Grand prize what?!?

I think I mentioned before how Katherine called me selfish.  Who me?  Never! totally true!

When we got tickets to go see Toby Mac for Katherine's birthday with Grandma, who got to go?  Me.

When we got Brandon Heath/Matt Maher tickets for Kaleb and Grandma?  Who gets to join?  Me.  (And that's tomorrow night by the way!  Cannot wait!!!)

And when Katherine won tickets on JoyFM to see the Rams game on Sunday, with a Switchfoot concert afterwards, who would be going?  Yeah, you guessed it.  None other than me!  And Katherine of course-she did win the tickets after all.

But over the weekend, I started thinking about trying to park downtown just how much I loved my husband. I thought about the crowds at the arena how great our marriage has become and how much I adore him.  I thought about how grateful I am for Kris and that Switchfoot is always best at the pageant I really wanted to do something nice for him.  So, with only a little complete selflessness, I told Kris that he should take Katherine to the game and Switchfoot.  I listed off all of the reasons he should go:


I get to go everywhere and do anything.
It would be a fun time for the two of them.
I've been to no less than 5 Switchfoot concerts (same amount as him) and I could give up just this one, for him, of course.
I didn't want to drive downtown (or ride the Metrolink).
I didn't want to deal with all the people crowding the seats and aisles.
I love him.

So it was decided.  Kris would take Katherine in my place.  I felt only a pang of sadness-no doubt because I was terrified of driving downtown alone and being with all those people being so selfless and missing a chance to see my favorite band, for FREE, at that.

I was happy with my decision.  The more I thought about it and the days went by, the more content I was.  Switchfoot would come back to the Pageant and I would once again get to go.  I could wait.

Yesterday, the concert didn't even cross my mind.  I had grade school drama left and right in the afternoon, while I was trying to work.  The school nurse called about Kaleb.  You can read all about that here on his very own blog; it's called Kaleb the Kool Kid.  I'm glad he started it.  I told him that I liked to write when I was upset or angry about something and since he is being bullied, this may provide a good outlet.  I was surprised to learn he had already blogged about what had happened at school.  So, I got off of the phone with the school nurse and then not 15 minutes later, Olivia's teacher called.  Olivia keeps getting in trouble for talking incessantly.  Maybe she needs a blog too. ;-)  While I was on the phone with the teacher, another call came through.  I didn't recognize the number, so I ignored it.  When I got off the phone, I listened to the voicemail.  This is what I heard:

"Hi Jamie, Matthew at 105.7 The Point. Give me a call here at the radio station (phone#).  Again, Matthew at 105.7 The Point."

He gave the number again and I walked back to my desk at work.  I told the people sitting around me that I got this weird phone call.  For the past 2 weeks, several of us had been trying to win the $1000/day giveaway that The Bull was giving away, and one guy said that other stations had been doing the giveaway too.  I was like "I didn't enter anything on The Point."  They urged me to call anyway, and several of them waited around for a few minutes after their shift ended at 5pm because they wanted to know what I had won-they assumed I had won something.  I was skeptical, since I never seem to win anything I really want.  In the last several months, I have tried to win Toby Mac tickets, Brandon Heath (then, the secret concert) tickets, Rams/Switchfoot tickets on JoyFM, $1000, and a few others I can't think of right now.  But nothing!  I thought, well since Katherine won the JoyFM Switchfoot tickets, I'm definitely not going to win anything now.

So, hesistantly, I called Matthew back.  He picked up right away, and he told me that I had entered to win tickets to see the Rams and Switchfoot.  Suddenly, I remembered going to their website when I stumbled upon a contest, giving away the same tickets that JoyFM was giving away.  I DID enter to win!  I had forgotten about that!  I even made Cindy and Kris enter at the time, hoping we could score another 2 tickets.  I asked him if I won and he said that I had!  The next five minutes are a blur.  Because he threw me for a loop.  I was SO excited and kept telling him and that he had no idea how excited I was.

Then the game changed.

He said, "And we picked you for our grand prize winner."

Wait.

What?

WHAT????

I didn't even remember the prize but I knew it had something to do with Switchfoot so I was giddy by this point.

Sunday, Kris' mom will take Katherine to watch the Rams game with the tickets that she won, and Kris and I will be sitting in a luxury booth/box WITH the band Switchfoot, watching the Rams game!!!!  Can you believe that???  He also said something about a wristband and being able to go on the field to watch the concert.  But who cares about that???  I'll be in close proximity to the members of men who have written and sung songs that have shaped the course of my life and mean so much to me.  I am beyond excited, in shock, and afraid that it's all some sort of evil joke being played on me.

The one time I give in and let someone else do something I really want to do, I get rewarded with something far greater than I could have imagined!  OK, I suppose it's not the ONE time.  Because there was that time, several months ago, when I gave in and let Jesus take control of my life, something I really wanted to do, and was rewarded far beyond measure.  Yeah, it's like that!

Also, since I'm working now, I was finally able to get my hair done again!  I had the appointment scheduled before I knew about the concert tickets, but now it's like an added bonus.  I won't have to worry about all my gray hairs and crazy coloring scheme I had going on-not that I was anyway...but still...just another excuse to plug my favorite salon, The Cutting Edge.  These people are amazing, as always!  And, look how long my hair is getting!  Added bonus, I didn't have to do my hair this morning, because it looks exactly like it did last night!

Anyway, since this post is technically about Switchfoot, the best band ever, who holds such a dear place in my heart, I thought I'd share one (ha ha) of their songs with you here.  It's too hard to choose a favorite.  It would be 5 albums worth of favorites.  Their Legend of Chin album is the only one I don't totally love.  But there are three that come to mind, so I have to share them all, and you can listen to them or don't.  But you should.

This one meant a lot to me through this transition to a new life.  It is a song that I heard just over 7 years ago, at a time that I needed it.  I tried to cling to the words and they kept slipping away.  As I came back home to Kris and wanted to find restoration with God too, I still couldn't get there, but this song speaks to that longing.

This next one was from their last album and it made me cry.  I was so restless back then.  I was lost and it was a struggle to make it through each day.  This song describes that feeling better than I could.

And then, from that same album, I've written about it before, on my other blog I believe.  But it's a song called Thrive.  And it IS my life.  I DO want to thrive, not just survive.  I'm done with that life.  I'm ready to thrive!

And because where music AND Switchfoot are concerned and combined, I just can't help myself and am sneaking in the lyrics to a song I always loved and never understood until now.  Once I met Jesus at the foot of the Cross back in April, I could finally understand this song like never before.  I am so grateful for the words that God gives these men to write and sing and blessed beyond measure for the opportunity to finally meet the men that have been so pivotal in my life, musically.

And actually, I am not even sure if this is their song.  It may have been a Mandy Moore song that they just sang, but their voices with these lyrics together are just amazing!

"There's a song that's inside of my soul.

It's the one that I've tried to write over and over again.

I'm awake in the infinite cold.

But You sing to me over and over and over again

So I lay my head back down

And I lift my hands and pray to be only Yours

I pray to be only Yours

I know now You're my only hope

Sing to me of the song of the stars

Of Your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again

When it feels like my dreams are so far

Sing to me of the plans that You have for me over again

And I lay my head back down

And I lift my hands and pray to be only Yours

I pray to be only Yours

I know now You're my only hope

I give You my apathy

I'm giving You all of me

I want Your symphony

Singing in all that I am

At the top of my lungs

I'm giving it back"