accordion. Oh, yeah, and the keyboard. Bebo was his usual humble self playing the acoustic guitar.

Lake Arlington Baptist Church is kind of "in the round," and we were only about five rows back, so it was a great up-close view, too. They played about ten songs or so and as this type of concert usually is with Bebo, it was a time of not only incredible and inspiring music, but worship.

Strangely enough, the "opening act" was two ex-NFL players--Shawn Harper and Keith somebody. They did a kind of "power team" deal before each speaking for a while. The little boys (=males 1-99 years old) enjoyed watching the phone books being ripped in half and the skillets being rolled like enchiladas, the hot water bottles blown up til they burst, and the baseball bats snapped in two. :) They were funny, but also inspiring when they spoke.

So, that was the "some of the best things are free" event of the week.

On the other end, I get to see my other favorite musician on Saturday night in Malibu, CA. Todd and I are going to take a long weekend to celebrate our anniversary late and spend some time with my brother, his wife, and their cute little almost-four-year-old son, Aaron. We were planning to see David Wilcox at McCabe's Friday night, which is a guitar shop that hosts concerts. My brother warned me I needed to buy tickets early because they sell out fast, but...stupid me!!!...I forgot to call right away. They didn't go on sale until about a week after we bought our plane tickets, and must have sold out in just a day or so, because when I called, they were already gone. I was bummed.

So, the backup plan. Dave was originally playing only in Malibu at Pepperdine's Smothers Theatre, but the McCabe's show came up and was closer, and half as expensive. So, I was relieved that at least we could see him at Pepperdine, even though I was not crazy about the doubled ticket price. Unfortunately...when I called to get tickets, they were also sold out!

Talk about kicking myself...again. They told me to call back a few days later to see if they had decided to open up the orchestra seats, so I set all kinds of alarms on my computer calendar and cell phone--even had my boss make a meeting 30 minutes later than he had planned. I told him I had to make an important call and obviously I have some kind of influence over him that he agreed. :) So, that day, I called and they told me they didn't think they were going to open it up after all. I was not a nice person the rest of that day.

Thursday, I decided to give them one more chance to make my day. We needed four tickets--me, Todd, my brother, and his wife. I said a quick prayer. "Please, God! Please, God! Please, God!"

I called and asked if by any chance they had decided to open up the pit. The girl checked and said no. I asked her if it was something they just decided randomly to do or what. She said they didn't usually open it until they were completely sold out, and I told her that the other girl I talked to said they would probably open it because they were down to only single tickets here and there. At this point, she said, yeah, that's right, how many tickets do you need? I told her four, and she said (at which point my jaw began slowly making a descent down my face) "Well, we have four tickets in row D, center, that just came available. Would you like those?"

Whoa. I said "Um, yeah, we'll take them." I was pinching myself because that was really bizarre. At that point, the very expensive ticket price seemed irrelevant and I handed over my credit card number with no hesitation. :)

Now, to some people this may seem silly. I have had family members ask me if the only reason I was wanting to go to LA was to see David Wilcox and if the visit with my brother wasn't an important enough part of it that the concert issue shouldn't matter. The answer is no...and yes...and no.

We did plan the trip date around the fact that Dave was doing a couple of shows that weekend. I was really mad at myself for not calling when I should have. My brother and his family are lots of fun and I can't wait to see them--it's been a long time and I don't get to see my family very often. If we go and for some reason we don't get to see David, I will be happy anyway for that fact alone.

BUT...(big butt. hehe)...here is what I explained to my patient but curious husband the other day.

Sometimes there is something that happens in your life that has a profound influence on you. Maybe if you discovered it at another time in your life, it wouldn't have been the same. David Wilcox's music is one of those things for me.

I found his music (through Heather and Fabian's influence) at the time when I was a single mom, really struggling with making it on all levels--financially, spiritually, emotionally. He has a way of putting into words...and sometimes into just a little run of guitar notes...what my mind and heart was trying to say or feel. When I would go to a concert or listen to one of his CDs during those really rough years, the music and lyrics just touched that part of my soul that needed touching and healing, and I believe it was a big part of me being able to "just get on" in my life. I think God really placed that in my life at the right time. Todd recognized this, and even had a phrase from one of those songs inscribed in my engagement ring. We played a couple of David Wilcox songs at our wedding.

People make fun of me sometimes for my little obsession. I know it's in love and not really mean-ness. Believe me, it's not one of those musician crush things. I can proudly say I save all my celebrity love for Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Grant, and Colin Firth.

So, I said all that to say this. When I invite the important people in my life to listen to David Wilcox, or go to a concert with me, I'm just wanting to share something with them about me. I'm not insisting that they are as moved as I am by the music, or necessarily even like it. I just want to say, hey, look--there is this thing that really helped me through and I want to share it with you so you can see a little bit of me through this. My brother and his wife are important people in my life, and so I will share this with them.

So, you see, sometimes the best things in life are free...and sometimes they aren't.

When your love grows cold
and your heart grows dark
and the blame seems to fall on you.
Well, look how seasons must change
and don't think it so strange
that your love goes in circles too.

And just know
that your sun will shine
just as sure as this world can spin,
and I know you'll find,
that it's almost time,
for that love to come 'round again.

We can hold on fine,
cause it almost time,
for that love to come 'round again.

(David Wilcox, "Almost Time", from Nightshift Watchman)