thankful: thirty-eight and thirty-nine

on Friday, my friend and i took off to Philly for the day, ready to enjoy the sunshine, good food and conversation, and the John Mark McMillan concert--whom i am absolutely crazy about, by the way. i've been a faithful fan since day one, so when i found out that he was coming to Philadelphia, i bought a ticket right away and have been looking forward to his show ever since. so my friend and i planned to head down to the city early, go to the zoo (which was awesome!) and explore a bit. the day was beautiful, and i am thankful for every second of it. but i knew that the best part would be the concert that evening.

now, let me just say: i know that, at times, it may appear that i'm just a teensy bit...well, obsessed with John Mark McMillan. but allow me to explain. yes, i admire and respect the man immensely--as an artist, a worshiper, a human being. yes, his lyrics are fanfreakingtabulous, and they inspire me to write, speak, live with the same transparent passion that he brings to the table. and yes, the man can rock a guitar like no other, and his voice is insanely awesome. that being said: there is more to him. he makes music that i engage with and, when that happens, i end up engaging with God; his songs allow me to experience the One that i'm worshiping. so yeah, i may be just a little obsessed (not in the weird, creepy way either, allow me to clarify.) but as you see, i have my reasons.

anyway. so last night was the show, and it was honestly one of the most memorable evenings of my life. as i sat at my front-row table, close enough to lock eyes with the band as they looked out at the crowd, i just kept thinking how incredibly thankful the whole night made me. (even as i think about it now, tears still come to my eyes!) hands raised, singing along loudly to every word, my favorite musician in the world standing on stage about four feet away from me, totally unaware of everything and everyone else around--it was a dream come true.

and now, for your viewing pleasure, a few photos from day of phun in Philly. enjoy, and thanks for reading!